1. THE BIG ILLUSION

You who speak of new-found liberty
Proud of the money that grows on your family tree
Spitting hatred on the lowly working man
Building ghettos that you call new housing plans
You want my vote to reassure
You want my vote to make me more secure
To you I'm just a ballot
That is dropped into a box
Just another ballot
That is dropped into a box

Surrounded by the impotent and self-satisfied
You promise us contentment in record time
The old who can't decide because they're not young
Tired and wasted sick of being pushed around
You want my vote to maintain the status quo
You want me to vote for my freedom I know

To you I'm just a ballot
That is dropped into a box
Just another ballot
That is dropped into a box
Push them away
You're gonna vote !
So vote
Vote, vote, vote, vote
Vote, vote, vote, vote !

My bulldozer is the symbol of the angry youth
That refuses all your deals and twisted truths
I want to speak of those whom you victimize
Vulgar pawns in a game that wins no prize
For us you have so much respect
Tomorrow we're the ones who'll vote
To elect a perfect remedy
To give us work and prosperity
So vote, vote, vote, vote
Vote, vote, vote, vote !

To you I'm just a ballot
That is dropped into a box
Just another ballot
That is dropped into a box
Vote, vote, vote, vote
Vote, vote, vote, vote
To you I'm just a ballot
That is dropped into a box
To you I'm just a ballot
That is dropped into a box
Vote, vote, vote, vote
Vote, vote, vote, vote !

For us you have so much respect
Tomorrow we're the ones who'll vote
To elect a perfect remedy
Who'll chose the right to be free
Vote, vote, vote, vote
Vote, vote, vote, vote
To you I'm just a ballot
That is dropped into a box
Use your vote !


2. THE SAVAGE

Bitch of a life, bitch of a land
The day that I saw hell be damned !
He was the outcast, he was my brother
Scorned by some, ignored by others
Thirty years hard labor made him a bitter man
Earned him thirty years of chains

See the savage who has no age
Empty, rejected, too old to know
Suffering in silence day after day

Months passed falling apart,
Robbed of all pride, losing heart
Paying his pension for the right to die
Is the only reason they keep him alive
I tried very hard to explain
These bastards have already been paid
He rambles aimless through my mind
Like an animal mad and blind

See the savage who has no age
Too old to know, locked in a cage
Shoulda' told you the story a long time ago

Bitch of a life, bitch of a land
He'll return from hell again
The bitter taste that's in his mouth
Nobody is able to wipe out
I want to hold him very tight
When his spirit leaves without a fight
At fifty he had no time to smile
Cheek them all, laugh and die !
I swear the day that I'm his age
They'll never put me in a cage


3. REPRESSION

First time I heard the word, it made me aware
Blow from behind, it came from nowhere
Acting without reason they protect if from defeat
Requested by an ally called the champion of peace
Always advancing death's rotten stench
With her claws squeezing life from the future of men
Automatic guns replace the legendary scythe
Jailer and torturer, her army by her side
Repression, repression

I'm on a road that leads no place
In a circus with the clowns no paint on their face
Like an armored tank eyes pointing to the front
I really want to know, I want reassurance
If you lose your memory in a bar you must
Beware of the stranger smiling in the dark
And sharping the blade of your intention
On his face one expression to justify his actions

Repression, repression

In the vomit of the torture hall : repression
Masked eyes, backs against the wall : repression
Slaughtered children under military rules : repression
Stadiums of Chile where you pray like a fool : repression
Repression, repression, repression, repression !


4. THE JUNTA

Under a burning sun they lead him before the firing squad
Without flinching, without begging, without crying out, without swearing
The sword was lowered, the butchers fired, fired, fired, fired, fired, fired
The junta in power struck cold and hard
The junta purged ruthlessly, no hesitation
Right hands held high, iron fists on poverty
On little people living in misery
Elections are fixed, peasants are tricked
Opponents arrested, hidden ant tortured in jails underground

In the hands of exiled SS old and new
The past and the future trapped by four walls of blood
Talk democracy speak of ways of life
In front of the gunrunners who come bearing arms
American, Swiss, French or Soviets
They'll leave the poor only what's left

Conquests gained in jails of the state
Will win decoration regardless of fate
Glory fed tears and misery
Only a painful death can set free
It's up to you to keep that cadence
Give yourself a clear conscience
Going abroad being received
Friends of the statesman and dictator

The junta is well-aligned, well costumed paragon of virtue
The junta of high ranking dignitaries who sow your ideas in blood
The junta of South America where your only right is silence
The junta of Videla, Somoza, Pinochet, Straisner
Who had the hides of your people as the spoils of war
An finaly the junta propaganda prepares for alignment


5. MINDLESS

In the distance I see a cluster of flags
While all around me they're gunning down your kids
Far away I see the flags begin to fall
And I feel the hammers but the sickles not at all
Mindless beasts searching for a victim
Can't recognize the uniform
Bringing back vague memories
A once-proud people forced to flee
Czechoslovaques betrayed too
Turned to the west there is nothing new
Already death is knocking on your door
Their tanks will make your blood run cold, run cold

In the distance flags fly from the roof
And in the streets men in Jackboots
Far away I see the flags begin to fall
And I feel the hammers but the sickles not at all

Mindless beasts, well-trained guerillas
Who obey at the snap of a finger
Ideology founded on your death
Hear them sing as they prod your head
They boast about their political voice
And make you march out of fear, no choice
Keep cool, if you move they'll beat you down
If you resist, watch out for your kids
They'll burn them with napalm

Far away I see masses of flags
And around me kids spilling out their guts
Far away the flags go up in flames
Your women flee the cities screaming in pain, in pain, in flames, in flames

So face them care-free while staying aware
Invite them in to eat, to drink and be amused
At the table they remember stifled cries
Talking of the power of death and all their other lies
They're only coming for their satisfaction
To have you on your knees turning your cheek
The cruel savages, you'll spit in their face
Hold them well within' your sights, aim and never flinch

Make it so their flags will never wave again
And families can prosper without pain
So your children can run and laugh and play
The hammer's weight, the sickle's shadow far away

In the distance flags fly from the roof
And in the streets men in Jackboots
Far away the flags go up in flames
Your women flee the cities screaming in pain, in pain,
Screaming in pain, in flames, in flames, in flames
Mindless, mindless, mindless, mindless

In the distance I see a cluster of flags
While all around me they're gunning down your kids
Far away I see the flags begin to fall
And I feel the hammers but the sickles not at all
In the distance flags fly from the roof
And in the streets men in Jackboots
Far away the flags go up in flames
Your women flee the cities screaming in pain, in pain,
Screaming in pain, in flames, in flames, in flames
Mindless, mindless, mindless, mindless


6. LONELINESS

Now I know with certainty what solitude can be
Step by step, in the dark, I found my way
Moved ahead, unaware, no idea of the power
Step by step, in the dark, moved ahead, unaware
No idea of your power
If I became the hero with an unpainted face
If I became a superstar
If you became the hero with the unpainted face
You would be a superstar
I would reflect on all these wasted days
Unashamed, never wanting to wipe them away
You'd go through all the wasted days
Never wanting to erase

Because you know with certainty
What loneliness can be
The faded image of which you're proud
Follows you around
And I'm lost in reflections
Tell me what happened to you
Tell me what happened to you

Maybe tomorrow I won't be a sex symbol
Maybe I'll be just anyone
If tomorrow you weren't a sex symbol
You'd be just anyone
Never occurs to look for an excuse
No fantasies, films that twist the truth
No accounts, no excuse, no pretending with lies
Or twisting the truth
I'll grow taller than the ones who stay small
If one day I become someone who I was
If one day I become someone who I was
Someone who I was

Because you know with certainty
What loneliness can be
The faded image of which you're proud
Follows you around
And I'm lost in reflections
Tell me what happened to you
Tell me what happened to you

I'll laugh at their lives the way they laughed at mine
When I was their puppet, life and soul of the party
When I lived on dope, I was bored into need
The women were the best, all the best, all the best
Turned around in the void and held out my arms
Idles eyes before me, smiling with charm

Now I know with certainty
Loneliness surrounding me
Of faded images, I'm too proud
They follow me around
I'm lost in reflection
What have I become ?
I, too, had my idols
They played the part of symbols
And they knew with certainty
What loneliness can be


7. WORK OR DIE

I want to tell the story of four years of my life
It's kinda hard, many intense moments
The friends who leave behind and those who seek you out
Those who only come because of your advance
Those who scrutinize you when they find you're not a fake
Jealous little bastards help you make mistakes
The pleasure of the losers who run before they walk
While you're learning of the women and the way that money talks

Ask for your opinions, they couldn't care much less
People you could kick at like a dog out on the street
Only want to know you now you're the new big news
Critisize you 'cause you've got the guts to choose

Work or die
The life that I lead is not a dream
Work or die
Fighting an endless war it seems

Don't know what problems another day will bring
Plenty eager fat cats taking care of things
Haven't given in, haven't sold my mind
Mean to cause disturbance, leave the rest behind

Started out alone, no one to catch me when I fell
Thought I could speak out, I found myself in hell
They made their stupid comments, I just love the way they talk
They think they have the talent to tell me how to work

Want to know the reason, someone tell us why
They smile at us sweetly, then knife us in the back
In Trust I am the singer, believe me I have faith
In the strong determination that got us here today

Work or die
The life that I lead is not a dream
Work or die
Fighting an endless war it seems

They look, they analyze, they think they're really wise
My name is Bernie and that's fine by me
You find it hard to gag us, but you're free to try
Take it or leave it, we work or die

Work or die
The life that I lead is not a dream
Work or die
Fighting an endless war it seems


8. THE CRUSADES

I asked myself what could be their drive
I asked myself if their gods have eyes
The wars between religions and their new Messiah
The national guard Salvador you're a liar
All the callous fighters, I hold them in contempt
Trusting ever faithful their cause will win the day
Their guns against their daggers with crude untempered blades
Home-built bombs against an army custom made
The diplomatic silence and the occupied hate
"Belfast the damned" is written in red
On the heavy files of the faithful dead
Ireland in mourning has become a coffin

Missionaries in white shirts
Slaughtering in a mass
Go back to your crusade !

This country stinks of death, your only wish to run
No exit from this jungle for the poor peon
The body of repression above the camp of refugees
El Salvador continues to bleed
People die more now in this tropical land
Where throats get cut out of suspicion and ideals
The peace of thousands dead and the anger shows
One prays for this country as silence grows

Missionaries in white shirts
Slaughtering in a mass
Get back to your crusade
San Salvador !

Missionaries in white shirts
Slaughtering in a mass
Get back to your crusade
San Salvador - Belfast !

One god for the rich one god for the poor
One god for the just
The rest is for us
Continue to fight to please the gods
Continue to cut throats to sacrifice


9. YOUR FINAL GIG

They pay cash at the counter in the kingdom of stars
Listen to this story
Started out from nothing you were almost at the top
Hard work and sacrifice and many days unsure
A son would have been proud to know that he was yours
Five or six gigs a night meant you really cared
Too often your fee was paid under the table
Glory's ransom paid sitting at a bar
The man was just, good and wise way beyond his years
With a nonchalant gait and a solitary air

That was your final gig, that was your final act
You left when you were smiling drowning your stagefright
So hard to come to terms with it, so violent was the slap
That was your final gig, that was your final act

In his voice a certain sadness, a veil that slurred his words
Everything was right for him ambition of heroes
And we spoke together often and I drank his every words
Never really alone, the blues right under his skin
The antihero star set fair both morning and night
The walls of the city resounding AC/DC
The thrill of many stadiums all voices roared as one
But that grey London morning I fail to understand

That was your final gig, that was your final act
You left when you were smiling drowning your stagefright
So hard to come to terms with it, so violent was the slap
That was your final gig, that was your final act

Everything had gone great, we'd laughed the night before
Rain falling on the pavement that day when I awoke
Collar turned against the wind that blew the booze away
Your melodies were strange no covered up with grey
Your eyes misty with sadness, so suddenly you were gone
Doctor Whiskey and his double help you drown
When I'm drinking late at night coming home, broken down
I can't stop myself from thinking and the anger comes around

That was your final gig, that was your final act
You left when you were smiling drowning your stagefright
So hard to come to terms with it, so violent was the slap
That was your final gig, that was your final act

I wish that I had been there sitting close to you
From the coma to death, my friend, you'd never have gone right through
I would have kept you warm I know , never have left you there
And I'm angry even now I missed you by so little
I wanted to speak of this guy who died in February
I wanted to speak of Bon Scott, he was my best mate