Attica State

Yoko Ono, John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band

About Attica State

"Attica State" is a song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It appeared on the album, Some Time in New York City. The song is a lamentation of the loss of life in the Attica State prison riots, as well as the poor living conditions and human rights prisoners are afforded in the United States. "Attica State" was also intended as the b-side of the lead single from Some Time in New York City, which was to have been "The Luck of the Irish." The intended single was given catalogue number APPLE 1846 but was cancelled before being released.  


Year:
1972
22 
#2

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What a waste of human power
What a waste of human lives
Shoot the prisoners in the towers
Forty-three poor widowed wives

Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state

Media blames it on the prisoners
But the prisoners did not kill
"Rockefeller pulled the trigger"
That is what the people feel

Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state

Free the prisoners, jail the judges
Free all prisoners everywhere
All they want is truth and justice
All they need is love and care

Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state

They all live in suffocation
Let's not watch them die in sorrow
Now's the time for revolution
Give them all a chance to grow

Attica state, attica state
We're all mates with attica state

Come together join the movement
Take a stand for human rights
Fear and hatred clouds our judgment
Free us all from endless night

Attica state, attica state 
We're all mates with attica state

Attica state, attica state
We all live in attica state

Attica state, attica state
Attica, attica, attica state

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John Lennon

John Ono Lennon MBE, born John Winston Lennon (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a founder, and member of the Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Together with Paul McCartney, he formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century. Lennon left the Beatles at the end of the sixties soon after meeting Yoko Ono. He formed the Plastic Ono Band and continued a succesful solo career recording until 1975, when his second child Sean Lennon was born. In 1980, with the release of the LP "Double Fantasy," Lennon was once more in the publice eye. Lennon passed away after being shot b… more »

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Written by: JOHN LENNON, YOKO ONO

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Origin
"Attica State" is a protest song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It was first released in 1972 on their album, "Some Time in New York City."
Inspiration
The song was inspired by the Attica Prison riots in New York in 1971, where 43 people were killed.
Genre & Style
Largely influenced by the folk and protest music of the era, "Attica State" falls under the genre of folk rock.
Lyrics
The lyrics of "Attica State" criticize the American penal system, and Lennon adroitly uses irony to highlight what he considered its failures.
Performance
The song was played live at the "John Sinclair Freedom Rally" in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1971.
Peace Activism
The song was part of Lennon and Ono's series of protest songs, reflecting their strong commitment to peace activism.
Modern Impact
"Attica State" remains relevant for analysis in the context of penal reform and the music's role in social protest, in modern times it is widely discussed in academic circles.
Collaboration
This song is one of many collaborations between John Lennon, former Beatles member, and his wife Yoko Ono, an avant-garde artist and musician.
Unconventional Release
"Attica State" is not considered a traditional Lennon/McCartney composition from The Beatles era but part of Lennon's experimental work with Ono.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by other artists, including Anti-Flag, a punk rock band, contributing to its continued cultural relevance.

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