In a store window, somebody clipped an American flag out of a newspaper commemorating 9/11. The caption was "these colors don't run." Only problem is, 4 year old newsprint being what it is, all the colours actually did run. I had to celebrate the irony in a good old rockin' protest song. The riff came from screwing around with "Pleasant Valley Sunday" by The Monkees.
lyrics
i saw a commercial while watching the news
my eyes were almost blinded by the red white and blues
i don't remember but i think they were selling easy chairs
so i went to the market and i had to pause
all they sold were ribbons for this week's cause
your car could use another sticker there
so you can cut someone off and show them that you care
these colours don't run
long as we have fun
we can forget the fight
these colours don't run
just look at our one
it's printed in black and white
we'll complain about the country's swing
but when the chance comes we won't change anything
we shouldn't change our horses in mid-death
we say we shouldn't outstretch our reach
how can we practice if we can't even preach
with every protest you're wasting your breath
let's just stand back until there's nothing left
these colours don't run
ask our machine gun
we'll put you in your place
these colours don't run
look at this foam one
i can point in your face
there's no need to worry, there's no need to fear
because protesting isn't the rage this year
we'll just shrug and say liberty's a drag
so i guess we'll go back to our fuel-safe cars
we'll laugh at politicians and we'll listen to stars
and we'll all keep on wearing american flags
printed on the cloth of a doorag
these colours don't run
terror has not won
and i'm sure we'll drink to that
these colours don't run
we've only begun
we'll prove this world is flat
Tom Heyman documents life in San Francisco circa 2023, refusing to succumb to easy characterization & instead capturing the city’s nuance. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 22, 2023