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Banana Republic of America

from Turn Off The Lights by Fred Gillen Jr

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A few days after the presidential election as we were waiting for the votes to be counted, and the President began his campaign to subvert the election and destroy our democracy and our nation. Is it because he's afraid to go to jail? We don't know. We do know that it is about him. It's not about the country or the former Republican party, which is now a mockery. This was the first song I wrote on the album, and I wrote it quickly. It was exactly how I was feeling- like I lived in a "banana republic." Fuck Trump. I hope he goes to prison.

lyrics

sitting in the banana republic of america
staring into the mouth of the devil
an empty hole, a gaping wound
nothing coming out but fear and lunacy

tear gas burns our eyes
on the streets the numbers don’t lie
the police stand by
as the Republic dies

staring endlessly at this tiny screen
the battery-powered price of my soul
a lie-machine, a dirty hole
filled with only more nothing

tear gas burns our eyes
on the streets the numbers don’t lie
the police stand by
as the Republic dies

judge pounds a gavel, the hammer of authority
ceremonial dramatization of dignity
an empty gesture, a hollow sound
a mockery, but still it pounds

sitting in the banana republic of the U.S.A.
wondering if there will be any news today
the posse’s noose is on the tree
ready to chase down and lynch history

tear gas burns our eyes
on the streets the numbers don’t lie
the police stand by
as the Republic dies

credits

from Turn Off The Lights, released December 11, 2020

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Fred Gillen Jr Athens, New York

NYFA grant recipient Fred Gillen Jr has released 12 solo albums, and 6 ep’s, has toured all over the U.S. and Europe solo, and Nepal/ India with Greenheart. His songs have been on ABC's "All My Children," NPR's "Car Talk," CMJ, and his version of Woody Guthrie's "I Ain't Got No Home" was featured on Pete Seeger's "Pete Remembers Woody." He is also a founding member of THE TRIKE rock trio. ... more

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