When the rich man on the TV
Said this world's mine
When he asked which side you're on
Told you to step in line
When he gave his reasons
For his war of conquest
When he talked about your wallet
Said it was in your interest
Did you shrug your shoulders
And do as you were told
Hang a flag in your window
And buy the goods that you were sold
Or did you shut off his craven image
And call the man a liar
Did you strike a blow against the empire
When they were rounding up your neighbors
You know the ones with darker skin
Clerks and teachers, engineers
With names like Sami and Mazin
When they were breaking down the doors
And taking them away
Holding them on secret charges
Hidden from the light of day
What did you tell their children
When you had a chance to meet
Could you look them in the eye
Or did you walk past them on the street
Could you say that you stood up
When their lives were on the wire
Did you strike a blow against the empire
As the bombs were falling
And the children lost their lives
Lying broken on the pavement
As the ambulance arrives
As the soldiers opened fire
With their heavy guns
Could you hear the demonstrators hit the ground
See how their red blood runs
What were you doing
In those fateful times
Did you raise your voice
Against these awful crimes
Were you hiding in your bedroom
When the situation was so dire
Or did you strike a blow against the empire
And when the time had come
And the Reich was at your door
When the fascist state was here
And they brought home the war
When the Gestapo was in the city
And they had really taken power
When there was nothing left to do
Here in the final hour
Did you find a place to run to
And hope to live a few more years
When the slaughter was around you
Did you cover up your ears
Or did you set your sights
Take your aim and fire
Did you strike a blow against the empire.
Said this world's mine
When he asked which side you're on
Told you to step in line
When he gave his reasons
For his war of conquest
When he talked about your wallet
Said it was in your interest
Did you shrug your shoulders
And do as you were told
Hang a flag in your window
And buy the goods that you were sold
Or did you shut off his craven image
And call the man a liar
Did you strike a blow against the empire
When they were rounding up your neighbors
You know the ones with darker skin
Clerks and teachers, engineers
With names like Sami and Mazin
When they were breaking down the doors
And taking them away
Holding them on secret charges
Hidden from the light of day
What did you tell their children
When you had a chance to meet
Could you look them in the eye
Or did you walk past them on the street
Could you say that you stood up
When their lives were on the wire
Did you strike a blow against the empire
As the bombs were falling
And the children lost their lives
Lying broken on the pavement
As the ambulance arrives
As the soldiers opened fire
With their heavy guns
Could you hear the demonstrators hit the ground
See how their red blood runs
What were you doing
In those fateful times
Did you raise your voice
Against these awful crimes
Were you hiding in your bedroom
When the situation was so dire
Or did you strike a blow against the empire
And when the time had come
And the Reich was at your door
When the fascist state was here
And they brought home the war
When the Gestapo was in the city
And they had really taken power
When there was nothing left to do
Here in the final hour
Did you find a place to run to
And hope to live a few more years
When the slaughter was around you
Did you cover up your ears
Or did you set your sights
Take your aim and fire
Did you strike a blow against the empire.
Contributed by Riccardo Venturi - 2006/8/6 - 14:41
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Lyrics and music by David Rovics
Testo e musica di David Rovics
Da/From "Return"
David Rovics' Official Website
"Silence is the voice of complicity, that’s the point. If you know what’s going on and you’re just sitting by and trying not to do harm, that’s not good enough. What have you done? What will you do? They’re killing your family." -David Rovics.