rap in the republic (1992)

 

when Adan delved and Eve span
who was then the gentleman? *
who owned the land the beasts so fair
the fruits off the earth the birds of the air
who owned the courts who owned the law
who favoured the rich who punished the poor
who owned the army who owned religion
whose head on the coin whose feet in the midden?
I don’t wanna be a subject I wanna be a citizen
a pox on The Palace I’m egalitarian

so who stole the land from Eve and Adam
who stole their labour who stole their passion
and the Windsors in their castle poor people at their gate
who made them high and lowly and ordered there estate?
royal fleas bite my back royal leeches suck my vein
taxes buy their privilege obedience buys their reign
we pay for their paramours their mansions corgis horses
births deaths marriages scandals and divorces
I don’t wanna be a subject I wanna be a citizen
a pox on The Palace let’s all be republican

Eva and Adam live in a cardboard box now begging for a stake
while the Queen is in her counting house totting up the take
well I don’t care if they’re pin-ups don’t care if they’re freaks
don’t care if they’re Germans don’t care of they’re Greeks
don’t care if they’re Papists don’t care if they’re Prods
don’t care if they’re highbrows don’t care if they’re yobs
don’t care if they’re Nazis don’t care if they’re Green
away with all the Windsors Eve is our true queen
I don’t wanna be a subject I wanna be a citizen
a pox on The Palace it’s time to be republican

so I’ve found a Royal Family for Eve and Adam
it’s the Crowned Heads of Jive and the Regents of Rhythm
the Blue-bloods of Bebop the Noblesse of Boogie
the Sovereigns of Blue-beat the Monarchs of Reggae
the Empress of the Blues the Queen of Soul
the Prince of Funk the King of Rockanroll 
the Duke of Jazz the Count of swing the Earl of RnB
come on and shake that thing….
I don’t wanna be a subject I wanna be a citizen
a pox on The Palace I’m a rapping republican

and here’s a message for the Windsors: let them eat cake
while Queen Eve raps her gospel at the royal family’s wake
I don’t wanna be a subject I wanna be a citizen
a pox on The Palace I’m a rapping republican
I don’t want be a subject I wanna be a citizen
a pox on The Palace I’m egalitarian

 

Jeff Cloves
Illustration: Claire Palmer

 

*   When Adam delved and Eve span
     who was then the gentleman?
    
from a sermon reputedly delivered by the hedge priest 
     John Ball on the eve of The Peasants’ Revolt 1381


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3 Responses to rap in the republic (1992)

    1. dear CP
      thanks for the pic – lovely work as ever
      solstice greetings to you

      Comment by jeff cloves on 14 December, 2019 at 2:32 pm
    2. Thanks JC, and to you too! 🙂

      Comment by claire on 14 December, 2019 at 7:44 pm
    3. This. I like. A lot.

      Comment by Dafydd Pedr on 17 December, 2019 at 4:45 pm

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