This is the personal blog of Ian Ker, who was Councillor for the South Ward of the Town of Vincent from 1995 to 2009. I have been a resident of this area since 1985. This blog was originally conceived as a way of letting residents of Vincent know what I have been doing and sharing thoughts on important issues. I can now use it to sound off about things that concern me.

If you want to contact me, my e-mail is still ian_ker@hotmail.com or post a comment on this blog.

To post a comment on this blog, select the individual post on which you wish to comment, by clicking on the title in the post or in the list to the left of the blog, and scroll down to the 'Post a Comment' box at the foot.

Search This Blog

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Anyone Know A Passionate Folkie?

All protest movements should have a song. I have already drawn attention to its being the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement song "It Isn't Nice". Amazing how few changes to the words (highlighted below) are needed to make it current. Where I've put 'Vincent' in the second-last verse, you could put any of the 30 metropolitan local council names (except, probably, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, which is a bit long) - at a big rally, you could have people sing the council of their choice, which would be really powerful.

Does anyone know a folkie who could record a passionate version for the present day protests about forced local government amalgamations?


It isn't nice to block the doorway,
It isn't nice to go to jail,
There are nicer ways to do it,
But the nice ways always fail.
It isn't nice, it isn't nice,
You told us once, you told us twice,
But if that's Freedom's price,
We don't mind.

It isn't nice to carry banners
Or to sit in on the floor,
Or to shout our cry of Freedom
At the
parliamentary store.
It isn't nice, it isn't nice,
You told us once, you told us twice,
But if that's Freedom's price,
We don't mind.

Now we tried negotiations
And the token picket line,
Mr. Barnett didn't see us
And he might as well be blind.
When you deal with men of ice,
You can’t deal in ways so nice
But if that's Freedom's price,
We don't mind.

They destroy us without blinking
They shot
Vincent in the back.
Did you say it wasn't proper,
Did you stand upon the track?
You were quiet just like mice,
Now you say we aren't nice,
And if that's Freedom's price,
We don't mind.

It isn't nice to block the doorway,
It isn't nice to go to jail,
There are nicer ways to do it
But the nice ways always fail.
It isn't nice, it isn't nice,
But thank you
Colin for your advice,
‘Cos if that’s Freedom's price,
We don't mind.

No comments:

Post a Comment