Freedom Samba - The Herd

This is the CBD emergency warning system

A major incident has occurred in the city

Please take shelter where you are…

We hope that we never have to use this

But it is part of the security measures that we put in place

Are you worried that there are going to be a few

Bad apples amongst your group who are going to

Tarnish the lot of you?

I’m more worried there’ll be bad apples amongst the police who will beat heads!

It’s after curfew, so make sure that no-one heard you

Just the suggestion of free expression could hurt you

Untamed aggression on the faces of the faithful

El Patron is merciful, eternally grateful

Coming out the pep rally down at the stadium

Where they say the secret jail is — just put the cages in

Tear gas and horses, disperse the demonstration

Turn the native army on the native population

Official TV station has taken a different view

They say they’re banning gatherings of any more than two

Cos the President lives in mortal fear of a coup d’etat

He’s raised his own militia — it’s autumn of the patriarch

Ordered his body double, ride in an open car

Distribute gifts to the barrios that done it hard

Some took the bait

They see him as the father of the nation that they can’t hate

Others just can’t wait to take back what they lost

They rally under black flags and toss molotovs

It’s always freedom at what cost

The pamphlet they drop said that pacifism is a paradox

You turn the other cheek and cop another shot

Exiles wanna shout 'You don’t know what you got'

Sometimes freedom is defined by what it’s not

You never really know where the road you walk ends up

You’ve gotta keep your heads up

They try to tell you they’re only trying to help

They’ll lock you up to protect you from yourself

They’ll lock you up to deflect you from their wealth

Create fear of a foe you can’t see

Eventually now it’s so plain to see

It’s your freedom that’s the first casualty

Tut tut go the paper — call 'em terrorists

Paint 'em as psychopathic murderous savages

Isolate 'em try and make 'em illegitimate

Pro-government sources condemn 'em on the internet

The hearts and minds of the people are with the will of the warlord

But they don’t think of him as a warlord

You can send in new and improved anti-terror units

And move and eliminate, that’s a civilian fate

Late night raids by nameless death squads

Small kids snarling at soldiers to 'Get lost!'

You don’t even know all the feet you stepped on

Say you neutralised the area — well you’re dead wrong

What about the missing we haven’t heard from?

So there’s plenty more volunteers to strap bombs

Doesn’t take your forces long to catch on

This is anything but romantic — this is terror for two

Me with absolutely nothing to lose

Only one of us is seeking the truth

We wanna know the truth

They try to tell you they’re only trying to help

They’ll lock you up to protect you from yourself

They’ll lock you up to deflect you from their wealth

Create fear of a foe you can’t see

Eventually now it’s so plain to see

It’s your freedom that’s the first casualty

They try to tell you they’re only trying to help

They’ll lock you up to protect you from yourself

They’ll lock you up to deflect you from their wealth