Around the world the little guys are swarming,
they live on time that’s on loan,
The worse ones and the better ones,
in gangs or on their own.

I hardly know the better ones -
That sort should have wings of course;
But I’ve got friends among the scum
And they all want to get a gun,
To get a gun, to get a gun And use force.

The big guys with the Midas touch
Have succumbed to missiles’ charms;
The little guys, though, can’t do much
In this world without firearms.

You see that hopeless wino -
His pockets have no cash.
He’s hiding a V-sign though -
The cocked gun that he stashed.

From morning through to afternoon
He dreams of having lunch;
His jacket hasn’t got much room -
It’s straining and it’s bunched.

I’ll gladly go, not laden down,
With him when day is done,
My sweaty fingers curled around
The trigger of my gun.

I’m focused on my goals, I’m feeling cranked up;
I’ve had a fix, I’m stoned and I’m tanked up.

Hey, why are you looking at me like that?
I’m not really a cripple -
And I can pass for human
if you let me have a tipple.

Come gather round, you stumbling bums,
We’ll drink and chew the fat, lads,
And just as soon as dinner’s done
I’ll sing for you a song of guns,
A song of guns, a song of guns, A ballad.

The big-time gambler’s pocket-sized
But plays cards with a passion;
They bluff most times when stakes are high
And bet high-roller fashion.

The bomb that’s just a toy for them
Is not for you or me.
We don’t have all that cash to spend -
A pistol’s what we need.

We’ve pocketed the modest guns
We bought, and there as well
Stilettos, known to everyone,
Lie sharp as if they’re shelled.

The little people scuttle down
The right side terrified,
While tanked and tooled up we march round
The land with heavy strides.

The barrel finds a stream of random faces -
You face the wall! Now freeze! Stay in your places!

Don’t look to find your highs
inside the chemist’s like a fool, man;
You ought to get an axe at least
so you become a human.

I’ll twist my tongue until it’s spun
Truths naked as they’re valid;
I’ll sing no worse than anyone
A song about beloved guns,
Beloved guns, beloved guns, A ballad.

So should we buy new underwear?
How will that help our plight?
Buy firearms round the corner there -
That turning on the right.

Learn shooting, come on everyone -
Let’s start, it’s all the rage.
The newspapers now write of guns
On every single page.

The sweet thrills when we started out
To bitterness give way;
They took the little artist out
For papier mache.

Go, shoot till you desire no more,
At people, kittens, pups;
The right to sell guns, thank the Lord,
Won’t soon be given up.

And all the time that nothing’s done to ban it
Don’t worry, all is fine here on this planet!

 
 
 
 

The toothy barracuda without guns still knows it’s lethal;
The big guys without guns are still the big guys - we respect them;
But little people without guns don’t qualify as people;
All little people without guns know others’ guns will get them.

The big guys shoot at elephants;
They’re on the hunt for tigers too -
But you and I don’t get the chance;
Such fun’s denied to me and you.

Leave bigwigs blessed with wealth and rank
To solve big problems if they choose;
There’s one who played with Panther tanks -
And others play until they lose.

They’re shiny new and minnow-sized,
The shooters in our pockets now;
For us the earth is pillow-like,
A floor cloth made of softest down.

Blood pulses through the temple wet
And glutinous as slime;
Around the trigger, damp with sweat,
The bluing fingers wind.

We little people are to this society a rupture
But if you take a look at us while to the side you pause
Behind the narrow shoulders of a man of modest structure
There stand, dejected, gloomy, stupid, two enormous wars.

Lie low and they won’t take you out -
That’s fantasy, don’t kid yourself,
For in this country they don’t tout
Sweet guns just to improve their health.

And there the north-east wind still raged,
The costs continued to be reasonable;
But over here by the Lord’s good grace
The country has its freedom still.

Oh, life’s like dust - one puff, it’s gone,
It’s barely worth a groat;
It’s sold in parts and for a song,
It’s cheaper than a smoke.

This strange old life will rip as if
It’s wispy as a hair...
Just one push of a fingertip
Upon the trigger there.

While purchasing is easy, you and I will have no trouble;
We kill like we were sucking eggs; they taught us how to fight.
War’s all around, in peacetime too, but while you have bare knuckles
You’ll not make threats, nor bang in nails, nor hijack any flights.

There’s no one bullets cannot touch -
They know no devil, have no god;
And we just keep on shooting but
Stay well away from those in shot.

For every colour, shooting’s fun -
All ages kneel before it;
Both he and she, both old and young,
Black, yellow, white adore it.

Again those sweet thrills stir in us;
It’s normal now to see
The cover with the murderer,
The girl in lingerie.

The world is full of losers and
Each brandishes an axe,
The small-boy fingers of his hand
Upon the trigger catch.