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18 Cows
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In 1988, The Palestine town of Beit Sahour bought 18 cows from Kibbutz Hillel so that they could start a dairy collective to provide fresh milk.
acoustic folk social commentary political satire western massachusetts oil coal climate change fracking incineration music for social change nuclear energy
Folk singer, social commentary, satire, people's stories, children's music
Hi Folks, The Bard Insurgent here. My comrade D.O. (the Poet Roofer) and I got that handle (The Bard Insurgents) from traveling town to town performing songs and poetry about people's lives. I've been performing since I was 3 years old, cutting my vocal chords on liturgical and classical music. I was a concert soloist as a child, when I wasn't herding cows, throwing hay and shoveling manure. During the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam war, I began writing songs about social change. I left the country in 1970 and my dozen years in other countries, mostly in Africa & South America, have provided a global perspective to my music. My travels helped me realize that people all around the world are essentially the same in their basic life needs and their desires to live peacefully in their communities. These experiences have informed my commitment to working for international understanding as I organize at home. A powerful way to educate and inspire is with music. I tell people's stories, do social commentary with a touch of satire that I hope you enjoy and share with your friends, as well as sing together in the streets and in your living rooms. I also have children's music written for the children in my life with Jacob and Kayla as primary muses. Looking forward to seeing you on the road, Tom
Song Info
Genre
Podcasts • Comedy - Political Humor
Charts
Peak #1
Peak in subgenre #1
Author
Tom Neilson
Rights
Tom Neilson 2015
Uploaded
November 23, 2015
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.7 MB • 160 kbps • 3:14
Story behind the song
Influenced by the documentary, "The Wanted 18" http://www.justvision.org/wanted18; In 1988, The Palestine town of Beit Sahour bought 18 cows from Kibbutz Hillel so that they could start a dairy collective to provide fresh milk, but to the Israeli military, the dairy farm was considered a security threat. In the award-winning documentary The Wanted 18, directors Amer Shomali and Paul Cowan bring to life a remarkable story of nonviolent resistance during the First Intifada. The cows are declared a threat to Israel’s national security after a group of Palestinians begin producing milk for the town’s residents. These newly minted dairy farmers have to learn the most basic skills—even just how to milk the cows! But they are determined to be a model of self-reliance and provide their community with alternatives to replace Israeli goods. The Israeli soldiers find themselves in a game of cat-and-mouse as residents of the town work together to shuttle the cows from barn to barn. The fugitive cows of Beit Sahour become legendary and the “intifada milk,” often distributed under cover of night, is a part of residents’ daily diet. Humorous and thought-provoking, The Wanted 18 shows the power of mass mobilization and nonviolent resistance to the Israeli Occupation during the First Intifada – an era too-often simplistically depicted with stone-throwing Palestinian youth facing armed soldiers. This is a poignant film about nation-building from the bottom up, by the people not the politicians.
Lyrics
Now it was back in 1988 With the occupation of the Palestine state When Beit Sahour bought 18 cows But that wasn’t what the law allows. If you wanna drink milk, the law of the state Says you get it from Israel - not a farm you create ----- So 18 cows went underground And for the next 4 years, they couldn’t be found. Word came out from the high command There’s 18 cows in the promised land They’re solid and spotted, white and black Time to plan a sneak attack So 18 cows all got to hide Cause the army’s coming from the other side They came by land and choppers in the air But they couldn’t find the cows anywhere. It’s against the law for milk to be made by 18 cows in the Bovine Brigade 18 cows committing the crime Of making milk in Palestine. 18 cows give you milk to drink, But that ain’t all, it’s more than you think It’s independence and dignity A threat to Israel security Cause they might make butter – they might make cheese And other Intifada udder activities So they stay under cover & do as they please. Thinking up cow conspiracies It’s against the law for milk to be made By 18 cows in the Bovine Brigade 18 cows committing the crime Of making milk in Palestine. Hiding neath the fig and vine 18 cows wanted dead or alive These lactating ladies committing a crime Making milk and babies in Palestine Lola and Goldie, Rivka and Ruth I can’t make this stuff up – it’s really the truth And all the others – 14 more In a milky way in the middle of war It’s against the law for milk to be made By 18 cows in the Bovine Brigade 18 cows committing the crime Of making milk in Palestine.
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MeganGKeller
Jul 11, 2022
This is brilliant!