This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
war, welcome to
war, the garden of
war, can you smell
war, can you taste
hate, no release from
hate, psychological
hate, can you tolerate
hate
look at the devastation
fear of annihilation happening right
before my eyes
now that the end is near
tell me what I'm doing here
looking for answers from the divine
flesh, welcome to
flesh, the garden of
flesh, can you smell
flesh, can you taste
blood, welcome to
blood, the garden of
blood, can you taste
blood
I don't want o kill anymore, I won't kill
the sky above is raining red from a
hundred thousand dead
but the general wants a hundred thousand
more
move out and take that hill, the order is to
maim and kill
it's time for us to even up the score
as I race into the fire, I have only one
desire
let me see the light another day
bombs bursting all around, shell-shocked
as I hit the ground
I struggle to my knees and start to pray
can't tell if my brother's breathing and I
just can't stop the bleeding
I am my mother's only son
torture, welcome to the
torture, the garden of
torture, can you smell
torture, can you taste
pain, no release from
pain, psychological
pain, can you tolerate
pain
war, the garden of
war, can you smell
war, can you taste
hate, no release from
hate, psychological
hate, can you tolerate
hate
look at the devastation
fear of annihilation happening right
before my eyes
now that the end is near
tell me what I'm doing here
looking for answers from the divine
flesh, welcome to
flesh, the garden of
flesh, can you smell
flesh, can you taste
blood, welcome to
blood, the garden of
blood, can you taste
blood
I don't want o kill anymore, I won't kill
the sky above is raining red from a
hundred thousand dead
but the general wants a hundred thousand
more
move out and take that hill, the order is to
maim and kill
it's time for us to even up the score
as I race into the fire, I have only one
desire
let me see the light another day
bombs bursting all around, shell-shocked
as I hit the ground
I struggle to my knees and start to pray
can't tell if my brother's breathing and I
just can't stop the bleeding
I am my mother's only son
torture, welcome to the
torture, the garden of
torture, can you smell
torture, can you taste
pain, no release from
pain, psychological
pain, can you tolerate
pain
Lyrics submitted by tender_rive
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