“Between The Wars” by Billy Bragg is the Peace Song of the Day for October 25th. [Also, reposted for Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2011] This is the kind of song that prickles your conscience and makes you think.
More about this song and the song meaning:
If I understand it, the character who is singing the song — the universal spirit of the working man, or just one working man — feels a need for war. He sees holding wars as a kind of bargain with government to keep the economy going.
Though, ultimately, the working man is not payed well. So, he is not ultimately satisfied with the plan. And, the omniscient author of the song seems to recognize entirely the sadness of war and depending on war.
For me, there is something even more to this song besides the words in context. Beyond the specific story, the song also leaves me with this beautiful dream, of a time when we will actually be “between the wars”. For me, just saying “between the wars” is like a small mantra of hope.
When will that day come again for my generation, when the United States is not involved in wars of plunder, fear-mongering, and oil exploitation? Will we ever have a day, a week, a month, to feel a lightness of conscience? Just a short time of knowing that our country is not holding a war in our name?
Excerpt from the lyrics:
Between The Wars by Billy Bragg
Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
And mine is the peace we knew between the wars…
The Royal Song of the Day is a project of Duke Augustus and Duchess Susanna, The Duke and Duchess of Peace. The Duke and Duchess recognize that one of the paths to peace is to find soulful and nonviolent entertainment, and to express oneself with art and song.