Song picture
Betting on Terror
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Political satire
acoustic folk social commentary political satire western massachusetts oil coal climate change fracking incineration music for social change nuclear energy
Artist picture
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
Charts
Peak #92
Peak in subgenre #15
Author
Tom Neilson
Rights
2004
Uploaded
October 16, 2004
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.7 MB 128 kbps 0:00
Story behind the song
In the summer of 2003, John Poindexter was the overseer of DARFA's (Defense Research Projects Agency) attempt to institute a web based futures market that Dept. of War officials said could help forecast catastrophic events. Traders would hope to profit financially from their betting on terror. Deputy fo War Sec'ty Paul Wolfowitz called Poindexter's team "brilliantly imaginative." Sen. Barbara Boxer called the program "morbid" and "a sick idea."
Lyrics
The pentagon is setting up a game that we can play With stock market commodities, a murderous buffet. Buy & sell future atrocities they say are on the way To provide homeland security in the USA. The Director is a felon- Poindexter is his name. So if you're betting terror, he knows how to play the game. Put your money down for violence & odds are pretty good That you will win, place, or show in your neighborhood. Betting on terror, predict the next attack Like losing home or health care- 40 bullets if you're Black, Give away your freedom, tamper with your mail And if they don't like your ancestry, they'll take you off to jail. It's 4 to 1 that Superfund's a mile or 2 away 3 to 1 plutonium is in the air today 2 to 1 abortion is at risk of foul play & 3 to 2 they're after you if you get in their way. Betting on terror, if it's slow or if it's fast Is it ionizing cancer or a military blast? Tearing up the Bill of Rights or disappearing in the night Caterpillar murder or war by satellite? Now Poindexter says that terror can rear its ugly head In mid-east countries, you know terror seems to be inbred But I say terror is in every child who is underfed And US military actions leaving 1000s dead. Betting on terror, what a way to make a buck You can make a killing when somebody else is struck. Some people call it stupid. Others call it sick Some people call John Poindexter a raving lunatic. Now whose assassination? Who to overthrow? Is he writing down a lyric? Is she playing the banjo? Even money says you're peeing radiation in Iraq & 5 will get you 10. Poindexter's got a few good men & women planning the attack. Betting on terror, on a WMD, Spraying farmers in Colombia, or getting HIV Rumsfeld says he'll guarantee there's more barbarity Crusading with the stars & stripes for Christianity. Bidding on terror, you've got to use the net. Going once, going twice, you're homeland to protect Click on that razor wire to put around your home & a shotgun in the corner so you won't feel alone. Betting on terror predict catastrophe, Is it birth defects in babies from DU weaponry 5 to 3 your TV is just a fairy tale & if they don't like how we rhyme They'll call it a subversive crime A TIPS informant drops a dime And you & I will do some time And harmonize in jail.
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