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They came at night

from DISPLACED​/​MISPLACED by Norman Nawrocki

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Mostly poor, marginalized people without means to fight back have been forced out of their homes, off their land for centuries by those in power, whether they're landlords, colonial settlers or rapacious multi-nationals.

lyrics

I was there hundreds of years
ago when
They came at night
They came in the day
They came with clubs and chains
bayonets and swords, pitchforks
and torches, on foot and horseback

I was there yesterday when they came
They came at night
They came in the day
with dogs and guns,
rocks, bottles & battering rams
on trains, boats, bulldozers, in helicopters and tanks

I was there when they
came wearing armour, uniforms,
blue suits, white hoods, black shirts
and masks to hide their faces
They told us to never come back
And they drove us away,
They drove us away
They drove us away from our homes

I was there hundreds of years
ago and yesterday when they
came with sheriffs, bailiffs, lawyers, cops, soldiers, engineers,
officials, goons, the SWAT team
They came with orders and papers,
so many papers to wave in our face
They said we had no choice
no more rights
It was the new law, old law, church law, king’s law, a special law, martial law, a presidential decree
They said they came
in the interests of the State, the economy, progress & public security
We couldn’t understand
They told us to never come back
And they drove us away,
They drove us away
They drove us away from our homes

I was there each time we argued, we pleaded, we tried to defend our homes
They beat us, shot us, gassed us, hosed us, dragged us out, arrested & jailed us
Threw our belongings into the street
Locked and boarded up our homes
Set them on fire, demolished them
Took our livestock, burned our barns,
destroyed our fields,
our crops, our orchards
Threatened to kill us
They told us to never come back
And they drove us away,
They drove us away
They drove us away from our homes

We who once lived there
now the displaced, dispersed,
Like footprints in the sand
like dry leaves scattered by wind
like clouds chased across the sky
like smoke from the chimney, gone

The injustice, the injustice runs deep
Where we once lived:
now a rich man’s estate
Where we once lived:
now a corporate farm
Where we once lived: now a huge dam
Where we once lived: now an oil field
Where we once lived:
now a deep pit mine
Where we once lived:
now a settlement of others
Where we once lived:
now a desecrated mountain
The injustice, the injustice runs deep

credits

from DISPLACED​/​MISPLACED, track released February 14, 2017
Words & vocals: Norman Nawrocki.
Music (Guitar, bass, Chapman Stick, drums): Sylvain Auclair.
Violin: Norman Nawrocki.
Additional chorus: Greg Smith.

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Norman Nawrocki Montreal, Québec

Norman Nawrocki is a Canadian Polish/Ukrainian violinist & composer based in Montreal, Quebec. A veteran of the city’s underground music scene & also tours internationally. Since 1986, he's released 33 albums (solo & with his many bands like Rhythm Activism, DaZoque!, Bakunin’s Bum, SANN, Wild Plains, Crocodile!) & has 35 compilations. He's also an author & a playwright. ... more

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