This little serenata was written as the final for a basic songwriting course I took as an undergrad at Lyndon State College (now Northern Vermont University Lyndon) back in 2012 with instructor, Joe Giddleman (bass fiddleman for the Mighty Might Bosstones... He's still teaching it... you should take it).
The story:
The Union Army, families in tow, are heading west to the promise land. They encounter a tribe of great Native warriors and prepare to make war on the "savages". As the two armies ride into battle they behold bright lights descending from the heavens. It is an alien space craft and as it lands it blasts the warring parties with intense bass frequencies which cause all who hear it to become hypnotized into doing nothing but exploring the pleasures of life and forgetting war. under the hypnosis of the alien waves the people of the earth become docile and peaceful. However the deaf old men who'd come to do battle on both sides, "Christian and Indian too", were not effected by the sound since they could not hear it. So they banded together and defeated the aliens, dismantling their hypnotic apparatus and killing the bizarre creatures. The human race was then able to resume its warring ways.
See if you can spot the lite motif...
...ok, here's a hint:
The Union Army is represented by the folk/bluegrass rhythm on acoustic guitar, the native warriors are represented by the vocable chanted blues progression and the aliens are represented by the Micro-Korg synth dub-step sounds. When the old men take over the story the guitar changes from 6 to 12 string and you can hear the Christians and Natives army of geezers get together as the two musical motifs combine. You then hear the combined motifs deconstruct the synth sounds.
lyrics
We Come In Peace
By Derek Campbell
Union Army Soldier:
Ridin’ across the prairie, to the Great Divide
We’re the Union Army,
We got Jesus on our side, we got Jesus on our side
The Lord gave us this country, delivered us the Promised Land
We brought our wives and families
In a covered wagon caravan, in a covered wagon caravan
There’s but one thing stands between myself and fields of gold
That’s these wild and savage men whose scalps I’ve bought and sold
Whose scalps I’ve bought and sold
I tell ya boy them things’ good as gold!
All-Day-e-yodalaheyodalaheyodalahehoo...
Native War Chief:
On this Mother Earth, where we, Mankind
Have made our home since the edge of time
We The One People have kept her satisfied
Now you come here and you want a piece
But If you’re askin’ me, baby, that sounds like feedin’ the beast
So if you know what’s good for you just keep on passin’ through
Union Army Soldier:
Through inclement weather, through the dark of night
We will fight the savage
With orders just to shoot on site, with orders just to shoot on site
We’ll sneak into his village; we’ll burn his crops and corn
We’ll meet on fields of battle, Lord,
Bow and arrow versus cannon and gun, bow and arrow versus cannon and gun
We ride ‘pon the break of dawn with cannon gun and song
And we pray to God above that he may make us strong
Dear Lord, help us send them Natives to the place where they belong
Native War Chief:
On our sweet Mother Earth Great Spirit Provide
Buffalo to hunt and the horse to ride
My woman knows this warrior keep’s her satisfied
If you wanna get fucked up just keep comin’ at me
We’ve beat back the Ojibwa, the Dakota and even the Cree
If you’re lookin’ for trouble, baby, oh, it’s what you’re ‘bout to see
Union Army Soldier:
See across the valley where the smoke does rise?
That injun war party is so close now
I can see ‘em with my own two eyes, I can see ‘em with my own two eyes
Jesus guide my riffle, aim her straight and true
If this day will just go my way oh Lord
I’ll take me a scalp or two, I’ll take me a scalp or two
Oh but what in yonder skies does draw my gaze aloft?
Lights that shine so bright but make my heart feel soft
Tell me now feller where you get off! Yodalayhehoo…
!!!!BOOM!!!!
Union Army Soldier:
I can’t seem to move… but it kinda feels O.K.
I like your groove… so who are you anyway?
Aliens:
We come in peace, you don’t have to be afraid
We bring you peace, now it’s time to celebrate
We come in peace, you don’t have to be afraid
We bring you peace, now it’s time to celebrate
We have no weapons, we have no anger
We only come with the gift of peace, la la la la la la
All we have is love and understanding
And if you’re having trouble moving, just feel the beat
Just feel the beat, just feel the beat, just feel the beat, la la la la la la la
Union Army Soldier:
I feel the beat, I feel the beat, I feel the beat….
Deaf Old Man:
I’m just a deaf old man and I don’t understand
Just what’s been going on lately with everyone
Oh since that space ship came they’ve all acted so strange
They’ve been singing songs and making love and having fun all day
And they’ve forgotten about the war.
Isn’t that what we came here for?
YEAHHHH!
Come on all you geezers, Christian and Indian too
If you can’t hear you got nothing to fear
The sound ain’t gonna get to you, and now we got some work to do
If we band together we can take ‘em down
United, I know, we can take down this foe
Then WE can go another round, WE can go another round
Cause that’s the way the world goes round, the way the world goes round
LET’S GET ‘EM BOYS!!!!
credits
from REVELATION I,
released June 24, 2019
Music & Lyrics by Derek Campbell
Derek Campbell - All instruments & Vocals
Recorded and Produced at Lyndonunderground Studio by D. Campbell
A compilation of rollicking cuts from this Australian post-punk band that plays like a hybrid of the Velvets and the Stooges. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 3, 2017
