Nineteen Miles to Baghdad
what have I become
New York's got snow in April
and I can't locate the sun
tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
Katy holds up the bible
and you reading this for fun?
Nineteen miles to Baghdad
soldiers load up your guns
and tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
the boy in the middle he sits down to play
he moves to the window
i can see him as he waves
"Hey, Mac look out!"
Mac calls back, "Billy I'll be careful, I'm just trying to be brave,
so tie a yellow ribbon around something,
something lives beyond the grave."
The field reveals that something was concealed
we make a deal to feel again
to ask what is the means and to what end
what is the cause that we defend?
the flag is flying across the country
me and the band we play the bars
and Glyn she points out to the highway
the flags fly the highest where the people buy their cars
two planes are flying across the country
New York's so pretty in the fall
"Hey Mac, look out!"
Mac calls back, "Billy, I'll be careful, I'm sure they built them to stand so tall."
Now nineteen miles To Baghdad
They fall and we're called
to tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
tie a yellow ribbon
around something
what have we become?
what have I become
New York's got snow in April
and I can't locate the sun
tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
Katy holds up the bible
and you reading this for fun?
Nineteen miles to Baghdad
soldiers load up your guns
and tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
the boy in the middle he sits down to play
he moves to the window
i can see him as he waves
"Hey, Mac look out!"
Mac calls back, "Billy I'll be careful, I'm just trying to be brave,
so tie a yellow ribbon around something,
something lives beyond the grave."
The field reveals that something was concealed
we make a deal to feel again
to ask what is the means and to what end
what is the cause that we defend?
the flag is flying across the country
me and the band we play the bars
and Glyn she points out to the highway
the flags fly the highest where the people buy their cars
two planes are flying across the country
New York's so pretty in the fall
"Hey Mac, look out!"
Mac calls back, "Billy, I'll be careful, I'm sure they built them to stand so tall."
Now nineteen miles To Baghdad
They fall and we're called
to tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
tie a yellow ribbon
around something
what have we become?
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"19 Miles To Baghdad" was written in 2003. It took three years to get it out into the world because the folks at the label said, "there was no place for it in the culture." This was the 4th experience of censorship that I experienced while I was a recording artist signed to a Major Label. Shortly after I pushed to release the song, I was asked to leave the label. It was a confusing and painful time for me and I am thankful to now be free.
In 2004, after I left the label, I independently released "19 Miles To Baghdad" online. I called it an Anti-Apathy Song. With the help of some dedicated "fans", I gave it away as a free download on the internet. Two years later, in 2006, Baba and I finally put out the new album, "I Pledge Allegiance To Myself" (which was one of the censored songs) on a small activist label, Appleseed Records. The album featured "19 Miles To Baghdad."