Justice

Annotation — Punk Songs

The song "Justice" was about civil disobedience, and police violence, referencing the death of Kevin Gately in the Red Lion Square disorders, the death of Clement Blair Peach at an anti-racism demonstration in Southall, UK, the death of Jim Kelly in police custody in Liverpool, UK, political prisoners, conflict in Zimbabwe, and the Troubles in Northern Ireland, which the lyrics compared to the Vietnam War: "Ireland is their practice ground...Our very own Vietnam".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — European Songs

The song "Justice" was about civil disobedience, and police violence, referencing the death of Kevin Gately in the Red Lion Square disorders, the death of Clement Blair Peach at an anti-racism demonstration in Southall, UK, the death of Jim Kelly in police custody in Liverpool, UK, political prisoners, conflict in Zimbabwe, and the Troubles in Northern Ireland, which the lyrics compared to the Vietnam War: "Ireland is their practice ground...Our very own Vietnam."

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I wake up every day / And look at my country / This is what the blind man sees / Does it look like justice to you / It doesn't look like justice to me / They've got to protect their property / Better phone up the police / Call up corruption / Who killed Blair Peach? / Political prisoners caught at Southall / And tried by kangaroo courts / A man had to have his balls removed / After being kicked by the S.P.G. / It doesn't look like justice to me / Have your heard the rumours / You've got 2 years till conscription / Do you want to go fight Zimbabwe / Do you want to go fight in Ireland / Soon it's got to be you and me / Who guards the guards / Who polices the police / What happened at Red Lion Square / Who killed Kevin Gately / Jimmy Kelly arrested in Liverpool / And later died in custody / And they'll bring in the army / To break up the strikes / And they'll bring the legal terrorists / To control civil disorders / Ireland is their practice ground / To control civil disorders / Our very own Vietnam / Who guards the guards / Who polices the police

About the artist

Post-Punk and Art Punk group, formed in 1978 in Bristol, England, UK, disbanded in 1981 and reformed in 2010; members included Mark Stewart (vocals), Gareth Sager (guitar, saxophone), John Waddington (guitar), Simon Underwood (bass), Dan Catsis (bass) and Bruce Smith (drums, percussion).

Themes

Draft · Ireland Troubles · Police Brutality · Vietnam Analogy

In collections

Draft Songs · European Songs · Vietnam as Comparison · Punk Songs