Union Songs
When Johnny comes into town
A Song by Annie Kennedy©Annie Kennedy 2007
to the tune of When Johnny comes marching home
When Johnny comes marching into town beware beware
When Johnny comes marching into town beware beware
When Johnny comes marching into town to dig the dirt on sacred ground
It's a sorry day all around when Johnny comes into town.
The suffering seems endless. It worsens with the years.
The shattered lives of children, the violence and the fears,
Fruits of dispossession and failed bureaucracy.
Do you think that sending troops in will redeem this history.
It's a sorry day all around when Johnny comes into town. (repeat tune of previous line)
We're coming to the rescue when the rescue suits.
Forget the consultation lads we're comin in with boots.
We've pulled the rug beneath them and now they're in free fall,
But we will come and save them, get the credit for it all.
It's a sorry day all around when Johnny comes into town.
Election time is looming and we're riding for a fall.
Need the spin to bring us in, our backs against the wall.
The wars drawn on and Tampa's gone. What can we do instead?
Be seen to save the children in poverty's bed.
It's a sorry day all around when Johnny comes into town.
Yeh! "Save the Aborigines" That's sure to get a vote.
We'll say its children overboard; we're keeping them afloat.
Our policies are forming with strategy and stealth.
A shame that it's been ages since we cared about their health.
It's a sorry day all around when Johnny comes into town.
Oh it's Johnny Boys to the rescue to save the sinking ship.
Don't care what the causes are we're shooting from the hip.
We're big boys now, we'll build the homes to house the men of law.
Too bad about the children, the sick, the old, the poor.
It's a sorry day all around when Johnny comes into town.When Johnny comes marching into town beware beware
Johnny comes marching into town beware beware
They say they've come to save the day, like when they took the kids away.
Its another sad and sorry day when Johnny comes marchin' in.
It's a sorry day all around when Johnny comes into town!
Notes
Many thanks to Annie Kennedy for permission to add this song to the Union Songs collection.
Annie writes:
"I have just written a song about the disturbing actions of the government in so called response to the plight of Aboriginal children."
union songs..........a selection by mark gregory