"I Don't Believe in This War" genre: Folk
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	Written in response to the Iraq war in March, 2003, recorded in Shanghai.
	CD: unreleased demo   Label: unreleased Credits: Written, arranged and recorded by Paul Meredith.
	Story Behind the Song In addition to the obvious antiwar sentiment, I tried to speak to the sense of anger and hurt in watching helplessly the onslaught of a preventable war, and the loss of what many hoped were international safeguards to prevent such a thing. I channeled a lot of anger and frustration, meant not to offend, but really to express, share and ask hard questions. But I was also moved by the treatment a friend of mine got when trying to speak to family in the states calmly and rationally about the war. Like a dixie chic, my friend was rebuffed with intolerance and venom. To her I dedicate this. DEEP THOUGHT: I guess songs like this don't change many things in this world, but that's not why they get written. Not that I don't wish that I could write a song that could add to intelligent debate about our world's woes, of course I do. But to me, the most compelling reason that peace and protest songs, poems, art -- bad and good --are created is because the absence of such expression would only be filled by silence and despair. Somehow, many voices of doubt and dissent were silenced or dismissed before the war. The price paid for that seems, at the moment (late summer 2003) to be very high indeed. Note to my dad: Don't worry, I think (hope) that you're proud of me... :-) Lyrics I DON'T BELIEVE IN THIS WAR 1. They never show the real war on TV Might upset the ratings, don't want the kids to see Forget dull diplomacy, we've shown the world we'd rather fight Save your spin, we're all taken in by another beautiful, bright shining lie High above rains death in the desert sky Enjoy the show, pull up a chair; don't sit on the fence Even though there's something in the air; just a vague sense we've all been through this before I don't believe in this war 2. Oh Daddy, I know you're not too proud of me The patriotic son you wanted, I can't be No medals on my chest to show how I love my land No church to say I'm blessed, and caress me when I pray for my brothers dying in the sand, proud and brave High above the killing fields, see my flag wave We save the world from terror; liberators are we Never mind that who we kill is not the enemy Never mind the millions marching everywhere, whose trust in us is shaken to the core No I don't believe in this war 3. Oh God, my God, what have we become? We crush dissent for the sake of freedom And in this Rush we invoke your name, and we claim that it's your will That in this world only we got the right to say who might still survive, and who must fall High above it all You watch from Heaven's Gate And I wait in vain for revelation, that somehow all this is part of Your plan I close my eyes and wonder if by some miracle, I'll ever undersand My faith is weak -- Lord I seek You! -- in the oil and blood of Babylon, from Armageddon's edge I stare I don't believe You're there c) Paul Meredith, 2003

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