RUNNING RED
Written for the release of the movie 'Goodbye Joey'

Kip Davies, CountryPunk
Memorable Moments
"...the Australian Conservation Foundation had put together this movie 'Goodbye Joey' and it was the first public showing... there were politicans, media and plenty of greenies in the audience... State Film Centre in Melbourne. Just me and Gareth, miked up accoustic axe and we open the night... harmonising went well... never had a standing ovation before that... I was going through this major green time, still it went over un-noticed that the song acknowledged the need for sensible roo culling... song was an anthem for the protest groups as they gathered around campfires... both sides of the debate had their hotheads and their peacemakers..."
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The Classics
Sitting by a campfire in the darkness of a forest night,
The men share a drink and a joke,
The red wood's still burning when they finally turn in,
Cos tomorrow the work starts at dawn.

And if it wasn't for the rifle left leaning on a carcase,
Of a mother with a joey in her pouch,
I'd swear this was the way our fathers spent their days,
Carving out Australia with their pride.

Run free, spirits of the land,
Run free, running red from man.

They still all carry permits like the diggers used to do,
In the gold mines of old Ballarat,
But the glittering of gold is just the cartridges they load,
And the running red's the only one that pays.

A bullet in the thigh from a telescopic sight,
Is good enough to slow the runners down,
And the men who come behind to finish what they find,
Say they're only taking orders from the crown.

Run free, spirits of the land,
Run free, running red from man.

So who will take the blame for the suffering and the pain,
As another national monument is felled,
Hunter's understand there's too many for the land,
But the weekend shooters only out for blood.

Something's got to give if they're ever gonna live,
At least they're owed a quick and painless end,
But the protesters are charged with taking things too far,
When they really are the runners' only friends.

Run free, spirits of the land,
Run free, running red from man.

"Running Red", words/music Kieran 'Kip' Davies (Strummer), ©1983-2005. All Rights Reserved


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