Don't Obey

I came across these great lyrics by bluesman Scott Ainslie:

Don't Obey

As it was in Hitler's army and Stalin's awful crew,
Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Pearl Harbor, too;
Across the sweep of history--There's a truth they never tell:
There's more horror in obedience than there'd be if we'd rebel.

So, when they speak to you of glory, and colors bright and true;
And using words like 'good & evil' say it all comes down to you;
When they offer you a weapon and send you out into the fray,
Don't Obey. Don't Obey.
Don't Obey.

From Selma to Sharpeville; Chicago to Bei Jing;
From Kent State to Tiananmen Square; We cry out; we bleed.
From Tolstoy to Gandhi; and Gandhi to King.
From Malcolm, and Mandela, and Biko to me.

So, when they speak to you of glory, and colors bright and true;
And using words like 'good & evil' say it all comes down to you;
When they offer you a weapon and send you out into the fray,
Don't Obey. Don't Obey.
Don't Obey.

Aren't those your loved ones--huddled against the wall?
Can you hear the windows shatter? Feel the building start to fall?
Something's gone wrong with us all-------.
There's shooting in the alley, footsteps in the hall.

If every sin were tallied, if every mother knew
Just exactly what they're asking; exactly what you do;
How long do you think they'd stand there, with their hands by their sides?
Even all wrapped up in bunting--A lie is still a lie.

So, when they speak to you of glory, and colors bright and true;
And using words like 'good & evil' say it all comes down to you;
When they offer you a weapon and send you out into the fray,
Don't Obey. Don't Obey.
Don't Obey.

©2003, Scott Ainslie
All Rights Reserved
You can listen to the song, download it for free and get more info at:
http://cattailmusic.com/Lyrics/DontObey.htm
There is also a great set of study notes based on the song, which you can read at:
http://cattailmusic.com/Lyrics/DontObeystudynotes.htm