Chumbawamba Ah-men Lyrics

A visionary pause in the cycle
When she refused to buy or sell
When the daughters of perfect wives
Said there must be no more sacrifice...
Needed more than symbolic change
More than silent wasting away
In factories and sterile marriages
(He was God. She was powerless.)
With a brick for every year of life
She set out for the house of lies
The Old Boys Club under siege
His Lordship cowered under his seat
Called for brandy and reinforcements
Blasted away at every movement.
Close to breaking down the door...
Past thick blue lines and stupid laws
Black Friday left her bruised and stubborn
One brick from winning the struggle!
Rapunzel hacked at the ivory tower
Asquith quickly rose to the hour...
Appealed to patriotism, oily smiles
Gave nothing, called it compromise.
Gauging the situation perfectly
Said, "Ladies! Ladies! Listen to me!
1914, we're on the brink of war
Pick up a flag, drop your cause!
Your targets are counter-revolutionary
Take my hand in democracy!
Here's a piece of paper
You're officially free
Here's a list of instructions
For you to obey;
(And here's sharp knife
To cut your own throat
Small sacrifice in return for a vote...)"
Whispered work in Pankhurst's ear:
Visions of the first woman peer
Led women down the garden path
And into the arms of the enemy.
Jail and force-feeding, wasted martyrdom
Sold her songs for the National Anthem
Slotted the smile back neatly into place
Served refreshments
At the end of the race
All demands reduced to a joke
X marks the plague: abandon hope
Butlers still pouring brandy for the rich
"Excuse me,
Could you pass me the privilege?"
A woman's voice, the state's ideal
Same vested interest, same dirty deals
Currie and Williams immersed in the times:
Examples to keep the the rest in line.
Currie and Williams, two of a kind:
Examples to keep the rest in line.
------