Sunshine And Shade
Lyrics written by Neil O'Brien.
Yes it's a beautiful morning / And summer's on it's way
Surely nothing can be wrong / On a day like today
Cos the sun is shining / And everything is in bloom
It's kind of hard to believe / That all of this is doomed
Yes the sun may be shining / But people still suffer
Cos they rob and oppress / And distress one another
The war is still raging / Incoming! Take cover!
There'll be no peace until you cease / To exploit your brother
But how can I think of pain / On a day like today?
You may ask while you bask / In the sun's warm rays
A clear blue sky / Won't make the problems go away
Cos the brighter the sunlight / The deeper the shade
I've been there before / In that cold dark place
The sunlight hurts your eyes / So you have to hide your face
And that sense of alienation / When all around you there's life
But your limbs are like lead / And you're feeling dead inside
Some say the sun is shining / So you should feel blessed
But it's just a cruel joke / When you're feeling depressed
Like God's mocking you / By smiling when you're in pain
The sky may be clear / But there's a cloud on your brain
Anyway, I'm glad to say that / Those days are in the past
Now there's life in my heart / And summer's coming on fast
I can revel in the warmth / And cool off in the grass
Go to the pub for a pint / And sit outside with my glass
Now I know although it's sunny / The world hasn't really changed
It's only my perceptions / The chemicals in my brain
Capitalism still kills / And the system's still insane
For a few it's always sunny / For the rest it's always rain
So what can I say / For all those people locked away
In the factory and the office / Slaving for their weekly wage?
I'm sorry you can't be with us / And feel the sun on your face
Cos you submitted to the system / And made yourself a wage slave
There's always a choice / And it's yours to make
How do you want to live - / In sunshine or shade?
Yes there's always a choice / And it's your choice to make
Would you rather live / In sunshine or shade?
Cos there's nothing man made / That we cannot change:
Social structure, economics - / It's all within range
Don't you ever wonder why / The world is so deranged?
The few exploit the many / Now don't you find that strange?
The Earth revolves around the sun / We send revolution around the Earth
It's a creative passion / Sowing the seeds for rebirth
Every day come rain or shine / We fight the good fight
Breaking out of the darkness / Emerging into the light
And no matter what they say / The whole world is ours to share
We'll track down the landlords / Hunt them down to their lair
Pick off the parasites / And hang ‘em high in the air
Might sound a little savage / But they don't play fair
No they smother us with laws / And drown us in debt
They jail and execute / Those who fight for self-respect
Sacco and Vanzetti / Mumia Abu-Jamal
Baghdad, the Niger Delta / And the Panama Canal
All drenched in blood / Yet bathed in sunlight
Don't let that blind your eyes / To the greatest crimes of our time
Cos despite how it looks / Nothing's really okay
There's so much wrong / In the world today
Freedom is fading / And crime's the only thing that pays
And I'm labelled an extremist / If I try to change your ways
Now why not face the facts / Why avert your gaze
From the rape of human rights / Carried out in your name?
Will you hide behind ignorance / Or take your share of the blame?
This shit happens because we let it / Our apathy is a shame
We let other's make our choice / The result is always the same
Now will you stand up and be counted / And put an end to their game?
Cos there's always a choice
And it's yours to make
What's it to be:
Sunshine or shade?