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Power And The Passion Lyrics
People, wasting away in paradise
Going backward, once in a while
Moving ahead, falling behind
What do you believe
What do you believe
What do you believe is true
Nothing they say makes a difference this way
'Cos nothing they say will do
Take all the trouble that you can afford
At least you won't have time to be bored
Oh the power and the passion
Oh the temper of the time
Oh the power and the passion
Sometimes you've got to take the hardest line
I see sunburnt faces around
With skin so brown
Smiling zinc cream and crows
Sundays the beach never a cloud
Breathing eucalypt, pushing panelvans, stuff and munch junk food
Laughing at the truth, 'cos Gough was tough till he hit the rough
Uncle Sam and John were quite enough
Too much of sunshine too much of sky
It's enough to make you wanna cry
I see buildings, clothing the sky in paradise
Sydney, where the nights are warm
Daytime telly, blue rinse dawn
Dad's so bad he lives in a pub, underarms and football clubs
Flat chat, Pin Gap in every home a Big Mac
And no one goes back, that's that
You take what you get and get what you please
It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees
Love the drum solo(s) and the line 'Better to die on your feet than live on your knees.'
That line was originally quoted (by General Franko I think) during the Spanish Civil War of the 1950's. Bloody US imperialism!
2 comments, wtf? How awesome is the brass in the 3rd verse?
"Laughing at the truth, 'cos Gough was tough till he hit the rough" Is Gough Whitlam, he was tough till things went to shit at the end of his time as PM. He's still a tough old bloke, mind you ;)
"Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees": (to chrisb1) General Franco was a far right dictator, so he has certainly never said theses words, related to the left revolutionary "tradition" (from Spartacus to Che Ghevara). And the Spanish Civil War, which took places during the 1930's, opposed these two sides:
This song is about materialism, and what gildassung said about society's illusions.
"Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees": (to gildassung). This line originally came from the Mexican wars involving Pancho Villa.
I DID NOT say that the Spanish Civil War & US imperialism were related. The song alludes to US encroachment in Australia eg. Pine Gap, big mac, maybe imperialism is the wrong term. Please check your spelling before writing "bullshits", it should be in singular form ie. "bullshit".
Love. Those. Horns.