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Creepy song

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RainbowUnion
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10 Jul 2018, 4:55 pm

I hear this song a lot on the radio. I know its one of Mike and the Mechanics hits, but the lyrics are downright creepy IMO:


Mike And The Mechanics – Silent Running
"Silent Running" as written by and Michael/robertson Rutherford....


Take the children and yourself
And hide out in the cellar
By now the fighting will be close at hand
Don't believe the church and state
And everything they tell you
Believe in me, I'm with the high command

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

There's a gun and ammunition
Just inside the doorway
Use it only in emergency
Better you should pray to God
The Father and the Spirit
Will guide you and protect from up here

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

Swear allegiance to the flag
Whatever flag they offer
Never hint at what you really feel
Teach the children quietly
For some day sons and daughters
Will rise up and fight while we stand still

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

Can you hear me, can you hear me running (can you hear me calling you?)
Can you hear me hear running, can you hear me calling you?
(Can you hear me running) Can hear me running (can you hear me calling you)?
Can you hear me
Hear me calling you
(Can you hear me running) hear me running, babe
Can you hear me running (hear me running)
Calling you

Anyone know the history of this or why they wrote it? Is it a Cold War song presaging war between the USA and the USSR?


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RainbowUnion
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10 Jul 2018, 5:17 pm

Oh, and another thing--I do like the song in spite of its creepiness because they sing it well and the musicianship is good.


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Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado


ASPartOfMe
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10 Jul 2018, 6:10 pm

Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) - Wikipedia

Quote:
According to Rutherford, the song

is about a guy who's traveled light-years away, out in space somewhere, and he's ahead in time. Therefore he knows what's going to happen to his wife and kids back home, on Earth. And he's trying to get the message to them to say what's going to happen, the kind of anarchy, the breakdown of society, to tell them to be prepared


It came out in 1986 so Cold War Nuclear War fears were probably in their minds.


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11 Jul 2018, 9:01 pm

I recall when the song came out, it was voted by some fan group or other as the worst song of that year.


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