I recently heard a new song by Justin Currie. As the song is yet to be (officially) released, I sat down and transcribed the lyrics because I think the words are very relevant and deserve attention.
No, Surrender
Big Macs for the fat
low-cal wraps for the call centre battery hens
Japanese snacks for the choice folks citizens
caviar kickbacks for the citadel denizens
airport shoe shine servicing the suits
among the little silver stereos and hand rolled cheroots
first class passengers file on last
after the scum are packed in with their tax-free loot
checkout calamity, cheated out of loyalty points
ten more years of this joint you’d be home and dry
beggars beat round the cash machine
but you just slip between them with the usual lie
terrible tales of kidnapped kids
keep you focused on the family and filling up the fridge
neighborhood watchers, shop door dodgers
stick their semis on the market and start racking up the bits
Should you stand and fight?
Should you die for what you think is right,
so your useless contribution will be remembered?
If you’re asking me, I say
No, surrender.
No, surrender.
Constant growth the cancerous cure
a swarming race of profiteers ensure
cheap cars for the rich
cheap lives for the poor
cheap weeks in the sun
free drinks at the door
puerile propaganda plugs up the TV
keep folk following the money so they’ll never be free
keep them swallowing the swill
the celebrities, the paedophiles,
the immigrants invading from the camp over the hill
war talk, the big debate
foot soldiers in the capital liberating new kinds of hate
come shots of human dots caught in the spotlight glare
he dies who dares,
fatuous fast track are sneering at the shelf stackers
little middle-Englanders can’t stand the backpackers
fortress freedom, come on in
take your chances, you might win
Should you stand and fight?
Should you die for what you think is right,
so your useless contribution will be remembered?
If you’re asking me, I say
No, surrender.
surrender, surrender
Sunset beaches, security patrol
keep out the undesirables who don’t accept the code
equal opportunity to live in total poverty
execute the ignorant, incarcerate the slow
car caressant managers, choking up the avenues
braindead patriots standing in salute
paperwork raining again and again
so the billionaires can claim there’s an enemy to shoot
pill pushers, door steppers
personal goal shoppers, life style trend-setters
meditating mind benders
hair-brained share sellers pumping out stocks
‘til you’re choking on a chain letter, avalanche of dross
dog squads trawling through every country
tracking down fools who are bullshit hungry
blinded by divinity, followers fall
into the mantrap saddle on the way to war
athletes compete in grand charades
while tanks flatten streets and a nation laughs
visa holders gape at the changing guards
while creeps bribe bums to take their photographs
film fans flock to the latest schlock
blockbusters block out even the vaguest thought
bankrupt schools grind out fool after fool
and feed them to a system where idiots rule
polling booths, phone votes, bogus questionnaires
you get a say as if anybody cares
Joe Public doesn’t wanna play,
so liquidate his life as he looks the other way
don’t get sick, don’t get wise,
or they’ll gut you with a justice where everything is lies
march down main street, complain if you want
but it’s 20 years straight for the losers at the front
If you’re asking me, I say
No, surrender.
If you’re asking me, I say
No, surrender.
surrender,
just surrender.
Words: Justin Currie
Together we can cast away the fear
