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Such a War Has Never Been

[words Les Barker, music Martin Carthy]

Martin Carthy sang Such a War Has Never Been on his and Dave Swarbrick’s 1992 album Skin and Bone; it was re-released in 1993 on Rigs of the Time: The Best of Martin Carthy and in 2001 on The Carthy Chronicles. They also played it on their 1992 video 100 Not Out. Carthy noted on his original album:

Les Barker is far better known as a writer of comic pieces and spoofs whose other side is not so often acknowledged. I put a tune to Such a War Has Never Been which itself grew from the experience of seeing on TV the first TV war, fought with prime time in mind.

Lyrics

Martin Carthy sings Such a War Has Never Been

I fight the force of evil
I’m the cowboy dressed in white
My colt is my computer
And my eyes see at night

I made the new world order
For I have the world’s support
To see the sinner never wins
To see the tyrant will be taught

I am killer with precision
With computer and with screen
To give the world a cleaner war
A purer war than any seen

Incinerate the spider
Leave untouched the web of lace
See the shadow of a dollar
From a satellite in space

Put a missile down an airshaft
Make a film as I go in
Show the world the care I took
Such a war has never been

I don’t need to kill civilians
With the F15 and Stealth;
Advertised on your TV I’m
Sensitivity itself

Just the aircraft on the ground
Just the hangars we put in
Just tanks and the supply lines
Such a war has never been

Just a game on my computer
See the screen move with my head
Pick out the cowboy dressed up all in black
Push a button and he’s dead

I can pinpoint to a pixel
Half a million in retreat
Identify the threat
And I can turn it to roast meat

Military targets
There were no dying cries
Just the smoke from burning soldiers
Getting in the widows’ eyes

I make the new world order
For I have the world’s support
To see the sinner never wins
To see the tyrant will be taught

Killer with precision
With computer and with screen,
To give the world a cleaner war
A purer war than any seen