History Lessons

Important people make history, so we’re always told
Generals, presidents, conquerors, kings and queens of old
But look beyond the facts we’re given and the books we’re allowed to see
That they’ve used to keep us in the dark, to wipe out our memory
History is re-written by liars, thieves and cheats
But we’re the ones who make it - it comes up from the streets
Sometimes it seems from nowhere, other times well organised
But insurrection spreads like wildfire when we see through their lies

They can change colours, go by a different name
But all government’s violence just the same

Calls for freedom throughout the ages have always been met with lead
By murderous governments everywhere piling up the dead
Whether it’s the minions of the market or defenders of the crown
By sword or club or machine gun fire they’ve always put us down
The force of order wastes no time to go in for the kill
Learn the lessons from the past coz our enemies certainly will
Betrayed, imprisoned, masacred – history gets repeated
But the struggle for a better world has never been defeated

They can change colours, go by a different name
But all government’s violence just the same

There’s no way they’ll stamp out our ideas
Though they’ve been trying for so many years
Though it may seem hopeless and all the odds are stacked
Every day there’s more of us fighting back
To create the sort of world we want to see
Where all government is history

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