So far as I can tell, here's the first worldwide interpretive transcription of the lyrics to Lightnin' Hopkins mid-1960s song, "War Is Starting Again." Please feel free to make corrections if you hear anything differently from what I did. A wicked little twist in the last stanza. The actual song is available on iTunes, etc.
Woe, you know this world done get tangled now, baby
Woe, you know I believe they fixin' to start a war again
Woe, you know this world done get tangled now
Yeah, I believe they gonna start war again
Yeah, there gonna be a'mothers start to worry
Yes, there's gonna be many a girls will lose a friend
Well, I got news this morning
Right now they need a million men
Woe, I got news this mornin'
Right now they need a million men
Woe, you know I been overseas once
Oh, Lightnin' don't want to go there again
Lord have mercy!
All right!
Yeah, you know my girlfriend got a boyfriend in the Army
That fool better go overseas
You know I don't hate it so bad because you know
That's a better break for me
This world is a-tangled
Yeah, they finally had a war again . . .
Today's Rune: Gateway.
4 comments:
I don't know why but I never really saw blues men as protest singers. Gonna have to go through the collection again with a finer tuned ear.
I'm terrible about figuring out lyrics. I've made some really awful mistakes a few times in my life.
In Philip Foner's book "Organized Labor and the Black Worker, 1619-1981" the author examined the decision among black organizations as to whether to support the US' entry in to World War I and World War II. The NAACP and other organizations ultimately supported the US' entry into World War I and the consequent conscription of black soldiers in the hope that it would result in increased rights at home. They were sorely disappointed, especially with a virulent racist like Wilson as President. They fared better after World War II; Lyndon Johnson's outrage at the treatment of black vets upon their return had a big role in his support of civil rights.
Thanks y'all for the comments! WM, I can think of John Lee Hooker, but more bearing witness with "Motor City is Burning" and "I Don't Want To Go To Vietnam." Charles, I know what you mean! And Johnny, right on!
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