When The Boys Are On Parade - Hive Open Mic Week 163

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Greetings Open Mic Community.

This week for the theme of "Passion for art" I have chosen a song titled "When The Boys Are On Parade" which was written by the late Marcus Turner, and incredibly talented songwriter from New Zealand.

I think I first heard this song maybe sometime around 2017 or 2018 as part of an Andy Irvine concert. Andy is a legendary Irish folk musician who plays the bouzouki and mandolin as well as the harmonica.

For a long time, I have been unable to find someone who has written up a chord progression for this song. Im not a skilled enough musician to watch a song played on the bouzouki and figure out what chords are being played, bouzouki playing still seems like musical sorcery to me.

So in this version of the song I have tried to find a way to use basic C,G,D chords to do justice to this fantastically well-written anti-war/anti-enlistment song.

I was truly blown away by the word play of this song when I first heard it and for several years now I have wanted to try and find my own version.
Remembering this whole song is a feat of memory in itself, it's long articulate, intricate, and is delivered in a rapid-fire manner

So for this week, my passion for the art is to find a way to accompany these outstanding lyrics with my simple guitar playing.

The first 5 verses of this song are written by Marcus Turner, and the last line is wonderful addition by Andy Irvine.

-On listening back to my recording I realized I've missed part of the second verse, as I said this one is a big feat of memory and rapid-fire delivery.I slipped up but I guess that adds character.I also stumbled a wee bit before the 5th verse and had to make a slight cut and edit to the video, still slight hiccups, and all I think I do the song some justice here. I challenge @jasperdick and @anna-newkey to try and figure out a version for this one :D.-

"When The Boys Are On Parade"
Marcus Turner with new words by Andy Irvine.

Here they come marching past the houses, shiny boots and khaki blouses
Stiff as the creases in their trousers standing tall and straight and strong
And they all keep in step together glint of steel and flash of leather
Braving every kind of weather as they boldly march along
You may dismiss it as a ploy for the enlistment of the boys
Who’ll be impressed to see the toys and play the games that can be played
And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention
You’d do well to pay attention when the Boys are on Parade.

Look at your sons before they’re older they’ll be stronger they’ll be bolder
Just the thing to make a soldier and we’ll turn them into men
And they’ll be taught to follow orders, keep the peace and guard the borders
To protect us from marauders and defend us to the end.
But the position they’ll be filling is to be able and be willing
To be killed or do the killing when there’s a price that must be paid
And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention
You’d do well to pay attention when the Boys are on Parade.

In the pursuit of a community of decency and unity
And equal opportunity we stand prepared to fight
And if there’s a threat to our position from aggressive opposition
The with guns and ammunition we’ll defend with all our might.
We’ll dehumanise and hate them send in the troops to decimate them
As in the name of the Nation all it stands for is betrayed
And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention
You’d do well to pay attention when the Boys are on Parade.

Merely the whim or intuition of an elected politician
Makes a melee without conditions as the monster quits the cage
Its a machine that knows no quarter dealing death and sowing slaughter
Raping mothers, wives and daughters in an all consuming rage
We may well decide we need it and we’ll pay to arm and feed it
But can you tell me who will lead it when the decisions must be made
And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention
You’d do well to pay attention when the Boys are on Parade.

Some will wonder what’s to fear and say there is no danger here
But there has never been a year when Soldiers haven’t been at war
And the eternal executions and the bloody revolutions
And the ultimate solutions too have all been seen before.
And there’s always someone scheming and sometimes at night when dreaming
In the distance, I hear screaming and in my heart, I feel afraid
And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention
You’d do well to pay attention when the Boys are on Parade.

See them come marching past the houses,shiny boots and khaki blouses
Stiff as the creases in their trousers standing tall and straight and strong
Is it any cause of pride that now the women march beside them
Will they have wiser gods to guide them in decerning right from wrong
For every step is a reminder,of the threat that lies behind
If we forget the ties that bind us when the decisive game is played
And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention
You’d do well to pay attention when the Boys are on Parade.

And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention
You’d do well to pay attention when the Boys are on Parade.

(Lyrics source - https://andyirvinelyrics.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/when-the-boys-are-on-parade/ )

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