[Eleanor]: 668.Song lyrics.The Herald

Song No. 3 of my oeuvre, again in E minor. I was greatly influenced by the songwriters of my day, Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan, Buffy Ste. Marie. It was, lest we forget, the tail end of the protest era. Anyway, enough of an introduction.


The Herald

I am the herald, I bring the news.
I am the herald, I bring the news.
I bring tidings of joy;
I bring words of death and sorrow,
Birth and life and war and fear.
I bring news that men don’t like to hear.
You can hear me wherever you go:
On your T.V. or your radio.
I just watched and I just heard.
My only job is to spread the word.

I am the herald, I bring the news.
I am the herald, I bring the news.
I’m neither ally nor foe.
My words fly in every direction.
Grapevines form wherever I go;
They’re not stopped by rain, sleet or snow.
Ages ago I cried through the town,
My methods have changed but I’m still around.
You hate your neighbours, you cheat your friends.
Don’t complain to me that this war never ends.

I am the herald, I bring the news.
I am the herald, I bring the news.
You wish these times would end.
I’m telling you it ain’t that easy:
Wars for peace and justice will never cease
’Till all mankind has set his brothers free.
If you really want peace you can’t get it by praying.
You can’t build a nation by killing and slaying.
We’ve got to work together and settle our feuds;
Then maybe my voice will stop spreading the news.

I am the herald, I bring the news.
I am the herald, I bring the news.