Tom Waits - Road to Peace

[PreacherCasey]

I picked up Tom Waits' new 3 cd set today "Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards". As a long time fan and admirer of his music, I couldn't wait to get a listen. The 10th track of the first CD is Road to Peace. I was so moved by the sincerity and truth of it that I feel I should post it here. I'd like to hear some comments from Waits fans like myself. BTW, the lyrics alone can't do this song justice. As most of Tom's work, it is absolutely fantastic. :applause:

Road to Peace

Young Abdel Mahdi Shabneh was only 18 years old,
He was the youngest of nine children, never spent a night away from home.
And his mother held his photograph, opening the New York Times
To see the killing has intensified along the road to peace

There was a tall, thin boy with a whispy moustache disguised as an orthodox Jew
On a crowded bus in Jerusalem, some had survived World War Two
And the thunderous explosion blew out windows 200 yards away
With more retribution and seventeen dead along the road to peace

Now at King George Ave and Jaffa Road passengers boarded bus 14a
In the aisle next to the driver Abdel Mahdi Shabneh
And the last thing that he said on earth is “God is great and God is good”
And he blew them all to kingdom come upon the road to peace

Now in response to this another kiss of death was visited upon
Yasser Taha, Israel says is an Hamas senior militant
And Israel sent four choppers in, flames engulfed, tears wide open
And it killed his wife and his three year old child leaving only blackened skeletons

It’s found his toddlers bottle and a pair of small shoes and they waved them in front of the cameras
But Israel says they did not know that his wife and child were in the car
There are roadblocks everywhere and only suffering on TV
Neither side will ever give up their smallest right along the road to peace

Israel launched it’s latest campaign against Hamas on Tuesday
Two days later Hamas shot back and killed five Israeli soldiers
So thousands dead and wounded on both sides most of them middle eastern civilians
They fill the children full of hate to fight an old man’s war and die upon the road to peace

“And this is our land we will fight with all our force” say the Palastinians and the Jews
Each side will cut off the hand of anyone who tries to stop the resistance
If the right eye offends thee then you must pluck it out
And Mahmoud Abbas said Sharon had been lost out along the road to peace

Once Kissinger said “we have no friends, America only has interests”
Now our president wants to be seen as a hero and he’s hungry for re-election
But Bush is reluctant to risk his future in the fear of his political failures
So he plays chess at his desk and poses for the press 10,000 miles from the road to peace

In the video that they found at the home of Abdel Mahdi Shabneh
He held a Kalashnikov rifle and he spoke with a voice like a boy
He was an excellent student, he studied so hard, it was as if he had a future
He told his mother that he had a test that day out along the road to peace

The fundamentalist killing on both sides is standing in the path of peace
But tell me why are we arming the Israeli army with guns and tanks and bullets?
And if God is great and God is good why can’t he change the hearts of men?
Well maybe God himself is lost and needs help
Maybe God himself he needs all of our help
Maybe God himself is lost and needs help
He’s out upon the road to peace

Well maybe God himself is lost and needs help
Maybe God himself he needs all of our help
And he’s lost upon the road to peace
And he’s lost upon the road to peace
Out upon the road to peace.

:applause:

[redqueen]

1. Very impressive!

Thanks for posting it!

[Cocoa]

2. wow

I'm listening now on Yahoo music. Has Waits ever written such a topical song before?

[PreacherCasey]

4. Yes, "Hoist that Rag" and "The Day After Tomorrow" from

his last album "Real Gone". These were really his first overtly political songs, Hoist that Rag is really more subtle now that I think about it.

[myrna minx]

3. a K&R for Mr. Waits.

:applause: I can't wait to get this set.

[Sugar Smack]

5. I've loved Tom Waits for years and years.

Ever since I first heard "Nighthawks at the diner" I've been hooked. After that I got hold of "Swordfishtrombone" and "Best Of". He's always shown such compassion and social conciousness in his music. "The Earth Died Screaming" is one of my favorites. His remarkable talent also comes out in his acting.

This song made me weep. The man's my hero. Thank you for posting it. :applause:

[northamericancitizen]

6. Thanks. K & R