Jeffrey Lewis - The Gasman Cometh Lyrics

The train now standing on platform four
What will you do when the gas taps turn?
Where will you be when the bodies burn?
Will you just watch as the
Cattle trucks roll by?
Pretend it isn't happening? Turn a blind eye?
See the army convoys quietly passing by?
Heard the helicopters in your
Little bit of sky?
Have you seen the squad cars
Packed with boys in blue?
Have you ever wondered what
They're there to do?
To ashes at Auschwitz, it's just a small leap
When power is threatened life is cheap
Don't think that they won't do it
Cos they already do
But this time 'round the pawns are me and you

Pictures in the paper of
Soldiers in the street
Pictures in the history books
Of rotting human meat
Auschwitz's now a tourist spot for
The goggle-eyed to pry
Still in working order just for you and I
Photos of the victims, of gas, of gun
Of bomb the inheritance of violence in the
Bookshelves of your home
Don't wait for it to come to you
Cos come it surely will
The guardians of the state
Are trained to search, destroy and kill
To ashes at Auschwitz, it's just a small leap
When power is threatened life is cheap
Don't think that they won't do it
Cos they already do
But this time 'round the pawns are me and you

There's people sitting at this moment
Fingers on the trigger
There's loyalty and royalty to
Make their violence figure
Allegiance to the flag, they say
As they lock the prison door
Allegiance to normality
That's what lobotomies are for
God, queen and country
They say we've got the choice
Free speech for all if you've got no voice
Propaganda on the airwaves here's
The way to live
Not for you and me the alternative
They look for peace in Iraq
With a thousand squaddy boys
Torture in their prisons is
Another of their ploys
They'll keep us all in line and
They'll keep us on our toes
But if we stand against their power
We'll see how violence grows
Read it in the paper about rebellious youth
But it's them that are so violent
It's them that hide the truth
Stay in line, or pay the cost
Do you think they care
When another life's lost?
To ashes at Auschwitz, it's just a small leap
When power is threatened life is cheap
Don't think that they won't do it
Cos they already do
But this time 'round the pawns are me and you