Lead me to the station
Yeah, I'm off to the civil war
I've got my kit bag, my heavy boots
I'm runnin' in the rain
Gonna run till my feet are raw
And I'm a soldier at thirteen
Slip kid, slip kid, realization
There's no easy way to be free
No easy way to be free
I left the door ajar
I left my vacuum flask
Full of hot tea and sugar
Left the keys right in my car
Only half way up the tree
Slip kid, slip kid, I'm a relation
I'm a soldier at sixty-three
No easy way to be free
You and your history won't rule me
You might have been a fighter, but admit you failed
I'm not affected by your blackmail
You won't blackmail me
Lead me to the station
Yeah, I'm off to the civil war
I've got my kit bag, my heavy boots
I'm runnin' in the rain
Gonna run till my feet are raw
Slip over here and set me free
Slip kid, slip kid, second generation
You're slidin down the hill like me
No easy way to be free
No easy way to be free
No easy way to be free
Slip Kid is not a warning about the music industry. Anyone with any knowledge of the last centuries history in the United Kingdom should be able to discern that this is an anti- IRA song. A 'slip' is a type of traditional Irish folk dance, hence a slip kid is an Irish Kid. A 'kit bag' is a home made bomb. "Second generation, only half the way up the tree" is a reference to kids being born into IRA families, yet held low on the totem pole as pawns. "Keep away old man, You won't fool Me. You and your history won't rule me. You might have been a fighter but admit you have failed " is being spoken towards the older IRA members who recruited young teen boys for violence and public disturbances some 40+ years after a peace accord was signed.
@bronco1000 Oh wow. Finally an explanation of these lyrics that makes sense! Thank you thank you!
@bronco1000 Oh wow. Finally an explanation of these lyrics that makes sense! Thank you thank you!
I personally thought it was about war, where they're recruiting soldiers of all ages, and the young kid is angry that he has to go to war with these old dudes that have already had a life.
I personally thought it was about war, where they're recruiting soldiers of all ages, and the young kid is angry that he has to go to war with these old dudes that have already had a life.
Your explanation makes quite a bit more sense.
Your explanation makes quite a bit more sense.
@bronco1000 always thought this was what it was about.
@bronco1000 always thought this was what it was about.
This song is amazing. Very cool opening for The Who By Numbers
one of my top who favs...i LOOOVE the intro...ironic that both pete & roge have both made it to 63...awesome!
I'm pretty sure that the lyric should read "soldier of sixty-three", as in 1963.
I'm pretty sure that the lyric should read "soldier of sixty-three", as in 1963.
I'm pretty sure the lyric should read "soldier of sixty-three", as in 1963.
I always interpreted it as Pete working out his feelings of become musically obsolete. The "Keep away, old man" stanza could be read as an up-and-coming rocker telling Pete that he's a has-been.