Volunteer

I've decided to break my rule again, this one is just too good, so I'm doing a one song post. This is one of "Those Lyrics," see this for an explanation. The rest of the songs/poems can be found by clicking on the "lyrics" label (there are at least two pages worth of posts, so click on the "older posts" at the bottom of the first page).

"Volunteer" based on "Pulling On The Boots" (the web usually says it's by Skrewdriver, but I don't think that's true, it might be by a group called "Master Race" or in any case, it's part of the movie Romper Stomper and I have a feeling it's not by a racist band but was made just for that movie) (original lyrics here)

1. This is the second song in which I make the probably false assumption that members of the IRA ("Volunteers") wore combat boots. UPDATE 3/11/10: A good source has told me that, yes, sometimes they did, but it was more common in rural areas, and the poem below is in an urban setting (I'll shortly be doing a large update to this post, with a RURAL version of "Volunteer")
2. Just to be clear, the mayhem being caused is attacking the security forces, destroying commercial or non-military government property (UPDATED 2/8/16 Based on what might be called a fairly scientific look, only about .2% of the IRA's operations intentionally resulted in civilian death. )
3. The blitz is partly defined as a VERB as "attack suddenly and without warning;" the NOUN refers to aerial bombardment, but it still pretty much works.
4. In general, this refers to the early and mid 1970s when republicans were VERY active.
5. An estate is basically a neighborhood in urban and suburban areas.
6. Considering that the original is Australian, this time I remembered to put an element of anti-fascism in the lyrics (see this).
7. The UDA is the Ulster Defense Association (a loyalist, pro-British paramilitary). The events of Aug. 1969, when the Catholic Community went through intense levels of hell at the hands of loyalist mobs and the police, saw the IRA unable to offer much defense because it had been demilitarized. The Provisional IRA (now known as the IRA) emerged promising to defend the catholic/Nationalist community. the first 2-3 years after Aug. 1969 there were no-go areas in Belfast and Derry, primarily to keep the security forces out, but they probably also acted as safe havens for nationalists who might be targeted by loyalist paramilitaries- I'm not saying the loyalists didn't kill huge numbers of Catholics outside the no-go areas, but I imagine catholics felt safer inside them with IRA members staffing checkpoints and barricades.
8. "Tiocfaidh ar la" is a republican slogan coined by Bobby Sands which means "our day will come."
9. The second line is based on the phrase "lock and load."
10. The line about berets is a little odd, I only changed one word (in general I change as little as possible, with very few exceptions), adding Berets, I'm going to leave it, I hate changing this stuff after a certain point. UPDATE 4/10/09 I just came up with a better line- I think it was worth breaking my rule on changing lyrics after I post them. (it now refers to the flag)
**11. 64% of this version is me, 36% is the original.
12. I give this song/poem five out of five stars.
13. I just realized that using the Irish phrase for "Our day will come" doesn't make much sense considering this poem takes place in the early 1970s, but I'm going to keep it.
14. Considering the original, I should say that Irish pride within Northern Ireland is very different from white pride (most of the time). (I just heard something making me think that it's probably a small minority of northern nationalists that would talk about "Irish pride"; I still feel odd completely re-writing that line, so I'm going to keep it)
15. This is exclusively about the IRA.

Pulling on the boots and tightening up the laces
locking and loading and covering their faces
There you have a Volunteer, looking for a fight
Volunteer, Volunteer attacking in the night

Chorus
Volunteer, Volunteer running through the night
Making lots of trouble, starting lots of fights
Volunteer, Volunteer ready to resist
Volunteer, Volunteer with the raised fist

Positioned in the lane way, waiting for the Brits
When they arrive, hit them with the Blitz
When they plee for mercy, we will show them none
Volunteer, Volunteer 'til the job is done

Volunteer, Volunteer putting on the mask
Looking for a gun-fight, or whatever is the task
Volunteer, Volunteer defending the estate
Volunteer, Volunteer the Nazi he does hate

When the UDA sees a Catholic, at first they pull the gun
But when they see Volunteers, then they start to run
When we see our flag it makes us feel proud
Tiocfaidh ar la, Tiocfaidh ar la, shout it out loud!

******

The rural version of "Volunteer" called "South Armagh."

“S. Armagh” Based on “Pulling On The Boots” (the web usually says it's by Skrewdriver, but I don't think that's true, it might be by a group called "Master Race" or in any case, it's part of the movie Romper Stomper and I have a feeling it's not by a racist band but was made just for that movie) (original lyrics are here)

1. S. Armagh is a rural area where the IRA made life very dificult for the security forces.
2. In rural areas, it was common for members of the IRA (“Volunteers”) to be wearing combat boots.
3. The AK is the AK-47 an assault rifle. RPGs are Rocket Propelled Grenades.
4. The Provisional IRA in recent decades has been referred to simply as the IRA.
5. Óglaigh na hÉireann is the official name for the IRA.
6. The first two lines of the last verse are a little odd, but helicopters were used to harrass republicans and nationalists in S. Armagh and there was at least one time when RPGs were used by the IRA to get the security forces to stop chasing them after an attack.
7. I give this poem/song four stars out of five.
8. Considering the original, I should say that Irish pride within N. Ireland is very different from white pride (most of the time). (I just heard something making me think that it's probably a small minority of northern nationalists that would talk about "Irish pride"; I still feel odd completely re-writing that line, so I'm going to keep it)
9. "Tiocfaidh ar la" is a republican slogan coined by Bobby Sands which means "our day will come."
10. This is exclusively about the IRA.

Pulling on the boots and tightening up the laces
locking and loading and covering their faces
There you have a Volunteer, looking for a fight
Volunteer, Volunteer attacking in the night

Chorus
Volunteer, Volunteer, with the AK
Óglaigh na hÉireann- the Provisional IRA
Volunteer, Volunteer ready to resist
Volunteer, Volunteer with the raised fist

Positioned on the hill, waiting for the Brits
When they arrive, hit them with the Blitz
When they plee for mercy, we will show them none
Volunteer, Volunteer 'til the job is done

Volunteer, Volunteer putting on the mask
Looking for a gun-fight, or whatever is the task
Volunteer, Volunteer fighting for the land
Volunteer, Volunteer fuck the Ku Klux Klan

When BA helicopters see the irish flag, at first they harass
But when they see RPGs, then they leave real fast
When we see our flag it makes us feel proud
Tiocfaidh ar la, Tiocfaidh ar la, shout it out loud!



One last note: Even with the songs that are only about 10% me (and at the upper end, one is 75% me), I have a request, although I don't have strong feelings or expectations about this. First, I want credit for these songs. Second, I'd appreciate it if the notes follow the lyrics around the internet. If you modify the lyrics further, please either make some notes for the changes if you leave some of my changes, or just provide a link to this URL so people can see my version. Although I'm not sure how many people will like what I'm doing with the lyrics, to one degree or another (depending on how much I changed them) I'm proud of these songs- and at the risk of getting a little personal, if people like the songs, I could really use the extra boost of getting credit for them right now (or if you don't like them, they were all written by Sarah Palin- that fascist, what kind of sick person enjoys altering racist lyrics?).