When The Generals Talk - Midnight Oil

Up there, up there, up there on the platform

He is speaking to the people

The people are responding

With clapping and a cheering

But the meaning of the message

Not revealed to those assembled

They’re taken for a ride

Taken in his stride

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him

When the Generals talk

You better do what he say

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him

When the Generals talk

You better do what he say

There’s a rumour in the ranking

Someone’s talking insurrection

General has a purge

He wants to win election

With the certain satisfaction

That the people are appeased

Long live the revolution

The General’s very pleased

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him

When the Generals talk

You better do what he say

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him

When the Generals talk

You better do what he say

Sitting on the fence both ears to the ground

The fat cats still push the thin cats around

Sitting on the fence both ears to the ground

The fat cats still push the thin cats around

Sitting on the fence both ears to the ground

The fat cats still push the thin cats

Introducing the new, introducing the new

Introducing the new, introducing the new

Australians strivin' for privacy and philosophy

As long as you’re gonna fit no one

Who satisfy the people who got the most money

You stay in the goverrnment

Well we don’t like those kind of governments in Australia

Those governments that don’t care about

Young Australians

Those governments that don’t care about

Nuclear weapons

Those governments that don’t care about

The resources and the environment

Those governments that don’t care about

Anything else other than their exclusive cynical chase for power

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him

When the Generals talk

You better do what he say

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him

When the Generals talk

You better do what he say

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him

When the Generals talk

You better do what he say

When the Generals talk

When the Generals talk

When the Generals talk

You better listen to him