Lyrics for Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards as interpreted by Madame Me

Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards Lyrics
It may have been Camelot for Jack and Jacqueline
But on the Che Guevara highway filling up with gasoline
Fidel Castro's brother spies a rich lady who's crying
Over luxury's disappointment
So he walks over and he's trying
To sympathize with her but he thinks that he should warn her
That the Third World is just around the corner
In the Soviet Union a scientist is blinded
By the resumption of nuclear testing and he is reminded
That Dr. Robert Oppenheimer's optimism fell
At the first hurdle
In the Cheese Pavilion and the only noise I hear
Is the sound of someone stacking chairs
And mopping up spilt beer
And someone asking questions and basking in the light
Of the fifteen fame filled minutes of the fanzine writer
Mixing pop and politics he asks me what the use is
I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses
While looking down the corridor
Out to where the van is waiting
I'm looking for the great leap forwards
Jumble sales are organized
And pamphlets have been posted
Even after closing time there's still parties to be hosted
You can be active with the activists
Or sleep in with the sleepers
While you're waiting for the great leap forwards
One leap forward, two leaps back
Will politics get me the sack?
Here comes the future and you can't run from it
If you've got a blacklist I want to be on it
It's a mighty long way down rock 'n roll
From Top of the Pops to drawing the dole
If no one seems to understand
Start your own revolution and cut out the middleman
In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room
So join the struggle while you may
The revolution is just a tee shirt away
Waiting for the great leap forwards
---
"Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards" as written by Billy Bragg
Lyrics © CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP
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mimis
06-05-2006

 Rated  0 
love it!

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Pigwald
05-31-2007

 Rated  0 
Why is there only one comment on this song?!!

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el_denno
06-01-2007

 Rated  0 
I know! This is a great song. It's pretty obvious what this song is about, but it's still a great song.

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ArcadeFire101
10-28-2007

 Rated  0 
This song is so good!

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Peppermelon
11-08-2007

 Rated  0 
either these lyrics are wrong or my veirsion of the song is wrong, which is it?

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jdevils3
11-12-2007

 Rated  0 
You are probably listening to the updated version of the song. Billy Bragg just updated it to be more current.

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mechpope13
11-16-2007

 Rated  0 
anyone got the updated lyrics?

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Tommy Pakko
03-16-2008

 Rated  0 
I saw him play it on the Henry Rollins show, and these were the updated lyrics he was using. There are a few parts that I can't tell what he's saying:

It may have been Camelot for Jack and Jaqueline
But on the Hugo Chavez highway filling up with gasoline
Little Donald Rumsfeld spies a rich lady who's crying
Over luxury's disappointment
So he walks over and he's trying
To sympathize with her
But he thinks that he should warn her
To prepare to be bombed back into the Stone Age

In the former Soviet Union the citizens' demand
To know why they're still the target
Of Strategic Air Command
And they shake their fists in anger
And respectfully suggest
That we take the money from our missiles and
Spend it on our hospitals instead

The Cold War now is over
But the stakes are getting higher
I'm frightened of collateral damage and of friendly fire
And I don't believe we can defeat no Axis of Evil
By putting smart bombs in the hands of dumb people

Mixing pop and politics, they ask me what the use is
I offer up my acupuncturist, my masseuses
While looking down the corridor
Out to where my ego is waiting
I'm looking for the New World Order

Jumble sales are organized
All my mates got back
Even after all this time you can still send me a fax
You can be active with the activists or
Sleep in with the (????)
I'm waiting for the great leap forwards

One leap forwards, two leaps back
Will YouTube give MTV the sack?
Waiting for the great leap forwards

Well, here comes the future and you can't run from it
If you've got a (????) I wanna be on it, mate
Waiting for the great leap forwards

In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune but
This is reality, not American Idol
Waiting for the great leap forwards

So join the struggle while you may
The revolution is just an ethical haircut away (???)
Waiting for the great leap forwards

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fez_1985
05-16-2008

 Rated  0 
The missing lyrics you couldnt work out are as follows

It may have been Camelot for Jack and Jaqueline
But on the Hugo Chavez highway filling up with gasoline
Little Donald Rumsfeld spies a rich lady who's crying
Over luxury's disappointment
So he walks over and he's trying
To sympathize with her
But he thinks that he should warn her
To prepare to be bombed back into the Stone Age

In the former Soviet Union the citizens' demand
To know why they're still the target
Of Strategic Air Command
And they shake their fists in anger
And respectfully suggest
That we take the money from our missiles and
Spend it on our hospitals instead

The Cold War now is over
But the stakes are getting higher
I'm frightened of collateral damage and of friendly fire
And I don't believe we can defeat no Axis of Evil
By putting smart bombs in the hands of dumb people

Mixing pop and politics, they ask me what the use is
I offer up my acupuncturist, my masseuses
While looking down the corridor
Out to where my ego is waiting
I'm looking for the New World Order

Jumble sales are organized
All my mates got back
Even after all this time you can still send me a fax
You can be active with the activists or
Sleep in with the (MEDIA)
I'm waiting for the great leap forwards

One leap forwards, two leaps back
Will YouTube give MTV the sack?
Waiting for the great leap forwards

Well, here comes the future and you can't run from it
If you've got a (TATTOO HENRY) I wanna be on it, mate
Waiting for the great leap forwards

In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune but
This is reality, not American Idol
Waiting for the great leap forwards

So join the struggle while you may
The revolution is just an ethical haircut away (WHILE YOUR)
Waiting for the great leap forwards

There is another version somewhere on youtube, cant find it right now which has the line

'If you got a MySpace I wanna be on it'

in place of

'If you've got a (TATTOO HENRY) I wanna be on it, mate'

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sunshipballoons
09-03-2008

 Rated  0 
Those are among the lyrics Billy has sung for this song. He often replaces "Che Guevara Highway" and especially "Fidel Castro's brother" with a variety of different things depending on where he's playing and what's going on in the news. He also substitutes the "[former] soviet union] line sometimes.

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bradleyo
10-26-2009

 Rated  0 
A great call to arms to lefties, don't just get angry at home, voice your opinions and do something to change things. This is a song of great frustration of current polical system and optimism of a better world and political structure. The masses have the fascists outnumbered and we can do things to improve the world "You can be active with the activists or sleep in with the sleepers!"

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General Comment
manicmarkus
12-13-2010

 Rated  0 
A political song that is so well written that Billy can literally make it span across time just by tweaking a few lines here and there. Even without the changes the song is still very relevent today. "Mixing Pop and Politics, they ask me what the use is." Such a great line because people generally assume knowledge of pop culture denotes a somewhat 'ignorance' in serious matters such as the politics of the world. (IE the American TV culture)...however Billy Bragg shows that the two things are not so different..and that the understanding and caring about these issues is in the hearts and minds of each and every person who cares to look.

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General Comment
nishtim
02-18-2011

 Rated  0 
The updated version from an appearance on the Henry Rollins Show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7d6ZwAp28Y

This appearance is bare bones - Mr Bragg just with his guitar. Kinda reminded me of the first Billy Bragg song I ever saw - the 80's video for Levi Stubb's Tears which will always hold a soft spot in my heart.

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General Comment




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