Midnight Oil — When the Generals Talk

[Verse 1: Rob Hirst] 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 [Chorus] 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 [Verse 2: Rob Hirst and Peter Garrett] 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 [Chorus] 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 [Verse 3: Rob Hirst] 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 [Verse 4: Peter Garrett] Introducing the new general, introducing the new general Introducing the new general Introducing the new general school of political diplomacy If you disagree you get annihilated Only trouble is we haven't got many generals in Australia Well, General Motors (haha) General Credit Corporation (haha) General Insurance (hahaha) They're the worst generals of all you know! [Chorus] 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 [Outro] When the Generals talk When the Generals talk When the Generals talk You better listen to him