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White Feather (A Conchie's Lament)
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acoustic blues
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Joe Solo has busked his way around Europe, fronted pop-punk 4-piece Lithium Joe for a decade, and made 7 solo albums in 5 years. Live he hits a mean guitar, blo
Untraditional Folk Singer
Song Info
Genre
Acoustic • Acoustic Folk
Charts
Peak #785
Peak in subgenre #69
Author
Joe Solo
Rights
2009
Uploaded
February 07, 2009
Track Files
MP3
MP3 2.6 MB • 128 kbps • 2:47
Story behind the song
This is the tale of a Conscientious Objector told through the eyes of his brother whose simultaneous disapproval and admiration hopefully comes over. The White Feather movement was launched in 1915 by Admiral Penrose Fitzgerald. Early casualties in the war had been high, and the feeling in the top brass was that Britain would run out of men unless more could be persuaded to join up. The movement encouraged groups of women to accost able-bodied men and hand them a white feather, the symbol of cowardice. Mothers, sisters, wives and girlfriends turned on their menfolk and drove many to march off to France for fear of being labelled a coward. Ironically, standing up to them probably made you the opposite. Joe 23/1/09
Lyrics
He said "No!" to our Grandfather He said "No!" to me Dad He got a little smile from mother Like she were the last friend he had He said "No!" to the old recruiting Sergeant Down in the square Said "There's more to fight for here, Sir, Than there is over there So go on, wave your white feather But I won't go to war Seen my brother's bleed And I don't believe anymore Wave your white feather I'm not less of a man I can live with sweat and tears But I don't want blood on my hands". He said "No!" to Father Kendrick And told him he were wrong Cos if there was a God then Where were he on the Somme? He said "No!" to our old headmaster Mr. Mannerley-King Told him: "You once taught me history, sir, Did you not learn a thing? So go on, wave your white feather But I won't go to war Seen my brother's bleed And I don't believe anymore Wave your white feather I'm not less of a man I can live with sweat and tears But I don't want blood on my hands". WORDS AND MUSIC BY JOE SOLO
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