DESCRIPTION:
"Our system is failing, our leaders need jailing". Pianist Till Mertens accompanies Joe Finer in this performance of "Joe's Waltz" in Kassel, Germany, March 18th 2011. Lyrics below.

Music and lyrics by Joe Finer

Now is the time
To hold a global election
We cannot ignore the needs of the poor
We cannot pretend that we cannot do more
Do you like watching malnourished babies collapsing
And dying in front of your eyes on TV?
Or would you prefer to end murder by proxy,
Controlling the means to end world poverty? I say

Now is the time
To hold a world referendum
The rich getting richer, the poor just stay poor
The new status quo is perpetual war
They shoot them and drown them
And beat them and burn them
And say they're defending our democracy
Grannies and babies
You can't be too careful
Protecting our civilised society - I say

Now is the time
To voice our global objection
Let's throw out the criminal corporate class
The G8's concern for the poor is a farce
Let's stop all their stealing
Their wheeling and dealing
Their cheating to squeeze every drop from the poor
We've seen how they lie and deny it's a crime
When they kidnap and torture and torture some more -- I say

Now is the time
To voice our global intention
We cannot go on terrorising the poor
We cannot go on making war after war
Half of our taxes are put to good purpose
Invested in bombs to be dropped on the poor
For five hundred bucks you can sponsor a bomb
It's precision delivered to kill dozens more - I say

Now is the time
To change our global direction
Killing's much better than schooling and health
Much more cost-effective expense of our wealth
For just fifty extra your name will appear on a
List of do-gooders who put the defence of our
Culture above the pursuit of self-interest
Who sacrifice all for the sake of our civilised world

Now is the time
To stop our leaders' deception
They ruin our world for their personal gain
They take all the profit and cause all the pain
Our system is failing
Our leaders need jailing
They're draining the life from our planet each day
Their only concern is imperial power
The price it is always worth paying they say -- I say now