Inspirational Lyrics and Music From The John Butler Trio

[ScarletBegonias]

Hello everyone,
The John Butler Trio is an eclectic roots/folk rock/jam band from Australia that I think some people on this site might really enjoy! Since there isn't a post on this board about them already I figured I'd chime in and mention them here. :) Below are their lyrics to Revolution, which is the first song on their new album, April Uprising. Here is also a link to their Myspace if you are interested in hearing what they sound like: _http://www.myspace.com/johnbutlertrio

So tell me family now what do you think?
Watch it all go down the great big sink, watch how the scum it rises to the top.
Don't you wonder when it's all gonna stop?
Sometimes I wonder how we do sleep, serving the dodgy companies we keep.
All kicking and scrounging for the very first place - dictionary defintion of a rat race.
Pay off those losers we elect to lead. stealing from the mouths that we're meant to feed.
Enslaving the very clothes upon my back, I feel the sting but I hear no crack, no crack, I'm sayin

Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway

Big heavy pirates man digging those holes, messing with something that they can't control.
Trespassing lands where they don't belong, all I hear is screaming whee there once were songs.
I got my brothers there fighting those wars, fighting over scraps and scraping their sores.
Under a blanket of a fire and pride that can't keep us warm for the cold inside, inside, I'm saying

Running through the fire,running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway

So tell me when you think we're gonna rise?
Wake from this slumber wipe the tears from our eyes?
Yes from this nightmare yes I must now wake, open my fist my destiny I take!
Good people sick and tired of being pushed around, we call them kings but I see no crown.
Tell me when you think we'll just stand up?
Say enough is enough is enough, enough, I'm saying

Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway

Take back your feet
take back your hands
take back your words take back your land.
Take back your heart
take back your pride.
Don't got to hide. Revolution!

 

[Breton]

This tune is really catchy, and it has quite thoughtful lyrics.

I am finding I come back to it a lot.

It is probably the kind of style I would use if I was a singer/songwriter.

 

[tykes]

Powerful lyrics and a great tune!

I didn't knew this band, thanks for the recommendation ;D

 

[Breton]

ONE WAY ROAD
Lyrics by JOHN BUTLER, 2009

They come they take
Its never enough because they cant relate
To the real world
Thinking that the oyster is just for the pearl
They start those wars
They want to own the land sea and all the stars
And right those wrongs
They change their history with their poison forked tongues.

All right, whos they?
A Maybe its the government of today
Or B for the big business man who thinks the whole world revolves around him
Or C for the corrupt official for A and B he be the man in the middle
Or D for discoverer for Cook and Columbus and the pirate plunderers.

Doesnt mean I aint got no fight now just because I dont got a gun
The lyrical is heavier than lead and this guitar is my canon
Just like my Martin and Mahatma Im gonna love Im gonna over come
Maybe its E for all of the above but I dont want to be

Wrong way going down the one-way road wrong way going down the one-way road
Wrong way going down the one-way road gonna turn it all around gonna back it on up
Wrong way going down the one-way road wrong way going on a one-way road
Wrong way going down the one-way road gonna turn it all around gonna back it on up

These men who they say we should follow
BUT we cant follow men if their hearts are hollow and
Mmmm yes how can we respect puppet regimes we do not elect?
Straight up straight up like Pinocchio and every time they lie man the fire just grows so
Nows time to be part of the solution raise your fist if you believe in revolution

Doesnt mean I aint got no fight now just because I dont got a gun
The lyrical is heavier than lead and this guitar is my canon
Just like my Martin and Mahatma Im gonna love Im gonna over come
Maybe its E for all of the above but I dont want to be....

Living in a pantomime living in a fantasy
I dont want to be dont want to be I dont want to be dont want to be no
Living in a pantomime living in a fantasy
I dont want to be dont want to be I dont want to be dont want to be...

Wrong way going down the one-way road wrong way going down the one-way road
Wrong way going down the one-way road gonna turn it all around gonna back it on up
Wrong way going down the one-way road wrong way going on a one-way road
Wrong way going down the one-way road gonna turn it all around gonna back it on up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5f3gfFtHY8

 

[ScarletBegonias]

You are welcome, Breton and Tykes! I'm glad you appreciate their music too! I've been fortunate to see JBT perform live and I've noticed they are advocates of human and environmental rights. They seem to be attempting to share the truth more than other bands, IMO, and they even say thanks to the creator/spirit before they play! Here is a live performance video I found to add to the thread:

_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkPlkcSr05I

"I Used to Get High"

I used to get high for a living
Believing everything that i saw on my tv
I used to get high for a living
Eating all the bullsh*t food that they sold me
I used to get high for a living
Thinking that my destiny was out of my control
I used to get high for a living
There's lots of different reasons and i'll tell you so

Super size, large fries, big mac, coca cola
Go on man, pick your poison
S*eed, w*ed, ecstasy, L*D
Man, it don't bother me cos we're all on something
Caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol
You know i'm clawing at the walls trying to get my fix
Prozac, ADD tablets, coke, smack
Now you know i am turning tricks cos

I used to get high for a living
Believing everything that i saw on my tv
I used to get high for a living
Eating all the bullsh*t food that they sold me
Yeah, that they sold me

Escape, can't wait all trying to get away
From this place man that we're feeling
Can't deal, can't feel what's real
All trying to conceal all this time we're stealing
No doubt, the route you're on
Can't find the clout that you've been needing
'Til then my friend you must contend
With the monster that you're feeding

I used to get high for a living
Believing everything that i saw on my tv
I used to get high for a living
Eating all the bullsh*t food that they sold me
I used to get high for a living
Thinking that my destiny was out of my control
I used to get high for a living
There's lots of different reasons and i'll tell you so

Got links of the cheney
Getting crazy, getting lazy with their foreign relations
Starting wars, closing doors
Trying to bring about one quicker, man, revelations
Economic rational calling fouls with the workers
Just trying to make it pay
Cost cutting, head butting
Big business do what they like and you do what they say
What's wrong get along, just prolong all the thoughts
You got going on, on the inside
Appease, stand at ease, just try to please
All the apathy that you're trying to hide
How now brown cow
Did we get from this standing place......
And now we're kneeling
'Til then my friend you must contend with the monster that you're feeding

I used to get high for a living
Believing everything that i saw on my tv
I used to get high for a living
Eating all the bullsh*t food that they sold me
I used to get high for a living
Thinking that my destiny was out of my control
I used to get high for a living
There's lots of different reasons and i'll tell you so

 

[Breton]

Cool, thanks for pointing that one out Scarlet!

 

[ScarletBegonias]

You are most welcome, Breton! :)

Here is an instrumental called Ocean that is quite popular among the fans: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VAkOhXIsI0

He wrote this song, Peaches and Cream, for his daughter: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5p-05HvAhc

Well there's far too many questions to ask,
To answer any of them tonight.
For I wear too many masks,

Too tell if any of them are wrong or right.
And confusion casts a shadow up on me,
Like a great big cloud in the sky.
And now I pray for rain,
Cause it's been so long since i let myself cry.

For so long I've sang this sad ol' song,
And it feels like my time is up.
For she came and landed in my arms,
And she filled my half empty cup.
Yes she filled my half empty cup.

There you are right in front of me,
A brand new day sunrise over sea.
No longer my cup half empty cause there you are,
You and your mum in front of me, in front of me.

And now I look up above me,
And I thank that great ol' God in the sky.
For tellin' me my cup ain't half empty,
It took my little girl to show me why.

for so long i sing this sight ful song
and it feels like my time is up
for she came and landed in my arms
and she filled my half empty cup
yes she filled my half empty cup

there you are right in front of me
a brand new day
sunrise over sea
no longer my cup half empty
cause there you are
you and your mum in front of me

You're peaches & cream to me.
You both are peaches & cream to me.
you and your mum in front of me
peaches and cream
yo
boom boom boom
regeladylady
boom boom boom
ramppammaday yo
boom boom boom
zhatoyamayamay
boom boom boom
ramppammaday yo

all i know is
all i know
and i love you
ya i love you
all i know is
all i know
and i love you
ya i love you
all i know is
is i unknown
and i love you
i love you
boom boom boom
regeladylady...

He wrote Gov't Did Nothin' about what the US government did after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana in 2005: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNs7QcLaCeE

Way on down where they've been forgotten
City just sinking with the whole world watching
Wading waste deep in water, living on my roof in the land of forgotten
Hey, to the deaf giant with the big muscles why ya moving so slow
Con, conquer and dividing, hole in the bucket got nothing to show

G be indiana jones-ing
Digging up the east stealing dinosaur bones-ing
Hey, he don't dream of stopping
Chasing his tail, trying to find Bin Laden
Hell, is what he living
It's not what you get, it's bout what ya giving
Hey, and i know you won't admit it
Ya stepped in the puddle and you know what was in it
Another storm coming, you better cover head
-shite- gonna hit the fan, Gov did nothin'
Oh my god, and the Gov did nothin'
Woah Gov did nothin'
Oh my god, and the Gov did nothin'
Woah Gov did nothin'

Now i don't wish to offend
No i don't wish to start a fight
But do you really think that the Gov would do nothin'
If all those people were white
Hey, don't tell me you know the answer
Stranger than fiction and it don't need romancing
Hey and he think they're the sinners
He caught up in the race and he think he the winner

Forgotten for way too long

Another storm coming, you better cover head
-shite- gonna hit the fan, Gov did nothin'
Another storm coming, you better cover head
Sh*t gonna hit the fan, Gov did nothin'
Oh my god, the Gov did nothin'
Woah Gov did nothin'
Oh my god, and the Gov did nothin'
Woah Gov did nothin'

He wrote Attitude about communication issues with his roommate: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_f396TbiQg

Hey man why you always give me Attitude?
What I, what I ever done to you?
If you got a bone to pick
Step outside step outside talk about it

But I talk with words man
I don't talk with my fists
I'm sick of all this aggression
Hell you know I've had enough of it
But I don't mean to offend you
So tell me if I have tell me if I have
Don't give me attitude
Don't you give me attitude

Hey man why you always laughing at me?
What's so, what's so funny?
Cos take a look in the mirror say now what do you see?
You are just, you are just like me

And I'm easy going
I listen to what you gotta say
And if I was wrong, if I was wrong
I'd say sorry.
Cause I don't mean,
No I don't mean to offend you
I got my own demons
Don't need bad karma too

Cos truth is the only way
So express what you're feelin
Say what you've gotta say
Without blaming, without blaming