These Things Take Time

by Conflict

Conflict is an English anarcho-punk band originally based around Eltham in South London. Formed in 1981, the band's original line up consisted of: Colin Jerwood (vocals), Francisco 'Paco' Carreno (drums), Big John (bass guitar), Steve (guitars), Pauline (vocals), Paul aka 'Nihilistic Nobody' (visua…

Year: 1993

So Listen crowd of people and listen wisely, it's I, daddy Kerry, telling everybody 
So what we gonna do about this mad lady? 
Everybody knows she's gonna mash up the country 
We must be patient in our struggle for freedom 

The state shall make it's own mistake, don't feed them ammunition 
Time is not running out, time be with us on our side 
Maintain the resistance; see the end of apartheid 
We're living in a Government style. No time for no fuss and fight, everybody must unite. 

We must abolish apartheid 
Brothers and sisters fear no more! Rise up and face this evil oppression 
Sigh and cry no more, for one day, that fine day 
The huge cloud that overshadows all. Shall lift, rise high, all say - forward 

Don't shake the hands of the firing squad. There are no tokens here 
Remember those burning eyes, them hungry bellies. No cure can exist in promises 
Medicine cures all, but when cancer spreads, there can be no cure 
Meanwhile brothers crawl on the death pile to die. The result of western world economics 

Meanwhile the bullet rips the flesh of the young mother. 
The flies feast on the eyes of the young child 
Meanwhile - hey cool guy McDonald's man, eating the flesh of the fellow man 
Wise up, sucking up to the good life. The Coca-Cola formula continues to run red 

Rising high on the graph of oppression 
Public outcry exists worldwide. Headstones still commemorate the many who have died 
Coffins laid to earth. Resistance dead. Rowntree Mackintosh machine guns rise instead 
Crucify jah children; suffer once again they shall 

In honor, they retaliate. Stones against tanks, inevitably the innocent die 
The bodies laying deep are your responsibility 
How can sister from outside nation march in disgust at apartheid, whilst using dictator bankbook? 
Finance fuels all and in retrospect, it offers nothing more than misery 

Political leaders stand off, offering the false hand of opinion poll support 
Political factions offer nothing more than violence 
Ignorance breeds arrogance, arrogance creates violence. And that is their solution 
The abysmal result of dictatorship. Their excuses for slavery 

The chain around our necks. The guns in the street 
don't consider violence as an alternative 
Until you've picked up bits of your relatives in the street 
Until you've felt the whip crack tear the skin. The gas burns the eyes 

The baton on the skull. The torture in prison 
Use sanctions and the grey cloud will disperse 
The constitution known as apartheid and it?s ilk will be destroyed 
And our world shall exist 

Brothers and sisters 
Such things cannot be bought and sold 
Such things cannot be arranged by Governments 
Such things cannot evolve overnight. These things take time 
These things take time