Everywhere - Billy Bragg

Dig in boys for an extended stay

Those were the final orders to come down that day

Waiting to be saved in the Philippines

You’ll wait forever for the young Marines

Now I believe to be here is right

But I have to say I’m scared tonight

Crouching in this hole with a mouth full of sand

What comes first the country or the man

Look at those slanted eyes coming up over the hill

Catching us by surprise, it’s time to kill or be killed

Over here, over there, it’s the same everywhere

A boy cries out for his mama before he dies for his home

All my life I wanted to be

As clever and strong as my best friend Lee

We grew up together along Half Moon Bay

Lee was Japanese, born in the USA

When Tommy was fighting Jerry along the River Seine

Me and Lee wanted to do the same

Then they bombed Pearl Harbour at the break of day

I was headed for these islands while Lee was hauled away

They said look at his slanted eyes, he’s guilty as guilty can be

Sent here as enemy spies to sabatage the Land of the Free

I never got home, my platoon was never saved

That little fox hole became my island grave

Lee got out of jail but a prisoner he remained

Till he ended his own life to lose that ball and chain

And they said Oh Little Slanted Eyes can’t you forgive and forget

And he said, Oh Mr Friendly Ghost

Can you catch water in a net?