Name: Butcher for Hire
Channel: David Rovics
Description: "Butcher for Hire" is a song by David Rovics. When the heads of nonviolent protesters need to be cracked to protect democracy, John Timony seems to be the man for the job.

License $0.00

Free download

When the heads of nonviolent protesters need to be cracked to protect democracy, John Timony seems to be the man for the job.

politics marijuana cannabis antiwar political iraq media social struggle israel cuba pirates environment labor afghanistan empire imperialism capitalism terrorism activism bullying bullies ecoterrorism guerrilla gardening irish hunger strike oil leaks oil spills social change

Creative Commons license

Commercial uses of this track are NOT allowed.

Adaptations of this track are NOT allowed to be shared.

You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the artist.

David Rovics

"If the great Phil Ochs were to rise from the dead today, he would probably be hailed as the new David Rovics." Andy Kershaw, BBC

Song Info

Genre

Acoustic • Acoustic Folk

Charts

Peak #32

Peak in subgenre #1

Author

David Rovics

Rights

Uploaded

May 23, 2005

Track Files

MP3

MP3 6.8 MB • 128 kbps • 0:00

Story behind the song

John Timoney. Police chief during any mass convergence these days, it seems, from Philly to Miami to Boston, and even an advisor to the NYPD during the same summer. When the heads of nonviolent protesters need to be cracked to protect democracy, Timony seems to be the man for the job.

Lyrics

Butcher For Hire
David Rovics

If you wanna have a protest in the USA
You wanna speak your mind in the American Way
If there are some rich white men with whom you disagree
And thought you have the right of assembly
There's a man that you should know
'Cause he will follow you wherever you go

(Chorus)
John Timoney, butcher for hire
He's a brutal thug and a dirty liar
He's a cop among cops, a man among men
And, oh my God, he's back again

And he'll protect our freedom in his own special way
By smashing in your face today
He'll spray tear gas in your eyes
He'll look into the camera and tell lies
And if you complain the deal is raw
He will declare martial law

(Chorus)

He'll ban dancing, he'll ban art
He'll ban medics on go-carts
He'll ban meetings, he'll ban signs
He'll ban circles, he'll ban lines
He'll stand up upon his throne
And say "go back to your free speech zone"

(Chorus)

But someday he'll meet his end
He's already half-way round the bend
He'll take stock of what he's done
Stare at the notches on his gun
He'll look into the mirror and at his poor wife
And say, "Oh my God -- I've been a scumbag my whole life"

(Chorus)

Created February, 2004
Copyright David Rovics 2004, all rights reserved