Lyrics

Lyrics for the following Galaxia tracks are available on-line:

• Things Can Only Get Bitter – The lyrics of this song were written by myself (Steve Wallis), with guitarist Jonny Faders helping put it to music. The song title was inspired by a slogan of the Convention of the Left (that united activists inside and outside the Labour Party at the time of the 2008 Labour Party conference with local meetings and a recall conference planned), referring to the D:ream song Things Can Only Get Better that Labour used as a theme tune for the 1997 general election. Now many people are getting bitter about what New Labour has done in power, mainly favouring rich people and corporations (particularly the banks) while attacking the living standards of working and lower middle class people. It particularly talks about politicians in Britain, but also comments on the US presidential election. The song mentions some politicians who I think are playing a particularly good role and who some of our main enemies are, including John Reid (orchestrating 1984-style dirty tricks, as the song states, referring to the George Orwell book). The song touches on Northern Ireland politics too, and is partly a tribute to the Labour MP Terry Fields (who was a member of the Militant Tendency, went to jail for not paying his poll tax and died earlier in 2008); he is also mentioned in Poll Tax Victory. You can read the lyrics by clicking here.You can download a recording in MP3 format by clicking here.
• Donovan’s Doorway – The lyrics of this song were written by myself (Steve Wallis), with Jonny Faders improvising a tune on a piano at the recording studio. The song is dedicated to Gayle O’Donovan, Secretary of Manchester Green Party and prospective parliamentary candidate for Manchester Central at the upcoming general election (as well as Green candidate for Hulme in the local elections which her party came within 1% of taking last time). I didn’t even know that Gayle is in the Green Party, never mind Secretary, when I wrote the song!This song is about us meeting at the Convention of the Left in Manchester in September 2008. To protect Gayle from hostile forces who may have tried to control her mind, I didn’t put the lyrics on-line or mention her name on the internet, but it is now safe to do this because the balance of forces in society is much better than in the past. You can read the lyrics by clicking here. You can download a recording in MP3 format by clicking here.
• The Revolution Starts Now! – This song was written by myself (Steve Wallis) and was the most important of the songs I recorded at the time of the 2005 G8 summit. It particularly talks about struggles in the following countries: Russia, Germany, South Africa, the USA, Britain, Chile, Venezuela and Bolivia. It mentioned many heroes in history (and some who are alive today) in the first three verses. The final verse then talked about the masses seriously demonstrating against capitalism including at G8 summits, and ended with a call for a worldwide general strike at the time of the 2005 summit (in Gleneagles, Scotland, in July). I did not think that a call for a worldwide general strike would be practicable at later summits (perhaps it would have been in 2008 due to the massive food and fuel price rises, affecting working and middle class people in the West as well as the so-called third world, but nobody else was calling for coordinated strike action so it was not really feasible then). I therefore made the song historical, renaming it The Revolution Could Have Started Then! You can read the lyrics as recorded before the 2005 summit by clicking here, but considerably improved lyrics, correcting some mistakes in the original ones and bringing the song up-to-date, with the new name, can be read by clicking here. I have recorded the new song as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Do They Know It’s G8 Time? – The lyrics were written by myself (Steve Wallis) to the tune of the Band Aid song Do They Know It’s Christmas? Read the recorded lyrics by clicking here, or improved lyrics by clicking here. I have made big changes more recently, to urge strike action, whether or not it is G8 time, for the song Did They Know It Was G8 Time?, with lyrics accessible by clicking here.

Lyrics for the following political songs, written by myself (Steve Wallis), are available on-line:

• Mandy – I was inspired to write this song by UK Business Secretary (Lord) Peter Mandelson, aka Mandy, suggesting he would end university fees for students staying at home – who tend to come from poorer families. This tack to the left perhaps means that Mandy, one of the architects of New Labour under Tony Blair, has become a good person. I have seen him looking happy and with what appears a genuine smile contrasting massively with how he appeared in the past. Mandy himself has commented on the change in his personality, in a Guardian article – “I think 10 years ago, and also 15 years ago, I was a very hard-nosed, uncompromising figure who was manning the barricades of change in the party, and prepared to take down anything or anyone who stood in the way. I don't feel in that mode now. And secondly, I've learned from experience that you can defeat people without killing them.” A word of warning: people are influenced by others they communicate with, whether ordinary members of the public, Labour Party members, politicians or journalists. He could easily become bad again, and he is (of course) loyal to his own party which necessitates compromises. Additional evidence that Labour politiicans are playing a positive role is provided by the idea (to appear in the 2010 manifesto) of running public services, including schools and hospitals, democratically controlled by workers and users – see this Guardian article. Click here for the lyrics. I produced a video, that others have commented is very funny, used such a picture of Mandy in this video.
• Middle Class Hero – I (Steve Wallis) hope to re-form Galaxia in time for the Manchester May Day demonstration (Bank holiday Monday 4th May 2009, assemble 12 noon, All Saints Park, Oxford Road) to perform this song as part of the entertainment at the end of the demo (2pm onwards, Castlefield Arena, Liverpool Road). Even if this does not happen, I will sing the song unaccompanied on the demo to put on YouTube and hand out copies of the lyrics. This song is particularly appropriate for May Day since I am using it to arguing against just workers uniting (for a world where just workers are in control) in favour of middle and working class anti-capitalists uniting; I propose proportional representation (under socialism or capitalism) and annual elections. The song also makes points about forcing the rich to pay tax (and the UK being a tax haven) and democratising banks that have already been nationalised (and nationalising others only compensating pension schemes). Click here for the lyrics.
• Do They Know It's G20 Time? – I (Steve Wallis) wrote this song in early March 2009 in advance of an extremely important summit of world leaders (the G20) that took place in London, at which they discussed action to deal with the massive capitalist economic crisis (the credit crunch, recession/depression, perhaps even leading to complete financial meltdown). Several demonstrations took place before and during that event, and the song was intended to help mobilise people for those demonstrations and put forward political points to help left-wing activists come up with alternative analyses and proposals. You can read the lyrics by clicking here and watch a YouTube video of me singing it on the Put People First demonstration on the 28th of March.
• The World Is Planned – A song about conspiracies on different sides (good and bad) using computer modelling (possible using my artificial intelligence/simulation language SDML but the CIA surely has more advanced and faster software!) to plan world events, even controlling the weather (but I do not think bad conspirators are still are able to do that significantly any more given the economic problems that erupted with world capitalism in September 2008 which indicate that conspiracies are now in our favour, so version 3 of the song mentioned control of the weather in the past tense). The song also mentions Scottish independence (which I have put the significance of in the past tense in the fourth version due to the dire economic circumstances of the UK as a whole making a UK-wide revolution more practiable) and uniting people of different religions. At the time I wrote the first version of the song, in March 2007, I felt the most powerful conspiratorial organisation in the world was able to plan the world entirely, adjusting the plan slightly to take unforeseen events into account and using infiltration and mind control to ensure the plan was adhered to. I now realise that the free will of individuals has always been a factor in world events, and think that conspirators’ models are getting less and less accurate as time goes on (corrected by the second version of the song). Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here) and performed it at the Put People First G20 protest in London on the 28th of March (viewable by clicking here).
• 9/11 Inside Job – A song about the attack on the twin towers on the 11th of September 2001. The evidence is overwhelming that it was allowed to happen and that explosives demolished those towers and a third tower not hit by a plane (suspiciously containing CIA and other secret service headquarters that could have planned the atrocity). No other towers in history have collapsed, except for one in Madrid that took hours to do so, and these did so extremely symmetically and in several seconds. Click here for the lyrics. Click here for the lyrics. My new band Red Day has recorded a version of it in MP3 format, which you can download in high quality (11.7MB), mid quality (6.2MB) and low quality (3.1MB).
• Feed The World (formerly called Radio Africa) – A song about the current food crisis, with it rocketing in price, particularly affecting poor people (in the West as well as the so-called third world). The song is influenced by two Latin Quarter songs, including Radio Africa, and some of my own songs including Did They Know It Was G8 Time? (which was itself based on the Band Aid song Do They Know It’s Christmas?) Click here for the lyrics.
• Global Warming Bluff – A song about the way the threat of global warming is used as the main method of divide-and-rule by the powers that be. The Earth naturally goes through cycles of warming and cooling, and what humans do may have relatively little difference. Real climate change (control of the weather) has been happening, as shown by the tsunami in the Indian Ocean and more recently by floods in the UK and a simultaneous heat wave in other parts of Europe. I put climate change due to (partial) control of the weather by conspiratorial forces of big business. Even if I was wrong in suggesting that global warming is a hoax, shortage of fossil fuels and indeed uranium are vital reasons to concentrate on renewable sources of energy (for which I propose tidal power, around our coastline and not just up rivers, being unaffected by weather fluctuations and not causing blots on the landscape like wind turbines, and solar panels in hot countries). The most serious points made in the song are about using land for biofuels rather than food (in addition to more people eating meat and bacteria attacking wheat) causing a massive food crisis and the possibility of a terrorist attack on a nuclear power station, which could cause hundreds of thousands if not millions of deaths due to them being situated much nearer cities than Chernobyl, being used as a pretext for a massive clampdown on civil liberties leading towards a fascist (total surveillance) state. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded version 2 as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• The Surveillance State – A song (which is alternatively one of my musical poems) dedicated to Cath Bann (founder of Defy-ID, an organisation“against ID cards and the surveillance state” which gave me inspiration for the song and its title). This song is about spying, ID cards, mind reading and mind control, pointing out the role of infiltration in both preventing political change and ensuring it actually happens in the chorus. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Poll Tax Victory – A song about the mass non-payment campaign that defeated the poll tax (a flat rate tax for local services) and brought down Margaret Thatcher, mentioning the role of some left-wing organisations involved in that campaign: the Militant Tendency (which became Scottish Militant Labour north of the border and went on to initiate the Scottish Socialist Party), the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and Class War. I first got seriously involved in politics when events on that issue started in Manchester in 1989, and joined Militant in June 1990 when it was proving itself serious (leading the campaign in order to achieve victory rather than taking part with the main aim of gaining recruits, which was the approach of the SWP). Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• The Socialist Throng – A song about my philosophy on life, being happy and smiling in order to have a genuine rapport with people. Let’s enjoy the struggle of making the world a better place! Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Livin’ La Vida Loca – A song about torture, mentioning extraordinary rendition, Guantánamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and hinting at conspiracies such as drugging the Baghdad water supply! Based on Ricky Martin’s song of the same name. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• George Bush’s Army – A very short and succinct anti-war song, based on Elvis Costello’s Oliver’s Army and Edwin Starr’s War. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Talking About A Revolution – My take on Tracy Chapman’s song Talkin’ ’Bout A Revolution, urging people to be more up front about being revolutionaries nowadays rather than just whispering; I argue that we should shout about it! Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Like A Prayer – A song based on one with the same name by Madonna, which she sang in a church in an advert for Coca-Cola or Pepsi, both of which propped up vicious dictatorships in Latin America, including Pinochet’s in Chile and Galtieri’s in Argentina (that invaded the Falklands/Malvinas). This song is dedicated to mind control expert Derren Brown. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).

Lyrics for the following love songs, which also have a high political content, written by myself (Steve Wallis) are also available on-line:

• Think Of Me – A song about a psychiatric nurse who said she didn’t want to stay in touch when I left a psychiatric ward, but is quite appropriate for other women too who have acted a bit against me and have not been able to consider a relationship with me (because it is not appropriate for some reason or because a relationship would have a bad effect in terms of the future of the world). I hope she will get back in touch when the world is free (after conspiracies evaporate). This song talks about the conflict betwen caring about (and allowing myself to be influenced by) people I care about and the cause that I am fighting for of a better world (a sign that I have a female-type mind in contrast to most men who are single-minded if they have a goal in life). Click here for the lyrics. My new band Red Day has recorded a version of it in MP3 format, which you can download in high quality (11.7MB), mid quality (6.1MB) and low quality (3.1MB).
• You’re A Rebel – This song is about the problems Priya Reddy (of War Cry Cinema) faces in the USA due to her being a dangerous rebel, and suggesting that she (as an anarchist) uniting with me (as a socialist) could lead to some sort of revolution overthrowing the current unethical capitalist system. Click here for the lyrics. My new band Red Day has recorded a version of it (with improved lyrics, correcting my prevous belief that Priya was a political prisoner in a psychiatric ward) in MP3 format, which you can download in high quality (17.1MB), mid quality (9.7MB) and low quality (5.2MB).
• On My Own – When I wrote the first version of this song, I felt that I had to lead the world ethical revolution on my own, since I was unable to contact the person who is probably my main ally in the world, Priya Reddy. Click here for the lyrics. My new band Red Day has recorded a version of it (with improved lyrics, correcting a hint in a previous version that Priya was a political prisoner in a psychiatric ward) in MP3 format, which you can download in mid quality (4.2MB) and low quality (2.0MB).
• Wonderwall – A song loosely based on the Oasis song of the same name about me being Priya Reddy’s wonderwall (the person she relies on to help her the most in her time of trouble) despite me only being able to help her via the internet at present. It also talks about a nurse called Yvonne Dunbar being my wonderwall. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Stuck With You – A song partly based on the Huey Lewis & the News song of the same name, about being stuck as a political prisoner on a psychiatric ward with Yvonne Dunbar . As well as being a love song, it does mention political issues including mind control. It is a fun song too; Big Brother gets a mention! Click here for the lyrics.
• Angels – A song partly based on the Robbie Williams and Eurythmics songs about angels dedicated to Yvonne Dunbar. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• I wish Cath was a folk rocker (with flowers in her hair) – A song dedicated to Cath Bann, my strongest collaborator and main love interest between 1998 and 2003, strongly influenced by Sandi Thom’s brilliant songs I wish I was a punk rocker (with flowers in my hair) and Lonely Girl. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Belly Of The Beast – A song dedicated to Priya Reddy of War Cry Cinema in the USA, who as I thought at the time of writing it and think even more now, may be my strongest collaborator in the struggle for socialism. Her intervention at the 2004 Republican Convention, out-thinking and exposing delegates she interviewed, would surely have attracted the attention of the FBI and led me to suspect that she has been a political prisoner like myself in a psychiatric institution comparable to the Auschwitz concentration camp. I have since discovered that she never has been in such a place. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Does it matter if God exists? – A song dedicated to Nathalie Monier. The punchlines, in response to the question posed in the song’s title, are particularly worth reading! Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• The Fugitive – A song dedicated to Ronda Prunty, the person I now regard as my first girlfriend, although we knew each other for such a short but intense period of time that the issue of being boyfriend and girlfriend never came up (but the fact that I considered emigrating to the USA to live with her shows that it was serious). She was on the run from the FBI at the time I met her, an experience that put me in good stead for later times when I was also to become a fugitive. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• You Were Beautiful – A song about the death of Alana Murray, who died in “suspicious” circumstances in December 2006 according to her friend Igor. She had been my most promising contact for the band for a while earlier that year, and I later wanted her to help teach me how to play the drums as well as be a key member of the band. I strongly suspect that she was assassinated due to her potential role in my life, particularly with respect to the band. She told me she was often compared to Martine McCutcheon so I know she was beautiful. The song takes inspiration from James Blunt’s song You’re Beautiful, but also from other songs including a song I long regarded as my favourite overtly political song of all time, Latin Quarter’s A Slow Waltz For Chile (it is a very sad and poignant song but I am not so keen on it now because I have realised that it has a serious flaw in saying that there was no quick-step solution to the problems in that country under the Pinochet dictatorship when I think there could have been if left-wing activists had adopted better tactics). Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• You’re Beautiful – A song about a psychiatric nurse called Claire leaving for nine months. She is very good looking and I probably will not see her again. It is based on James Blunt’s song of the same name. It is mainly a love song but it also makes political points about Priya Reddy, also known as warcry, who I believe is my strongest ally in the world. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• I Don’t Look Back In Anger – A song dedicated to Rhiannon Williams, the first serious love of my life. I planned a revolution when in my bed! She can put her life in the hands of a rock and folk band because we wont throw it all away, in contrast to the original Oasis lyrics. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Kingston Quay – A really bad song; I could not make up my mind who to dedicate it to. It is an anti-monarchy song, unlike the UB40 song Kingston Town on which it is based, but contains serious flaws which I explain on the page containing its lyrics. Click here for the lyrics
• Optimism – A song, dedicated to a patient activity coordinator/nurse at a single sex private psychiatric ward in London, called Darshna Patel. Her optimism that things will work out is an important lesson, but some people (including myself) need to act so that this will indeed happen. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Resurrection – A song with a religious theme (as you may guess from the title) as well as a dose of politics, dedicated to Yvonne Dunbar. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Fairytale of New York – This is a fictional song about Priya Reddy, based on the song with the same name by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it accompanied by music from a karaoke CD, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• A Revolutionary Swede– This song is about a Swedish anarchist called Christina, who I met at the 2008 Earth First! Summer Gathering, who could have become my best friend, but this was hampered by me chatting her up and (as she eventually revealed) her having a boyfriend! Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Even Jesus Needed A Lover – This song is largely about myself, rather than any woman in my life, and is not dedicated to anyone in particular. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).

Lyrics for the following pure love songs, written by myself (Steve Wallis) and dedicated to a particular individual, are also available on-line:

• I Know Her Quite Well – A song dedicated to Priya Reddy, otherwise known as warcry, based on the song I Know Him So Well from the musical Chess, which became a number one single when sung by Elaine Page and Barbara Dickson. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• What Can I Do? – A song dedicated to Cath Bann, largely based on the Corrs song, written as if it was Valentine’s Day 2003. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available as a Windows Media Audio (WMA) file (downloadable by clicking here) and in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word – A song dedicated to Cath Bann, for which I improvised much of the lyrics. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Radio Romance – A song dedicated to Martine McCutcheon, who I have had a radio romance with! It is to the tune of Tiffany’s song of the same name (appropriate due to the fact that Martine played a character called Tiffany in the BBC soap EastEnders). Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Missing You – A song dedicated to a psychiatric nurse called Emma, who I was massively in love with when I was a political prisoner (at Manchester Royal Infirmary). Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Smile – A song dedicated to a patient on a psychiatric ward (ward 4 of Leverndale Hospital in Glasgow). Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• Beautiful – Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here), WMA format (downloadable by clicking here) or M4A format (downloadable by clicking here).

Lyrics for the following pure love song, written by myself (Steve Wallis) and not dedicated to anybody in particular, is also available on-line:

• The Power Of Love – A song based on songs of the same name by Huey Lewis & the News, Jennifer Rush and Frankie Goes To Hollywood (as well as songs by Billy Ocean and Foreigner). Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).

Lyrics for the following science fiction songs, written by myself (Steve Wallis) are also available on-line:

• 99 Blue Balloons – A very important song based on 99 Red Balloons by Nena with influences from the BBC show Doctor Who, another Galaxia/Red Day song The Revolution Could Have Started Then! and songs by REM and Darius Danesh. It is also about the end of the world via nuclear war, but has some big surprises including three twists at the end. This is the start of a series of science fiction songs I intend to write, that will have some similarity to Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).
• The Colourscheme – One of the favourite songs I have written due to its combination of politics, science fiction, religion, love and humour. It is loosely based on arguably my favourite song of all-time (excluding my own), also called The Colourscheme and performed by Latin Quarter. Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).

Lyrics for the following silly song, written by my female alter-ego (Stephanie Kimberley Wallis) are also available on-line:

• Transsexuals Of The World Unite – Click here for the lyrics. I have recorded it as a musical poem, available in MP3 format (downloadable by clicking here).

I (Steve Wallis) have also written a few musical poems, with some spoken lines and some unaccompanied singing. You can read the lyrics for them, and download recordings of them performed solely by me, from my musical poetry page. I have also sung some of the above songs unaccompanied and put recordings of them there too.

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