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Nothing Else to Do

from The Barren Fig (2019) by Bob Leslie

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about

The way in which the mass media depict wars as practically inevitable, and the mealy-mouthed military euphemism “collateral damage” just made me damned angry. This song was the result.

lyrics

Nothin Else Tae Do

There's a criminal in the courtroom
An hi's guilty as aa Hell
Let's pu the roof doon oan ‘im
Jist tae show oor strength o will
If the jurors an the judge aa dee
We'll weep a tear or two
Then we'll tell the world quite simply
There wis nothin else tae do.


Nothin else tae do
Ye aa saw hou bad he'd bin
Nothin else tae do
An oor consciences are clean
Fir damage that's collateral
We might weep a tear or two
But if ye're in the wey o Judgment Dey
There's nothin else tae do

A laddie broke a windae
An anither sang a song
At 2 o'clock this mornin
Ye ken fine that that wis wrong
Sae we'll impose a curfew
And we might shoot wan or two
Jist tae set a fine example
Fir there's nothin else tae do

Nothin else tae do
"Boys will be boys" ye claim
Nothin else tae do
Bit wi're actin in yer name
Fir damage that's collateral
We might weep a tear or two
But if ye're in the wey o Judgment Dey
There's nothin else tae do

In a country by a desert
Whaur guid folk lived aa their deys
They raised their bairns and worked hard
Noo they're deid or oan the waves
They kent nothin o the gunmen
Wha were only passin through
Bit we bombed their hames tae ruin
There was nothin else tae do


Nothin else tae do
Sey it three times an it's real
Nothin else tae do
Hiv we forgotten hou tae feel
Fir damage that's collateral
We might weep a tear or two
But if ye're in the wey o Judgment Dey
There's nothin else tae do

Nothin else tae do
They aa shout it fae their thrones
Nothin else tae do
Heids o bone and herts o stone
Collateral's a price they'll pay
Next time it might be you
If ye're in the wey o Judgment Dey
There's nothin else tae do

Oh, the Romans made a wasteland
And they caad it peace oan Earth
They set a bargain price oan jist whit
Human life wis worth
Nou the weapon-makars flourish
They've learnt that lesson too
Oor leaders sell their sowls tae them
They've nothin else tae do

Nothin else tae do
The decisions hiv bin made
Nothin else tae do
Bit launch a new Crusade
Yet damage that's collateral
Paints ower whit is true
It's jist anither name fir murder
Bit there's nothin else tae do

credits

from The Barren Fig (2019), released February 20, 2019

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Bob Leslie Glasgow, UK

Bob Leslie's music is now available on a "NAME YOUR OWN PRICE" basis!
****************
“I can think of no other songwriter who has mined this rich vein
with such lyrical ease and with no mean ear for melody. ”
Alan Reid, Battlefield Band ... more

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