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BAN the BOMB

by Silas Be

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    The album download also includes...
    -bonus demo cover track of the Phil Ochs song, "When I'm Gone."
    -jpegs of the 'back cover' track list, various photos of alternative cover idea sketches and a photo shoot done in Cedarburg, WI.
    -mp4 music videos for 'GNOME' and 'When I'm Gone'
    Purchasable with gift card

      $7 USD  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 8 Silas Be releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Common Sage Arts Live 2023, SiLas BeE.P, Tea Life: Wabi-Sabi Remixes, Absolute Window, BAN the BOMB, TEA LIFE 2, Robot Ghost, and Tea Life. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $20 USD or more (50% OFF)

     

1.
It’s the million-man march of the puttymen Shout out, “It’s time again... for another revolution!” ‘nother revolution. There is somethin’ to be said about the amount of people who open their heads and let them be fed this drivel shit all cozy home in their boob tube pit I’m drownin’ in a media shower I’m drownin’ in a media downpour It’s the million-man march of the puttymen Shout out, “It’s time again!” for another revolution, ‘nother revolution ‘nother revolution... Another revolution is on it’s way we gotta stop this nation’s inspiration decay Pick up your brain and get outside it’s the only place that you can survive from drowning in a media shower I feel like I’m drowning in a media downpour Kill your T.V. Put it to the curb Just have a conversation Or read a book, that’s not so absurd Try and shed your skin for every new thought Create your own reality, Don’t get bought. Freshen your eyes to this crude illusion under the veil of W’s foolproof confusion. I’m drownin’ in a media shower I feel like I’m drownin’ in a media downpour It’s the one million man march of the puttymen Shout out: “It’s time!” Time again for another revolution ‘nother revolution, ‘nother revolution, ‘nother revolution!
2.
The world’s been hurtin’ hard Everyone’s scared and scarred It’s time to appease the secret soviet chimpanzees So that’s what’s been happenin’ No longer threats from bin Laden Oh won’tcha please stop the secret soviet chimpanzees They hide in our trees -chimpanzees- On top of bus stops -chimpanzees- Can’t be stopped by the cops - - Oh won’tcha please stop the secret soviet chimpanzees Get your plastic and duct tape This world is bent out of shape We gotta freeze the secret soviet chimpanzees Get the vaccine for the plague Aren’t politicians vague? Fear the sneezing secret soviet chimpanzees They hide in our trees -chimpanzees- On top of bus stops -chimpanzees- Can’t be stopped by the cops - - Oh won’tcha please stop the secret soviet chimpanzees I wanna live in a world where we don’t have to fear what the TV tells us to fear If we don’t ban the bomb the world will be a tomb Oh won’tcha please stop the secret soviet chimpanzees They hide in our trees -chimpanzees- On top of bus stops -chimpanzees- Can’t be stopped by the cops - - Oh won’tcha please stop the secret soviet chimpanzees I wanna live in a world where we don’t have to kill just to pay for oil If we don’t BAN THE BOMB the world will be a tomb Oh won’tcha please stop the secret soviet chimpanzees
3.
-The showdown with Iraq is comin’ to you from pay per view They’re people too -It ain’t no boxin’ match Shit They’re people too -Saddam ain’t hungry It’s the children and their mothers people too -It’s the people we’re about to blow our whole arsenal onto -It’s like a fuckin’ festival I can’t take it This impending doom -On the media, the showdown with the people too on pay per view -I ain’t buyin’ it ain’t buyin’ it are you? -Sure Saddam is crazy but Bush is too What are we supposed to do? -Maybe we should put ‘em in a boxing ring and let ‘em duke it out on pay per view -I would buy that Would you? -It’s better than letting them duke it out over acres of land where there are people too -’Cuz there is one thing about war that you have got to know The numbers in the death tolls are people too -It’s like a fuckin’ festival I can’t take it This impending doom -I ain’t buyin’ it are you? -I ain’t buying this impending doom -There’s a place somewhere in time that I want to go to when all of this is over -It’s a calmly place with daffodils and all the lakes are frozen over -But it’s still warm outside. Oh yes that means ice skating in the summer -But the oceans are still wetter than ever so good luck to all you surfers -There are chips and salsa trees China cola streams Chapstick caterpillars -The giraffes wear bell bottoms and serve cocktails to you and your lover -And you favorite music plays all day long and fluxes with your mood meter -Maybe these aren’t your favorite things but it is my utopia..............it’s my utopia -’Cuz there is one thing about war that you have got to know The numbers in the death tolls are people too -It’s like a fuckin’ festival I can’t take it This impending doom -I ain’t buyin’ it -I ain’t buyin’ it ain’t buyin’ it are you? -I ain’t buyin’ it ain’t buyin’ this ain’t buyin’ this impending doom
4.
Stay Awake 02:07
Like a hangnail denial grows Waiting for results that never show the answer to the question you haven’t asked You can’t find solice in the past Everyone wants to sedate sometimes Numbing out isn’t a crime But it’d be a shame if you lost your mind Get with it I can’t even say how important it is to stay awake Foolish grins and puffy eyes A couple of tokes and the time just flies Skip school and come with me This one’ll be a freebee Unmotivated, tired and high Ignoring life, just getting by till the next fix.....But why? Get with it I can’t even say how important it is to stay awake Get with it Gotta stay awake Gotta stay clear ‘cuz your mind’s at stake
5.
GNOME 03:54
-I was walking around through out the woods and I saw a little gnome -He was prophesizin’ about the future and past and then he took me to his home -I said, “Gimme a glass of tea little gnome. I know you got lots to share.” -He looked at me and gave me a wink Then commenced to fix his hair -He went on for days about the future’s destruction -and how all the tall men will die by their own guns -“The time is comin’ soon so we better prepare for this strife. -Gotta run and hide from death and start to worship life.” -I was walkin’ around the urban jungle and I saw a little girl -She was holding a pink ragdolly I believe her name was Pearl -She asked me, “Um, sir.... Why do people kill?” -I didn’t really have an answer. I just said, “Well, they do what they will.” -So that made me really upset I had to take a nap -I wish I had a good answer but any would be crap -There’d be no will to kill if we were all doves -We could chirp songs of peace and whistle tunes of love -I was walking around a stinky swamp and I saw a little toad -He was sittin’ there, king of the trash It seems there was a load -He said, “I got five legs and one eye ‘cuz your people dumped this here.” -I don’t understand why we pollute the Earth and why we don’t even care -So I listened to his dying words They weren’t very nice -He said, “You’ve messed up your planet Now you’re gonna pay the price -Mother Gaia will heal her wounds and get rid of the human race -Unless you get your acts together and clean up this place.”
6.
Gelato MAN 02:44
This is a story of a man He eats gelato as fast as he can He’s the belly floppin’ king of the town At all the chile cookouts he get the golden crown This is a story of a man His favorite game is kick the can He’s the coolest dude on the beach and he’s been in school so long I bet he could teach This is a story of a man He spends half his life sittin’ on the can He moons the cars as they pass Everyone in town knows this guy’s ass This is a story of a man ......His name is George He’s about 36, soon he’ll probably get hitched “No way man, marriage is a bitch.” This is a story of a man He eats gelato as fast as he can He’s the belly floppin’ king of the town At all the chile cookouts he get the golden crown
7.
I find it relatively difficult.... ....to manage the small object of Earth.... ....with the enormous digits of my Alien anatomy........ If I had Alien Fingers More time to linger Reasoning for figures Less addiction to sugar -I’d be happier- Don’t be a polluter or a constant rager Treat all life with care and always be fair We shouldn’t judge one another Spend less time in fear Look more in the mirror and tell her you love her -You’ll be happier- If everyone shares Then everyone will prosper and the world will be better and we’ll all be....Happier! (-refrain-)
8.
Eva 02:57
I was layin’ on your bed You had just left for work Your soft lips flutter through my head Twas my morning perk I grabbed a cup of green tea and smoked a bowl Then I got weak in the knees ‘cuz I know.... ....that last night.... ............................... Meant as much to you as it did to me I could tell by the feel of your heart beat It put me into a dream state (-chorus-) I couldn’t shelter my soul no longer I couldn’t sweat the darkness no more I wouldn’t change this constant feeling I can now feel the feeling of........love Then I awoke and you were back in bed I felt your gentle poke then you said, “Don’t ever leave me, please baby.” I said, “Don’t worry I’ll always be.... ....here.... ................................... when you need a shoulder to cry on or just a toy to pounce on. Who else could turn you on like I do?” I’ve got a confession You’ve been on my mind It’s my new obsession to be with you all the time I looked into your eyes and said I loved you You blinked and sighed “I love you too.” Train wrecked and basking on an Island hasn’t trained me to build a fire I’ve built a two legged chair though Been balancing on a silver wire (-chorus-)
9.
The Dog Song 03:52
With the money that I make off of my musical career I’ll take an airplane all the way to Texas While I’m in Texas I’ll strike some oil and with the money from the oil I’ll buy a dog to kill George Bush! They’ll never know when I’ll do it Maybe during the inauguration of the year two thousand and four In order to complete this evil plan I’ll buy some bio-chemicals from Iraq to mutate my dog Then my dog will become a super dog and my super dog will get super dog powers and I’ll ride on his back and we’ll fly to the white house and at the white house he’ll kill the president !NO! he won’t ‘cuz killing is wrong Everyone knows that killing is wrong Everyone knows that So why do we kill the people who kill people to show that killing people shouldn’t be done Perhaps instead of killing those people we should just set a good example by not continuing this killing cycle because if we keep on killing ....and killing our youth will have to live in a world of dead bodies No one wants to live in a world of dead bodies But if we promote PEACE.... But if we promote PEACE.... ....maybe our youth won’t have to live in a world filled with dead bodies Perhaps instead of a world filled with dead bodies it will be a world of roses.... ....and pretty singing birds all of the day with no exposure to our violent past Violence is not the answer so stop the war and do not ever start no more Stop the war and start no more Stop the war and start no more Stop the war !NOW! and start no more !EVER AGAIN! Stop the war and start no more...... Kill or not to kill these are the choices You know what I’d choose You know what I’d choose I would choose not to kill ‘cuz killing is wrong. Everyone knows that Every one knows that killing is wrong and I’d much rather live I’d much rather live.... I’d much rather live.... ....in a world... ....not blown to smithereens I’d much rather live I’d much, much, much rather live.... ....in a world I’d much rather live in a world of roses
10.
BAN the BOMB 03:06
"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH"
11.
There's no place in this world where I'll belong when I'm gone And I won't know the right from the wrong when I'm gone And you won't find me singin' on this song when I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here And I won't feel the flowing of the time when I'm gone All the pleasures of love will not be mine when I'm gone My pen won't pour a lyric line when I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here And I won't breathe the bracing air when I'm gone And I can't even worry 'bout my cares when I'm gone Won't be asked to do my share when I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here And I won't be running from the rain when I'm gone And I can't even suffer from the pain when I'm gone Can't say who's to praise and who's to blame when I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here Won't see the golden of the sun when I'm gone And the evenings and the mornings will be one when I'm gone Can't be singing louder than the guns when I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here All my days won't be dances of delight when I'm gone And the sands will be shifting from my sight when I'm gone Can't add my name into the fight while I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here And I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone Can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here There's no place in this world where I'll belong when I'm gone And I won't know the right from the wrong when I'm gone And you won't find me singin' on this song when I'm gone So I guess I'll have to do it, I guess I'll have to do it Guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

about

Ten years ago I joined hundreds of thousands of people around the world to protest the impending U.S. invasion of Iraq to no avail. A few years prior to that, after being inspired by singer-songwriters, I asked for an acoustic guitar from my father. Freshly engaged with the power of music, I took to writing my own anti-war ballads, along with songs about other important things in my life, ie; Love, Awareness, Gnomes, Aliens. After performing at several anti-war rallies and open mic poetry readings I decided to pursue music further. For my 18th birthday a family friend, Jane Lukic, graciously financed the recording sessions required to put these polished tracks into solid existence.
Thus was birthed BAN the BOMB. (June, 2003.)

Although the album was never officially released, the Iraq war is over, and George Bush is no longer the president, the themes still ring true today. With the ever present nature of nuclear war, and the recent saber rattling from North Korea, I thought it aprapos to finally resurrect BAN the BOMB digitally, at the very least.

I hope you enjoy listening to this as much as I enjoyed conceiving of and recording these beloved tracks that are as close to my real soul as anything will probably ever be.

Peace,
Silas Be

“All the pain we carry in our hearts and in our bodies
it must end with us”

-Japanese atomic bomb survivor-

There are now enough nuclear bombs
in the world to equal 400,000 Hiroshimas.

BAN the BOMB

credits

released March 31, 2013

All songs written and performed by Silas Ritchie, except the download exclusive "When I'm Gone" which is written by Phil Ochs

Producer : Robin De L'eau
Recording Engineer : Joe Gorman - Sonic Treat Music
Album Art/Photography : Dan De L'eau

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Silas Be Madison, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Native, Silas B. Ritchie : Singer Songwriter, producer, Audio-sculpture, Sound experimenter, music appreciator. Also a sober visual artist, DJ, philosopher, Double Lung transplant recipient, tea drinker, Nature Worshipper, Seeker of knowledge and Lover of Life. ... more

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