I've got news of the very best kind
About troubles that are falling behind;
About people that used to be blind
Till they opened up their eyes to see.
It's news, when they begin to ask why
They're poor until the day that they die,
They're tired of the pie in the sky,
And they want some security.
And that's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
I've got news about some ordinary men.
They heard it preached time and again
To be patient and grateful, amen,
And "Don't agitate around here".
They argued and they talked it around
And they woke up and here's what they found
Their voices made a mighty big sound
Till they didn't know the meaning of fear.
And that's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
In Hazard they're meeting at night,
Organizing, and doing it right,
And planning for a hell of a fight,
And they sure don't aim to lose.
In New York the tenants said "no,
The slumlord ain't getting our dough.
They're fed up and I want you to know,
That's the very best kind of news."
And that's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
That's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
About troubles that are falling behind;
About people that used to be blind
Till they opened up their eyes to see.
It's news, when they begin to ask why
They're poor until the day that they die,
They're tired of the pie in the sky,
And they want some security.
And that's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
I've got news about some ordinary men.
They heard it preached time and again
To be patient and grateful, amen,
And "Don't agitate around here".
They argued and they talked it around
And they woke up and here's what they found
Their voices made a mighty big sound
Till they didn't know the meaning of fear.
And that's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
In Hazard they're meeting at night,
Organizing, and doing it right,
And planning for a hell of a fight,
And they sure don't aim to lose.
In New York the tenants said "no,
The slumlord ain't getting our dough.
They're fed up and I want you to know,
That's the very best kind of news."
And that's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
That's news, news, ain't that news?
Ain't that something to see?
News, news, you talk about your news.
It's mighty good news to me.
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2015/8/6 - 09:32
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Parole e musica di Tom Paxton
Testo pubblicato su Broadside # 53 del 20 dicembre 1964
La canzone che dà il titolo all’album di Paxton del 1965
Due episodi chiave emergono da questa canzone: lo sciopero dei minatori della contea di Hazard, Kentucky (di cui Paxton si era già occupato in The High Sheriff of Hazard) ed il “New York Rent Strike” del 1963-64, quando ad Harlem gli inquilini si ribellarono in massa agli “slumlords”, i proprietari che imponevano affitti sempre più alti in alloggi fatiscenti privi di qualunque manutenzione.
Paxton sottolinea come la gente povera e sfruttata ormai sia stufa delle prediche domenicali – di aver pazienza, di stare buoni… - e della promessa della “pie in the sky”, del paradiso dopo la morte.