GOVERNMENT WALLS
First released 1990
Government Walls was first aired in Spring 1989 and is one of James' most direct protest songs damning the secrecy of government. References are made to the John Stalker affair where the police officer had uncovered a shoot to kill policy of the RUC in Ireland and was silenced by an unrelated and fabricated scandal.
WHERE TO GET
Album Version : Gold Mother original issue LP (848 595-1), CAS (848 594-5), CD (848 595-2)
Album Version : Gold Mother re-release LP (846 189-1), CAS (846 189-4), CD (846 189-2)
Album Version : Gold Mother re-issue CD (548 785-2)
Album Version : James Japanese compilation CD (PHCR-1102)
Album Version : The Gathering Sound boxset USB stick
Live Version : Come Home Live Video (083 092-3)
Live Version : The Gathering Sound boxset - Come Home Live DVD
LYRICS
Break down the government walls
Speak in tongues, power is money
I see our interests fall
Well behind their curtain
Break down the government walls
Infiltrate our television
Break down the government walls
Crime to be outspoken
I can hear the sound of falling masonry
As they try to plug that leak
I am tempted by their cloak of secrecy
To find out what their games are about
Ask a question and they'll talk of secret services
Secrets from the people they should serve
When they can hide their crimes in a legal disguise
Truth will not be seen nor heard
Break down the government walls
Bring them down within my lifetime
Let's see the curtain drawn
See what they're concealing
Break down the government walls
Secrecy suggests deception
Break down the government walls
Crime to be outspoken
Bring down the government walls, bring down the government walls
Bring down the government walls
Bring down, bring down, bring down
Bring down, bring down, bring down
Break down, break down, break down
Break down, break down, break down
Break down the government walls, walls
While in Ireland they shoot to kill without warning you
And lock you away for a while without trial
And if an honest cop gets to close to the truth of it
They'll set him up in style
In style
Bring down the government walls, break down the government walls
Bring down the government walls
Bring down, bring down, bring down
Bring down, bring down, bring down
Break down, break down, break down
Break down, break down, break down
Break down the government walls
Bring down my government walls
Break down the government walls
Bring down the government walls
Speak in tongues, power is money
I see our interests fall
Well behind their curtain
Break down the government walls
Infiltrate our television
Break down the government walls
Crime to be outspoken
It's a crime to be outspoken
It's a crime to be outspoken
It's a crime, it's a crime