Bruce Cockburn Live . Call It Democracy

"Call it Democracy" is perhaps the only song ever written about the International Monetary Fund, which Cockburn accuses of fostering "insupportable debt" in Third World countries. Typically not pulling any punches, Cockburn charges that the IMF doesn't "really give a flying fuck about the people in misery."



Padded with power here they come
International loan sharks backed by the guns
Of market hungry military profiteers
Whose word is a swamp and whose brow is smeared
With the blood of the poor

Who rob life of its quality
Who render rage a necessity
By turning countries into labour camps
Modern slavers in drag as champions of freedom

Sinister cynical instrument
Who makes the gun into a sacrament --
The only response to the deification
Of tyranny by so-called "developed" nations'
Idolatry of ideology

North South East West
Kill the best and buy the rest
It's just spend a buck to make a buck
You don't really give a flying fuck
About the people in misery

IMF dirty MF
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there's one thing left
Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt

See the paid-off local bottom feeders
Passing themselves off as leaders
Kiss the ladies shake hands with the fellows
Open for business like a cheap bordello

And they call it democracy
And they call it democracy
And they call it democracy
And they call it democracy

See the loaded eyes of the children too
Trying to make the best of it the way kids do
One day you're going to rise from your habitual feast
To find yourself staring down the throat of the beast
They call the revolution

IMF dirty MF
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there's one thing left
Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt

• Category

  Music

[Christopher Clark]

anyone know what kind of guitar Bruce is playing here?

[tarkineWild]

I believe it is  a Charvel Surfcaster

[FullersDuck]

Such a good song.

Interviewer to Eddie van Halen " What's it like to be the best guitarist in the world?"

Eddie van Halen "Ask Bruce Cockburn."

[buddyrichrocks]

incredibly powerful lyrics put to song - it's so pertinent

[rewbtewb]

Who are the 4 that gave a thumbs down? Let`s see... IMF Pres., Dick Cheney, Satan, oh that`s right, this isn`t make believe... George Soros and ? What`s your guess?

Bruce for the truce!

[Granny Tenderstone]

I'M impressed, and this is how music used to be, with a MESSAGE that comes out of all the MESS we have to put up with!!! <3

[Hihihibye789]

Great song...

[techcafe]

The New Rulers of the World (2001)

vimeo . com/16366422

The IMF/World Bank are War By Other Means (1992)

vimeo . com/16366942

[Bob Frezno]

To have a revolution you need a viable alternative to the status quo, have you heard one put forward? Well now you have, it's called The Etobicoke Proposal. It doesn't involve anarchy or violence just a simple switch from what we believed was democracy to understanding it's true form and the ways we can utilize it to run government. Stop talking revolution until you understand what a useful revolution could be.

The Etobicoke Proposal, google it.

[Li Lightfoot]

Brilliant!!! Thank you soooo much!

[Adelaide FOWL]

This very cool..we need more songs like this...thank you..it gives hope and lifts the spirit.

[Bob1Mack]

I always thought that it was a neat song. Since I've read more about the intersection of economics, politics and original sin, it seems more and more like a dead-bang accurate description of the history of South America.

[Robert Cole]

when and where was this recorded? available on dvd/blu-ray?