The Vietnam War and civil rights movement inspired some tremendous music (for an example of the latter, see here while there is substantial and sincere opposition to the current war in Iraq, it seems to me that the conflict has not generated protest music of an equivalent caliber as that produced in the 1960s and early 1970s. Am I mistaken? Are there contemporary anti-war songs destined to become classics?
These thoughts occurred to me when I decided to choose a song by The Doors for this week’s Sunday Song Lyric, and settled on “The Unknown Soldier” off of Waiting for the Sun. This was long overdue. After all, I’ve already written a Jim Morrison-themed article on the Supreme Court’s commerce clause jurisprudence, but this song didn’t make the final edit.
Wait until the war is over
And we’re both a little older
The unknown soldier
Breakfast where the news is read
Television children fed
Unborn living, living, dead
Bullet strikes the helmet’s head
And it’s all over
For the unknown soldier
It’s all over
For the unknown soldier . . .
Make a grave for the unknown soldier
Nestled in your hollow shoulder
The unknown soldier
Breakfast where the news is read
Television children fed
Bullet strikes the helmet’s head
And, it’s all over
The war is over
It’s all over
The war is over
Well, all over, baby