When I posted the previous version of this song in early December, I was careful to paint a picture of the troubled time in which it was written. I was concerned that the stridently polemical, confrontational lyrics might be taken out of the context of a time of US taxpayer funded death squads in Central America and the US funded war by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq against Iran, with its chemical gas attacks and overt and covert US aid to Saddam.
But then I thought — well, damn.
So, without further excuses or equivocation here’s a little slice of unapologetically self-righteous, blind fury.
Enjoy.
HAVE U EMBRACED THE BEAST?
Have you embraced the beast?
I see the mark is on your face
Have you embraced the beast?
Are you a slave of greed and hate?
Have you embraced the beast?
Do you serve the war machine?
Have you embraced the beast?
Did you trade in your soul on (for) the finer thinsg?
Have you embraced the beast?
Do your taxes buy bullets for fascist death squads?
Have you embraced the beast?
They’ll be coming to your hometown before too long . . .
Have you embraced the beast?
I see the mark is on your face
Have you embraced the beast?
Are you a slave of greed and hate?
Have you embraced the beast?
Copyright 1984
T.K. Major