Alternative Ulster

Saw Stiff Little Fingers last night, again, at Lee’s. Jake Burns and Co. are a lot older than they used to be, but I guess the Hot Nasties would look a bit older, today, too.

Back in 1979, Jake and his ‘Inflammable Material’ shook our demi-monde in the way that the first Clash LP did (the UK version).  It was the most political record we’d ever heard.  The Nasties started playing ‘Suspect Device’ after that, and it always blew my voice out (in the way that Jake’s does on ‘Ulster,’ in the video below).

Anyway, it was great, great to see them last night. And the opening chords still send chills up my spine, thirty years after.  God, what a song.

Oh, and I feel old.

Nothin’ for us in Belfast
The Pound so old it’s a pity
OK, there’s the Trident in Bangor
Then walk back to the city
We ain’t got nothin’ but they don’t really care
They don’t even know you know
They just want money
They can take it or leave it
What we need is

(Chorus)
An Alternative Ulster
Grab it change it’s yours
Get an Alternative Ulster
Ignore the bores, their laws
Get an Alternative Ulster
Be an anti-security force
Alter your native Ulster
Alter your native land

Take a look where you’re livin’
You got the Army on the street
And the RUC dog of repression
Is barking at your feet
Is this the kind of place you wanna live?
Is this were you wanna be?
Is this the only life we’re gonna have?
What we need is

(Chorus)

They say they’re a part of you
But that’s not true you know
They say they’ve got control of you
And that’s a lie you know
They say you will never be

Free free free

Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster

Pull it together now.