This was partly inspired by the famous Martin Niemöller poem, First they came..., inscribed on many Holocaust memorials in the USA, and partly by the poem Not My Business by Niyi Osundare. Both poems, and my song, have the same message: when evil things happen to other people we cannot turn away just because they are not happening to us; injustice is everybody’s business. (Written and recorded July – August 2018).
Lyrics
Wake up! Wake up!
And see what is coming down.
‘Cos there’s a whole lot of bad things going on
Way over on the other side of town
Rise up! Speak out!
It’s time for you to stand up and shout
‘Cos there’s a lesson to be learned
For anybody who knows what their history’s about.
First they came for the beggars and the scroungers
The travel’ers and the tinkers
Then they came for the poets and the playwrights
Philosophers and thinkers
Oh but I didn’t speak out
Although I knew it was wrong
‘Cos I could play my guitar and I could sing my songs
Wake up! Wake up!
And see what is coming down.
‘Cos there’s a whole lot of bad things going on
Way over on the other side of town
Rise up! Speak out!
It’s time for you to stand up and shout
‘Cos there’s a lesson to be learned
For anybody who knows what their history’s about.
Then they came for the ministers and rectors
The pastors and the preachers
And next they came for the tutors and the trainers
The lecturers and teachers
Oh but I didn’t speak out
I didn’t try very hard
‘Cos I could still sing my songs and I could play my guitar.
Why on Earth d’ya think it should be
Any business of mine?
Who they came for in the night?
And who was in the firing line?
Wake up! Wake up!
And see what is coming down.
‘Cos there’s a whole lot of bad things going on
Way over on the other side of town
Rise up! Speak out!
It’s time for you to stand up and shout
‘Cos there’s a lesson to be learned
For anybody who knows what their history’s about.
Then they came to take the players and performers
The singers and guitarists.