Lyr Req: War Party (Eddy Grant)

Subject: War Party
From: Wolfgang
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 05:46 AM

It may seem funny at the first glance that I'll post lyrics in a thread that is a lyrics request, but you'll soon see why. I've looked for the lyrics to 'War Party' for a long time for what the 'House Band' sings is barely understandable for me. They say on their LP that the song is 'trad.' but it sounds rather recent to me.

Yesterday I found lyrics to this song in a Google search and I'll post them below. However, these lyrics are grossly off from what the House Band sings. So there are either two extremely different versions or I can't listen as good as I think or the lyrics I have found are full of outrageous errors.

To give you one example why I think the last explanation is possible: Where the lyrics below have the line
your a pastor just like their own I think I can hear
you're a bastard like Pharao which is quite a difference in meaning. And there are many more examples like this.

Would someone who knows that song please have a look at the lyrics below and tell me whether they are completely unreliable or not. Or does someone have a better version to post? And does someone know where that song comes from?

Wolfgang

War Party

(This is the Sean N. one, Not the older one)
sheet by: Travis @ www.islemusic.cjb.net
chords: Gm F Eb F

you invite me to a war party
me don't wanna go
everybody seems to be inviting me to a war party
i've heard about the last one
so thanks but no thanks your home, your home

you held up all the indians, you held up all the slaves
not quite so you can kill up their remains
your look for me im looking for you
i cant believe what the say bout you is true
that your a pastor just like their own
you kill the children just like their own
and now you send a ticket for me
you don't have r.s.v.p.

chorus:
oh lord it's a war party
me don't wanna go
everybody seems to be inviting me to a war party
i've heard about the last one
so thanks but no thanks your home, your home

watch dis!
you were invitin all hawaii's men many time before
you dancin around your fires and even out your stores
and when those skankin hum the valley in at the brain?
the only decoration is the one upon thier face

your a pastor just like their own
you kill the children just like their own
and now you send a ticket for me
you don't have r.s.v.p.

(chorus)

now check this one out!
gone sweating in this war party situation
i know there's gotta be a better solution
no need for this constant revolution
fish could come together for all the swift vibrations

your a pastor just like their own
you kill the children just like their own
and now you send a ticket for me
you don't have r.s.v.p.

(chorus)

do you wanna go (say no)
do you wanna wanna go (say no)
me don't wanna go right now
say me don't wanna go right now

(chorus)

you invite me to a war party

Subject: Lyr Add: WAR PARTY (Eddy Grant)
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 06:19 AM

The version I know is by the early '80's pop/reggae singer: Eddy Grant.

According to the label, he wrote it.

The lyrics as printed on the sleeve are:

You invite me to a war party
Me no wanna go.
Everybody seem to be inviting me
To a war party
Me no wanna go
Heard about the last one
So thanks but no thank you

You killed off all the Indians
And you killed off all the slaves
But no quite
So you killed off the remains
You a look for me and I'm looking for you
I can't believe what they say about you is true
That you're a bad star just like Pharoah
You killed the children just like Pharoah
Now you send a ticket for me
It don't have R.S.V.P.

You've invited all our wise men
Many time before
To dance around your fires
And even out your scores
And when the tolls taken
Of the valiant and the brave
The only decoration is the one upon the graves

Oh no, you're a bad star just like Pharoah
You killed the children just like Pharoah
Now you send a ticket for me
A nd it don't have R.S.V.P.

Oh Lord it's a war party
Me no wanna go
Please don't send no ticket for me
No don't send no ticket. No don't send no ticket for me if don't have R.S.V.P.

(some further repeats of the above - but I'm bored of typing)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Party
From: Wolfgang
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 06:30 AM

Ed,

thanks a lot for this quick response. This version makes much more sense. 'Hawaii's men' becomes 'wise men', 'decoration on their face' becomes 'decoration on their graves' and so on. But 'bad star just like Pharaoh'? Could 'bad star' be an American PC expression for 'bastard'?

However, it is still amazing that this song had entered 'traditiondom' already in the late 80s.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Party
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 06:38 AM

Not sure, my initial guess is that 'bad star' is a way of saying 'bastard' without been banned from the radio...

The fact that the House Band consider it 'traditional' is very curious!

Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Party
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 05 Oct 01 - 07:04 AM

Of course it could be an older song that Eddy Grant 'rewrote'

Claiming authourship for 'trad' songs isn't exactly unknown... (Paul Simon / Scarborough Fair being the most obvious example)

Maybe someone else here will know

Ed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: War Party
From: Wolfgang
Date: 07 Oct 01 - 03:42 AM

I have to correct an embarassing mistake. The songs on the House Band record are 'all trad. except...'. And war party is listed in the small print as exception with E. Grant being mentioned. I'm very sorry about that mistake which made the House Band look careless when I fact I was.

Wolfgang