Lyr Req: Minister of War (from Joan Baez)

Subject: THE GENERAL
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Jun 01 - 11:38 AM

I seem to remember that Joan Baez did a version of this on one of her white covered albums, adapted from an old Chinese poem that was published in a collection called THE WHITE PONY. I've never come across this recording in CD, nor have I run across The White Pony in my periodic hunts through used book stores. Does anyone have the words, or can you direct me to the proper website? Prize to the first helpful response in under 2 minutes. Don't bother searching the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: THE GENERAL
From: Pene Azul
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 12:51 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: THE GENERAL
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Jun 01 - 12:55 PM

Just ordered a copy of White Pony from one of the on-line used booksellers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: THE GENERAL
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 11:54 PM

Charley--

Did you ever find this? Inquiring minds on the "Unanswered Requests" Permathread want to know!

Lin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: THE GENERAL
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 06:33 PM

Yep, book in hand thanks to www.bookfinder.com

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: THE GENERAL
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 06:51 PM

Could you post it for us, Charley?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: O MINISTER OF WAR (from Chinese)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Sep 01 - 06:16 PM

OK.

The correct title is "O Minister of War" rather than "The General."

O MINISTER OF WAR
(From The Book of Songs from the Chou Dynasty as translated in The White Pony)

O minister of war,
We are the king's fangs and claws.
Why have you piled on us this misery?
We have no place in which to rest.

O minister of war,
We are the king's claws and teeth.
Why have you piled on us this misery?
We have nowhere to lay our heads.

O minister of war,
Truly you have behaved curiously.
You have piled on us this misery.
Our mothers lack food.