Last Monday on WBAI's Out-FM, the song "I Hate The War" by The Ballet was featured. Ruth, Rebecca and Kat have already weighed in at their sites to register their strong love for this song. It really is an amazing song.
It's over, I'm done writing songs about love
There's a war going on
So I'm holding my gun with a strap and a glove
And I'm writing a song about war
And it goes
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Oh oh oh oh
I'm sick of the news, it's the same every day
But I can't turn it off
So I'm trying to choose every word that I say
But it's never enough and I'm lost
So I go
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Oh oh oh oh
What I'm trying to say is
It's time to get in the way
It's crazy that thing is still going on
I can't believe this thing is still going on
And it goes
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Hopefully, reading the lyrics will convey part of the song to you. If you're able to listen, you really need to hear it. From the band's official site page: "Mattachine! is our first CD. We're currently on the third edition. The CDs are for sale exclusively at shows and through our site: click here to order a hard copy. Or here to download it from iTunes." On that page, they also offer "I Hate The War" as a free download.
frock 'n' roll evaluates the recording: "I Hate The War isn't a complex song, it's pretty much summed up by the title: our protagonist hates the war. Instead of delving deep into the ins and outs, the why-to and where-for and ladling out blame and criticism; it deals instead with the helplessness and the inability to do anything that the average Joe on the street feels. We're not naïve enough to believe that a pop song can change the world and The Ballet know this, all we can do is sit and watch the same news being reported day in, day out. We've made our point over and over again that war is not the answer, there is no point in repeating it again and all that is left for the anti-war front to say is 'Na na na na na na na na na, I hate the war'." Jeff Klingman writes, ""I Hate the War," the finest song on the album (which features members of Aislers Set, Baskervilles and Voxtrot), proves that the members of the Ballet have more on their minds than boys. Rather than lecture on the finer points of the current political situation, the band focuses on relatable feelings of inarticulate helplessness. "Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na/ I hate the war" goes the infectious chorus. Instead of coming across as shallow, it sums things up nicely, hitting the inclusive note of a classic such as "Give Peace a Chance." Now that we've been stripped of the baby boomers' naive belief in the power of a pop song to legitimately change hearts, what else is there to say?" Three Imaginary Girls weigh in with: " For a simple song about war-hatin', this peppy tune with it's oh so slightly discordant strings will infect your brain, and have your activist posse marchin' to City Hall singing 'I hate the war, na na na na na na na na na!' Over and over and over again.... "
The Ballet is Greg, Craig, Marina and Michael.
Mike Conklin speaks with the band's front man Greg Goldberg for a lively interview in The L Magazine (sample, Conklin notes how "forthcoming" Goldberg's been "about the band members' sexuality" and poses two possible reasons for that, Goldberg responds, "Hey, I'm just trying to find us dates!"). And the interview Jeff conducted for Merry Swankster is also a strong read:
JK: How do you feel about straight bands like Franz Ferdinand feigning gay in their lyrics, for some sort of a "hip" factor?
GG: It's totally wrong and unethical. Just kidding -- it's fine as long as they're willing to suck a little cock from time to time. Also, if you're fat and have a beard, then you're a cub/bear in my book, and that makes you fair game.
So na, na, na, na, na, na, na, I hate the war.