It said upon the news that the war's begun,
Conscriptions back, you better send your country's sons,
There' gonna turn the churches into hospitals,
Where they can treat the ill,
And see that they fight on.

The government's declared miltary rule,
Democracy is dead until we've won the world,
All monies will be used to help fund the fight,
We're fighting in the right,
We must find on.

And the children in the schools are rolling bandages,
As the classrooms shake and tremble with the bombs,
And somehow I think that they don't look so innocent,
As they help their country to fight on.

The pacifists are noticeably silent now,
They say we still believe but cannot find the right way out,
All the placards that they had are gathering dust behind the door,
We can't do no more,
We must fight on.

And the priests are giving solace to the dying ones,
One hand they use to bless, the others on their guns,
And somehow I think they don't look like the chosen ones,
As they help their country to fight on.

The undertakers praying it will never end,
In the night he's making deals with all the businessmen,
The General drives to HQ in his Jaguar,
Tells us that times are hard,
We must fight on.

And the students are all dabbling with the politics,
It's a problem of who's social system's right,
But I don't think it matters if its east or west,
Cos its just another man who pays the price.

It said upon the news that the war had passed,
But it never said which side had won or lost,
They're gonna turn the football fields to cemeteries,
Where they can rest in peace,
As we fight on.

"We Must Fight On", words/music Kieran 'Kip' Davies (Strummer), ©1983-2006. All Rights Reserved