I Am Your Flag

Annotation

The song "I am Your Flag" (Go Feet Records # BEAT 3) by The Beat, formed in March 1979, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. They disbanded in 1983. Members included Dave Wakeling (vocals, guitar), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass), Everett Moreton (drums), Ranking Roger (vocals), Saxa (saxophone), Wesley Magoogan (saxophone, 1981-83), Dave "Blockhead" Wright (keyboards, 1981-83). This song fell into the 2 Tone genre - originating "in England in the late 1970s as a revival of the first wave Jamaican Ska movement of the 1960s". This song was a critique of blind patriotism, and the use of nationalistic symbols such as the flag: "took your head in Vietnam, just dying to become a man, well I am your flag". The song also noted conflicts in Northern Ireland and Afghanistan.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Yes I'll be down your street again quite soon / And don't ignore me when I wave at you / For although I'm looking rather sad / I'm all you've ever really had / And when you're desperate, you will hold me / Hold me to that / Took your hat off in Wisconsin / Took your head in Vietnam / Just dying to become a man / Well I am your flag / Spend all of my time just looking for the big hit / So long getting there, there's no time left to use it / So lets raise a smile of victory / Impressed in dental surgery / When you need cover, you can use me / Buried at sea / "Freedom's" just a new deodorant / The money's spent and you've been had / You don't believe me? / Ask your dad / I am your flag / So as I fly so proudly you will see / That you won't dare break up this family / See the happy children on parade / With wooden guns that mother made /And see me dancing in the breeze / That blows them away / I ran into Northern Ireland / I ran into Afghanistan / Dying to become a man? / I am your flag

About the artist

The Beat (billed The English Beat in North America) were a British 2 Tone ska revival band formed in Birmingham, England in 1978 - Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger, Andy Cox, David Steele, Everett Morton and Saxa, with David Wright added in 1980. "I Am Your Flag" is track 4 on their second album "Wha'ppen?" (1981), a song attacking jingoism; the band split in 1983 into General Public and Fine Young Cannibals. A Soviet-era bootleg flexi of the track also exists. Date fact: 1981. [Source: Wikipedia; Discogs]

In collections

European Songs · Latin & Central American, & Caribbean Music