Your Mouth's On The Trigger

Bang, bang, your mouth’s on the trigger
Bang, bang, the war’s getting bigger
Bang, bang, he said, she said, they said
Bang, bang, we all will bleed red

Tongues spouting how everybody should live
Love being shamed by words that won’t give
Any space for difference, any space for deliverance
From anger growing bullies shouting ignorance

Bang, bang, your mouth’s on the trigger
Bang, bang, the war’s getting bigger
Bang, bang, he said, she said, they said
Bang, bang, we all will bleed red

Everybody’s shouting about rights
Baiting tongues for a fight
That everybody will lose if peace can’t win
A truce for compromise to begin

Bang, bang your mouth’s on the trigger
Bang, bang, the war’s getting bigger
Bang, bang, he said, she said, they said
Bang, bang, we all will bleed red

 ©Susie Clevenger 2015

 At Real Toads Fireblossom prompted us to write a song, but since there (in most cases?) isn't any music for our lyrics she wanted us to share the song or genre that inspired it. I was listening to the Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter and a slight change in the lyrics kept playing in my head. 

War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away

I sang it this way:

War, children, it's just a shout away
It's just a shout away
War, children, it's just a shout away

The first bullet in any war shoots first from the lip. You can't sing what I wrote to the music of Gimme Shelter. My pen wasn't able to make that leap. :)



Fireblossom Friday ~ Sing it, Toads

Comments

Heidi said…
I really like it. It's sad and scary and lyrical all at once.
Sanaa Rizvi said…
Exquisite.. absolutely awe-inspiring...
xoxo

www.adashofsunny.com
Debi Swim said…
Well, and bang, bang, of course took me to Cher and I tried that tune first... but your song is deep and full of meaning.
Outlawyer said…
So cool. Great refrain. Thanks. K. Manicddaily
Loved it - "sang" it to a modified version of "Gimme Shelter" in my head. This rocked righteously.
Helen said…
Oh Susie ... this is so relevant, so deep.
Fireblossom said…
Gimme Shelter is one of my favorite songs ever. Your lyric is especially timely right now, when it seems like everywhere people are either starting wars or spoiling for them. It's a very frightening time.
Ron. said…
Language is, indeed, the first trigger pulled. Well said, SC.
Oh, so true, that it can all start with an angry word. And this is definitely a rock song, powering out!
Sherry Blue Sky said…
This would make a most excellent song. Well done, Susie.
grapeling said…
dang, I get a sense of rap lyrics here - and I like it ~
Kerry O'Connor said…
If only the musicians of the present had the conscience of those writing in the 60s and 70s. Your song belongs right up there with some of the best protest lyrics I've heard.
hedgewitch said…
" your mouth’s on the trigger.." indeed, and sometimes its the gun and the bullet too. This is a great lyric Susie, and your song choice is an old old favorite that I think may actually be found in my DNA by now--everybody wants to take a shot at someone it seems--it's all you can do to duck.