*Songs To While Away The Class Struggle By-Phil Och's "Sailors And Soldiers Song"

Click on the title to link to a site to hear Phil Och's Sailors and Soldiers Song.

In this series, presented under the headline “Songs To While Away The Class Struggle By”, I will post some songs that I think will help us get through the “dog days” of the struggle for our communist future. I do not vouch for the political thrust of the songs; for the most part they are done by pacifists, social democrats, hell, even just plain old ordinary democrats. And, occasionally, a communist, although hard communist musicians have historically been scarce on the ground. Thus, here we have a regular "popular front" on the music scene. While this would not be acceptable for our political prospects, it will suffice for our purposes here. Markin.

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Sailors and Soldiers Lyrics
Phil Ochs

Sailors and soldiers
uniformed shoulders
they're growing older
over the sea

The troops they are leaving
firmly believing
no reason for greiving

Far from the banners,
Far from the glamour,
Far from the planners,
Who sent them to die

herded like cattle
they head for the battle
their rifles will rattle
over the sea

Too young to be shaving
yet the flags they are waving
for the fury they are braving
over the sea

proudly parading
with their medals they are
but their glory is fading
over the sea

Sailors and soldiers
Sailors and soldiers
Sailors and soldiers
&c...