Ballad of the USS Liberty
It was the 8th of June, '67, in the middle of the Six Day War
International waters off the sands of the Mediterranean shore
They were executing prisoners by a mosque in the Sinai
And that day scores of Egyptian soldiers bodies there would lie
The IDF was trying to cover up their war crimes
And the USS Liberty saw it all in real time
So the Israeli Air Force got the orders – bombs away
When Israel attacked the USA
The pilot saw the American flag as he came down from the sky
He asked for confirmation and was told to let ‘em fly
They dropped thousand-pound bombs and then what they'd do
Is drop napalm to burn down the ship along with the crew
After all that, the ship still afloat
Came the IDF torpedo boats
All the survivors remember the day
When Israel attacked the USA
When the sailors lowered escape rafts down to the water
They were met with an aerial slaughter
As the IDF attacked all those trying to flee
From the fires raging throughout the Liberty
A Soviet ship offered to assist
As eventually the Israeli bombers would desist
Somehow the ship managed to limp into the bay
When Israel attacked the USA
The cover-up began right away on both sides of the ocean
President Johnson didn't want any unnecessary commotion
Just forget it ever happened, squash the investigation
No Israelis were punished for committing any violation
They said it was an accident, a thin disguise
Everyone who witnessed believes this is a lie
It was entirely intentional, that's what they say
When Israel attacked the USA
34 Americans dead -- bombed or shot
Hundreds more maimed on the spot
But the big thing about which the brass was concerned
Were the NSA documents they wanted burned
So they could classify everything top secret
Tell all the survivors don't talk about it
But finally the truth has seen the light of the day
When Israel attacked the USA
It was the 8th of June, '67, in the middle of the Six Day War
It’s June already, and by the 19th of the month I’ll be on a plane to Australia.
Other upcoming tour plans:
I’ll be driving to northern California in August, where I have gigs lined up in Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Berkeley, and Sacramento. It would especially be great to have more gigs in between the Bay Area and Portland, such as in Mendocino, Humboldt, or southern Oregon.
August may involve a trip to Chicago, and September will involve a trip to Detroit. I’d love to hear from anyone anywhere near Chicago or Detroit about other potential gigs! Anyone in the midwest want to organize a house concert?
September will also likely involve another drive up to BC.
I plan to spend November touring in Scandinavia and potentially elsewhere in Europe, depending on what might come up between now and then.
I hope to see you on the road and in the streets!
New song: "The Ballad of the USS Liberty"