Countdown from Brigands & Rogues by Alan Dee

The barn is locked and we're all out of hay
I'll ask you again; Put the matches away
I seen 'em in the farmhouse window
Swinging bottles and drooling wine
They got the keys and the hatches are battened
And nobody is keeping time

I'll be waiting till you get to the station
If you make it through a sea of smoke
You better be answering quickly
When they shout “Friend or Foe?!”
It's only blood running under the bridge
At the end of the rainbow

We're on the countdown
And we ain't gonna make it till we're drinking the rain
We're on the countdown
And you don't need a ticket on a runaway train

Bugs and wires sweeping that cot
Don't be a stranger, you might get shot
That box is singing the same tune
The wires in your head are rust
When the cable snaps and you plummet down
Who do you trust?
It's hard to think with itchy fingers
Turns out it ain't much fun
And don't forget they come in peace
Hand over your gun

There has to be a better way to get through this
There has to be a better way...

Sweeping men into the fire
Flickering higher day
There has to be a better way...

• Folk
• Ireland
• folk rock
• politics
• propaganda
• war