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Ground Zero

from Ground Zero by Patrick Burgess

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lyrics

Ground Zero

I wake up at four, pull my boots on my feet
Black coffee on the subway, black ice on the street
Click goes my time card, we begin working slow
Knockin’ it up down at ground zero

We’re like thousands of ants in two great big holes
Digging and drilling, and welding steel poles
We’re Mexican, Russian, Jamaican, Chinese
No one’s got a green card
But who’s gonna see?

Roll up, roll up
Its Friday night
The city’s a feast, under circus lights
We’re gonna rock until dawn
Because when the whistle blows
We’ll be knocking it up down at Ground Zero

My brother Paul’s a romantic guy
All the girls love his silence, and his deep blue eyes
He enlisted the day the planes fell from the sky
They sent him to Baghdad but they didn’t say why

Now he’s home on leave, and we’re out on the town
Dressed up like stars, tomcats on the prowl
We’re drinking and dancing and laughing like fools
Like nothing has changed and we still make the rules

Paul says, I love freedom and I love my country
And I love the dream that we can set them all free
I would give up my life, if that’s what it takes
But I’ve watched children die from our stupid mistakes

I was angry and proud when I joined the fight
It all looked so pure in that cool morning light
Now I’m stuck in the mud with the blood and the screams
And I fear that we’re wrong with no way to retreat

She says, My name’s Hanna, and looks in my eyes
Her pretty dark friend’s got Paul in her sights
We’re on our way out now, walking hand in hand
Some guy says, Hey, Chocolate, want to try a real man?

He’s a mountain of tattoos with a big ugly head
But Paul cuts him down, barely breaking a sweat
My sweet little brother’s now a killing machine
Our days of innocence a far away dream

I wake up at four, pull my boots on my feet...

credits

from Ground Zero, released July 23, 2016

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Patrick Burgess Australia

Human rights activist singer-songwriter Patrick Burgess draws from the stories of ordinary people who have inspired him during his travels to many of the world’s conflict areas. He has worked in Rwanda, East Timor, Myanmar, the Congo, Cambodia and dozens of other countries, always carrying a guitar...

Patrick Burgess’ new single, ‘Stolen Children’ out now on Bandcamp! ... more

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