Paul Brady’s "The Island" (5’ 19)

Written 20 years ago, the lyrics of Paul Brady’s "The Island" ring even more true today. In this song with additional commentary, Brady expresses the devastation and emotions that engulfed the people of Ireland in the early eighties. However, the wars, bombing, and fighting that are happening around us today, remind us of the mindset Brady was addressing. "If you are not with us, you are against us. Turning your back on your own." In this powerful piece, Brady truly does pierce through the emotional flak from an ordinary man’s perspective, to touch the heart of the human soul.

They say the skies of Lebanon are burning

Those mighty cedars bleeding in the heat

They’re showing pictures on the television

Women and children dying in the street

And we’re still at it in our own place

Still trying to reach the future through the past

Still trying to carve tomorrow from a tombstone...

Chorus

 

But Hey ! Don’t listen to me !

This wasn’t meant to be no sad song

We’ve heard too much of that before

Right now I only want to be here with you

Till the morning dew comes falling

I want to take you to the island

And trace your footprints in the sand

And in the evening when the sun goes down

We’ll make love to the sound of the ocean

 

They’re raising banners over by the markets

Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls

Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown

No way our holy flag is gonna fall

Up here we sacrifice our children

To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday

And teach them dying will lead us into glory...

 

Repeat Chorus

 

Now I know us plain folks don’t see all the story

And I know this peace and love’s just copping out

And I guess these young boys dying in the ditches

Is just what being free is all about

And how this twisted wreckage down on main street

Will bring us all together in the end

And we’ll go marching down the road to freedom...

Freedom

http://internationalnews.over-blog.com/article-26157210.html