turn away

Turn Away
George G Clark - 1969 Lyrics

I was only 20 when I wrote this song. Five years later I began my first overseas job. I left ‘my safe and cosy niche among the petty nouveau riche’. I stopped turning my face to the wall. I began trying to do something. Then time passed. What I have now seen is huge, wrinkled, under-resourced, and not at all easy.

What the hell should I care if the whole wide world is wrong
I look out for myself
I leave upon the shelf
All the trouble, war and pain of starving children in the rain.
Shut my ears to the big bad bomb
I don’t care if the wogs go home
What I don’t know can’t cause me pain
I turn my face to the wall again
I know it like I’ve seen it
But what I’ve seen is small, is smooth, is well-fed and is easy.

So half the world is starving what difference does it make
I can’t do anything
Just shut my mind and sing
About my safe and cosy niche among the petty nouveau riche.
Pick up crumbs in the tyrant’s wake
Follow those who are on the make
All that I want will come in reach
I wear a smile let the boss man preach
Life smiles upon the two-faced
And hypocrit I am, I’m smooth, I’m well-fed and life’s easy