Monday, December 4, 2017

Rob Schackne #536 - How Does The Song Go?

How Does The Song Go?

Farewell China
farewell Tiananmen

farewell Tibet
farewell the dancing aunties
farewell a million poets
farewell Shanghai 
farewell Panopticon
farewell Yunnan
farewell the bits of air
farewell the promises
farewell the idlers
farewell I can't stay
farewell my lovers
farewell all we didn't say

3 comments:

  1. the song I always had in my head whenever I crossed the border was


    When you're on the Main-land
    You've got to have a game plan...

    don't say farewell

    say zai jian!
    xia ci!
    mei guanxi!

    but you'll simply have to intuit the tune ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Uncle John's Band"

      (Words by Robert Hunter; music by Jerry Garcia)


      Well, the first days are the hardest days,
      don't you worry anymore
      When life looks like Easy Street
      there is danger at your door
      Think this through with me
      Let me know your mind
      Wo-oah, what I want to know
      is are you kind?

      It's a Buck Dancer's Choice, my friend,
      better take my advice
      You know all the rules by now
      and the fire from the ice
      Will you come with me?
      Won't you come with me?
      Wo-oah, what I want to know,
      will you come with me?

      Goddamn, well I declare
      Have you seen the like?
      Their walls are built of cannonballs,
      their motto is Don't Tread on Me

      Come hear Uncle John's Band
      by the riverside
      Got some things to talk about
      here beside the rising tide

      It's the same story the crow told me
      It's the only one he know -
      like the morning sun you come
      and like the wind you go
      Ain't no time to hate,
      barely time to wait
      Wo-oah, what I want to know,
      where does the time go?

      I live in a silver mine
      and I call it Beggar's Tomb
      I got me a violin
      and I beg you call the tune
      Anybody's choice
      I can hear your voice
      Wo-oah what I want to know,
      how does the song go?

      Come hear Uncle John's Band
      by the riverside
      Come with me or go alone
      He's come to take his children home
      Come hear Uncle John's Band
      playing to the tide
      Come on along or go alone
      he's come to take his children home

      Delete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.