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,
Now we're going to play a game, thats lots and lots of fun
I learned it from my auntie
I learned it from my uncle
My uncle has a secret job in Washington, D.C
Something fancy with the government, I think he knows the president...
First you line up in a row, and count eenie, meine, moe
There are guards and there are prisioners, and this is how it goes
1, 2, 3, you are free, and the rest must come with me
Who are you, are you a witch? No, you are a terrorist.
If you think that you aren't, you can tell us who you are,
But if you are not on the list, then you are a terrorist.
and the terrorist gets tortured
even if no proof exists, because we can't take any risks
and the terrorist gets ordered
to get back in line so we can play the game a second time
If you're just a pacifist, or some kind of activist,
Then you are a terrorist, why it says so on the list
If you're a writer, or artist, or a leather fetishist,
Then you are a terrorist, because it says so on the list.
And the terrorist gets tortured
Wether or not they want to play, he is guilty anyway
And the terrorist gets murdered
Unless the terrorist insists that he is not a terrorist
But we can't find you on the list, are you a doctor or a priest?
No, I'm a right-wing journalist. So you are a terrorist!
If your a fat capitolist, or a neo-nazi fachist
We can find you on the list, and you're not a terrorist
It is a very easy game, anyone can play it
People of all ages, genders, creeds, and races
Play it with a couple people, or a giant group
Entire contients can play, the rules don't change,
They stay the same.
And once the game is done and someone's won..
There is a variation that is almost just as fun...
1, 2, 3, come with me, and the rest of you go free,
If you lose and get left over then you are a sympathiser
If you are a singer/songwriter, or are a union organizer,
bet your bottom dollar that you are a sympathiser.
Sympathisers must be punished
Even worse than terrorists, as an example for the kids
Sympathisers must be banished
So to find out which is which we must refer back to the list...
If you are a church administrator, or a corporate stockholder,
Or a nuclear armsmaker, you are not a sympathiser.
If you're not a sympathiser, okay then be a terrorist,
You have to choose one or the other, or we have no game to play!
I learned it from my auntie
I learned it from my uncle
My uncle has a secret job in Washington, D.C
Something fancy with the government, I think he knows the president...
First you line up in a row, and count eenie, meine, moe
There are guards and there are prisioners, and this is how it goes
1, 2, 3, you are free, and the rest must come with me
Who are you, are you a witch? No, you are a terrorist.
If you think that you aren't, you can tell us who you are,
But if you are not on the list, then you are a terrorist.
and the terrorist gets tortured
even if no proof exists, because we can't take any risks
and the terrorist gets ordered
to get back in line so we can play the game a second time
If you're just a pacifist, or some kind of activist,
Then you are a terrorist, why it says so on the list
If you're a writer, or artist, or a leather fetishist,
Then you are a terrorist, because it says so on the list.
And the terrorist gets tortured
Wether or not they want to play, he is guilty anyway
And the terrorist gets murdered
Unless the terrorist insists that he is not a terrorist
But we can't find you on the list, are you a doctor or a priest?
No, I'm a right-wing journalist. So you are a terrorist!
If your a fat capitolist, or a neo-nazi fachist
We can find you on the list, and you're not a terrorist
It is a very easy game, anyone can play it
People of all ages, genders, creeds, and races
Play it with a couple people, or a giant group
Entire contients can play, the rules don't change,
They stay the same.
And once the game is done and someone's won..
There is a variation that is almost just as fun...
1, 2, 3, come with me, and the rest of you go free,
If you lose and get left over then you are a sympathiser
If you are a singer/songwriter, or are a union organizer,
bet your bottom dollar that you are a sympathiser.
Sympathisers must be punished
Even worse than terrorists, as an example for the kids
Sympathisers must be banished
So to find out which is which we must refer back to the list...
If you are a church administrator, or a corporate stockholder,
Or a nuclear armsmaker, you are not a sympathiser.
If you're not a sympathiser, okay then be a terrorist,
You have to choose one or the other, or we have no game to play!
Lyrics submitted by Seth17
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This is a cover, of a song that Gerch Kreisler wrote in the '60s. However, since the lyrics are impossible to find, I didn't think there was a problem with posting it. It's a really cool song, fun and dark all at the same time. If you're looking for an mp3, send an email to com_dot_hotmail_at_kurama897 (sorry, trying to stop the evil spambots. ^^;)