Elbow leaders of the free world lyrics

Songfacts®:

• Elbow frontman Guy Garvey was one of the few musicians to oppose the American invasion of Iraq before it started. However after speaking openly about his own feelings, he felt other musicians were concerned about appearing anti-American as it might affect them when they came to tour the US. Garvey told Q magazine April 2009, that this was the background to this song. He explained: "I decided that outrage hadn't worked. The idea behind 'Leaders' was: I'm not terrified of you, I'm not angered by you, I'm going to ridicule you. I'm not sure if it worked. It felt very guttural and spontaneous at the time. The five of us write every song together but it all needed careful discussion. It was an odd one."

I'm sick of working for a living
I'm just ticking off the days 'til I die
Oh, I miss you, Louise, yeah
And the sickest little pleasures
Keep me going in between pulling teeth

Oh, periscope up, I've been looking for a ladder
I need to see the commander in chief
And remind him what was passed onto me

Your mum don't sleep and the friends you keep
I didn't raise a thief, I didn't raise a thief

But the leaders of the free world
Are just little boys throwing stones
And it's easy to ignore
Till they're walking on the door of your homes

My thinking isn't driven
But the music always gives me a lift
I'm so easy to please, yeah
But I think we dropped the baton
Like the 60's didn't happen, oh no

Oh, periscope up should be looking for a ladder
I need to see the commander in chief
And remind him what was passed onto you and me

Your mum don't sleep and the friends you keep
I didn't raise a thief, I didn't raise a thief

But the leaders of the free world
Are just little boys throwing stones
And it's easy to ignore
Till they're knocking on the door of your homes

But the leaders of the free world
Are just little boys throwing stones
And it's easy to ignore
Till they're knocking on the door of your homes

P-p-passing the gun from father to feckless son
We're climbing a landslide where only the good die young
Passing the gun from father to feckless son
We're climbing a landslide where only the good die young

Passing the gun from father to feckless son
We're climbing a landslide where only the good die young
Passing the gun from father to feckless son
Climbing a landslide where only the good die young

Passing the gun from father to feckless son
Climbing a landslide where only the good die young
Passing the gun from father to feckless son

Clean Lyric

Paragraph Lyric

606

I’m sick of working for a living
I’m just ticking off the days till I die
I miss you Louise
And the sickest little pleasures keep me going in between pulling teeth

Periscope up
I’ve been looking for a ladder
I need to see THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF
And remind him what was passed onto me

Your mum don’t sleep!
The friends you keep!
I didn’t raise a thief!

But the LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD
Are just little boys throwing stones
And its easy to ignore ‘til they’re knocking on the door of your homes

My thinking isn’t driven
But the music always gives me a lift
I’m so easy to please
But I think we dropped the baton like the 60’s didn’t happen. Oh no.

Periscope up
Should be looking for a ladder
I need to se THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF
And remind him what was passed onto me

Your mum don’t sleep!
The friends you keep!
I didn’t raise a thief!

Passing the gun from Father to FECKLESS son
We’re climbing a landslide where only the good die young

An Imagined Affair
A sky as black as regret
is rolling aside for the blue
Impossible face to forget
These feelings belong in a zoo

She brings the morning
She brings the morning sun

So lost in the sound of her voice
I don,t even hear the words
When she says come on get out
The past will find us out
Come on get out please
And don’t breathe a word

She brings the morning
She brings the morning sun

But all this an imagined affair
While sitting in a bar spilling in a bar
I drink until the doorman is a Christmas tree
And my speech is just a gas leak

606

I’m sick of working for a living   I’m just ticking off the days till I die   I miss you Louise   And the sickest little pleasures keep me going in between pulling teeth      Periscope up   I’ve been looking for a ladder   I need to see THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF   And remind him what was passed onto me      Your mum don’t sleep!   The friends you keep!   I didn’t raise a thief!      But the LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD    Are just little boys throwing stones   And its easy to ignore ‘til they’re knocking on the door of your homes      My thinking isn’t driven   But the music always gives me a lift   I’m so easy to please    But I think we dropped the baton like the 60’s didn’t happen. Oh no.      Periscope up   Should be looking for a ladder   I need to se THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF   And remind him what was passed onto me      Your mum don’t sleep!   The friends you keep!   I didn’t raise a thief!      Passing the gun from Father to FECKLESS son   We’re climbing a landslide where only the good die young      An Imagined Affair   A sky as black as regret   is rolling aside for the blue   Impossible face to forget   These feelings belong in a zoo      She brings the morning   She brings the morning sun      So lost in the sound of her voice   I don,t even hear the words   When she says come on get out   The past will find us out   Come on get out please   And don’t breathe a word      She brings the morning   She brings the morning sun      But all this an imagined affair   While sitting in a bar spilling in a bar   I drink until the doorman is a Christmas tree   And my speech is just a gas leak

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