Punk Poem “Capital Air,” Live Onstage in Times Square (1981)
Allen Ginsberg & The Clash Perform the Punk Poem “Capital Air,” Live Onstage in Times Square (1981)
I don't like the government where I live I don't like dictatorship of the Rich I don't like bureaucrats telling me what to eat I don't like Police dogs sniffing around my feet
I don't like Communist Censorship of my books I don't like Marxists complaining about my books I don't like Castro insulting members of my sex Leftists insisting we got the mystic Fix
I don't like Capitalists selling me gasoline Coke Multinationals burning Amazon trees to smoke Big Corporation takeover media mind I don't like the Top-bananas that're robbing Guatemala banks blind
I don't like the K.B.G. Gulag concentration camps I don't like the Maoists' Cambodian Death Dance 15 Million were killed by Stalin Secretary of Terror He has killed our old Red Revolution for ever
I don't like Anarchists screaming Love is Free I don't like the C.I.A. they killed John Kennedy Paranoiac tanks sit in Prague and Hungary But I don't like counterrevolution paid for by the C.I.A.
Tyranny in Turkey or Korea 1980 I don't like Right Wing Death Squad Democracy Police State Iran, Nicaragua, yesterday Laissez-faire please Government keep your secret police offa me
I don't like Communism, don't like Capitalism, nope Everybody's lying on both sides, it's a joke The bloody iron curtain of American military power is a mad mirror image of Russia's red Babel tower
No hope Communism, no hope Capitalism yeah Everybody's lying on both sides, it's a joke The bloody iron curtain of American military power is a mad mirror image of Russia's red Babel tower
I don't like Nationalist Supremacy White or Black I don't like Narcs & Mafia marketing Smack The General bullying Congress in his tweed vest The President building his Armies in the East & West
I don't like Argentine police Jail torture Truths Government Terrorist takeover Salvador news I don't like Zionists acting Nazi Storm Troop Palestine Liberation cooking Israel into Moslem soup
I don't like the crown's Official Secrets Act You can get away with murder in the Government that's a fact Security cops teargassing radical kids In Switzerland or Czechoslovakia God Forbidss
In America its Attica in Russia it's Lubianka Wall In China if you disappear you wouldn't know yourself at all Arise Arise you citizens of the world use your lungs Talk back to the Tyrants all they're afraid of is your tongues
Two hundred Billion dollars inflates World War In United States every year They're asking for more Russia got as much in tanks and laser planes Give or take Fifty Billion we can blow out everybody's brains
School's broke down 'cause History changes every night Half the free World nations are Dictatorships of the Right The only place socialism worked was in Gdansk, Bud The Communist world's stuck together with prisoners' blood
The Generals say they know something worth fighting for They never say what till thay start an unjust war Iranian hostage Media Hysteria sucked The Shah ran away with 9 Billion Iranian bucks
Kermit Roosevelt and his U.S. dollars overthrew Mossadegh They wanted his oil then they got Ayatollah's dreck They put in the Shah and they trained his police the Savak All Iran was our hostage quarter-century That's right Jack
Bishop Romero wrote President Carter to stop Sending guns to El Salvado's Junta so he got shot Ambassador White blew the whistle on the White House lies Reagan called him home cause he looked in the dead nun's eyes
Half the voters didn't they knew it was to late Newspaper headlines called it a bit Mandate Some people voted for Reagan eyes open wide 3 out of 4 didn't vote for him That's a Landslide
Truth may be hard to find but Falsehood's easy Read between the lines our Imperialism is sleazy But if you think the People's State is your Heart's Desire Jump right back in the frying pan from the fire
The System the System in Russia & China the same Criticize the System in Budapest lose your name Coca Cola Pepsi Cola in Russia & China come true Khrushchev yelled in Hollywood "We will bury You"
America and Russia want to bomb themselves Okay Everybody dead on both sides Everybody pray All except the Gernerals in caves where they can hide And fuck each other in the ass waiting for the next free ride
No hope Communism no hope Capitalism Yeah Everybody's lying on both sides Nyeah nyeah nyeah The bloody iron curtain of America Military Power
Jesus Christ was spotless but Crucified by the Mob Law & Order Herod's hired soldiers did the job Flowerpower's fine but innnocence has got no Protection The man who shot John Lennon had a Hero-worshipper's commection
The moral of this song is that the world is in a horrible place Scientific Industry devours the human race Police in every country armed with Tear Gas & TV Secret Masters everywhere bureaucratize for you & me
Terrorists and police together build a lowerclass Rage Propaganda murder manipulate the upperclass Stage Can't tell the difference 'tween a turkey & a provocateur If you're feeling confused the Government's in there for sure
Aware Aware wherever you are No Fear Trust your heart Don't ride your Paranoia dear Breathe together with an ordinary mind Armed with Humor Feed & Help Enlighten Woe Mankind