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The Ballad of Bill Posters

from Solid Ground by Paul Gill

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about

Inspired by a passage in John Silitoe's "The Death of William Posters. The song seeks to set the modern radical ecological direct action movement into a wider historical and political context with a class perspective.
This version was bettered on the later release "On Every Street Corner".

lyrics

Lyrics by P.Gill & Becky Taylor


D A
On every street corner they spell out his name
Bm G A
And the boarded shop windows all herald his fame
D Bm A
That they'll catch him and bring to justice they claim
G A D
Bill Posters is that man

At the scope of his mischief we only can guess
And he's no need to hide as they can't put a face
To the acts of defiance we read in the press
Bill Posters he's our man

Chorus (every 2 verses)
A D
Bill Posters, Bill Posters will be prosecuted
A D
For years upon years he has been persecuted
A D
But they'll never catch him, let no- one dispute it
G A D
Bill Posters he's our man

He was out with Ned Ludd, Captain Swing and the rest
At Hyde Park and Trafalgar he has sttood with the best
He was there when the strikers were put to the test
Bill Posters was that man

Making deals with the bosses, its alright for some
But when the courses of talks and inquiries have run
And its actions not words that'll get the job done
Bill Posters he's your man

Its only the rich man he'll do any harm
As he stalks their estates, pheasants under each arm
Or tickles the trout from the private fish farm
Bill Posters is that man

He's the brick through their window the car overturned
Where was he the night Windsor Castle was burned?
He will carry the fight on until they have learned
From Bill Posters our man

He's the one in the crowd with the egg in his hand
To hurl at the smug politicians who stand
Up and promise the earth whilst flogging the land
Bill Posters is that man

An industrial Robin Hood wielding a wrench
He'll disable the digger, he'll take down the fence
If its criminal damage with moral intent
Bill Posters he's your man

Our Bill, well he'll give it his very best shot
To bring down the rich,he'll get rid of the lot
A saint, a hero, a martyr he's not
He's Bill Posters, our man

credits

from Solid Ground, released May 28, 1998
Paul Gill- guitar, vocal
James Tolhurst- trumpet

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Paul Gill England, UK

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