Been Caught Sleeping
words/music © matt ralph 2021
Well I hear it in the background,
Every morning it’s the same,
The voices of the callers on the radio again,
And it seems so many people with a sad and sorry view,
Are finding confirmation in the papers and the news,
Well I listen to them talking and it really makes me mad
Cause their views are often ugly about what they all should have,
And I start to get a feeling and it’s one of deep frustration,
In the narrowness I hear that is shadowing our nation,
Oh well it’s sad it’s come to this,
Oh I feel I’ve been caught sleeping,
Oh and things have gone amiss,
Oh I can’t believe what I’m hearing,
Well they’re at it everyday,
Trying to polarize opinions,
You’re either this or that,
And there’s no room for intuition,
But just a short time back our pride was built on understanding,
It seems we were highjacked,
And now I’m left here wondering,
Oh just how did things come to this,
Oh I feel I’ve been caught sleeping,
Oh and things have gone amiss,
Oh I can’t believe what I’m hearing,
Can we really now decide what is or isn’t unAustralian,
And has there ever been a time where there’s so much alienation,
And are we happy just to take based on the pillars of the dollar,
At the cost of trying to build a land of principle and honour,
And we let cruel policies from the right of fear and hatred
Try to harden all our hearts when love has always been so sacred
And the spirit that we’ve worked for while we try to right the wrongs
And forge a land based on respect where we all can belong,
Oh well it’s sad it’s come to this,
Oh I feel I’ve been caught sleeping,
Oh and things have gone amiss,
Oh I can’t believe what I’m reading,
While we destroy lives with separation and mandatory detention,
There’s a movement growing strong now and it really needs attention,
From the elders of our land despite a history of suffering,
Give their statement from the heart with understanding love and offering,
With the the courage and the tears that have born each powerful word,
And with the Makaratta Commission it’s time now to be heard,
Will it be unanswered and unreceived,
This gift towards reconciliation,
While we suffer through mediocracy
With no vision no recognition,
Oh well it’s sad it’s come to this,
Oh I feel I’ve been caught sleeping,
Oh and things have gone amiss,
Oh I can’t believe what I’m reading,
A chance to trek across our great land together now begins
And it’s waiting to be received but may not come again
But you won’t hear it in the news except with fear on talk back stations
And it’s sad that you won’t hear it from the leader of our nation
And media hacks of all trades just following the polls
With nothing but spin to play while our self respect dissolves
And opportunities for a better land are squandered and are lost
dreams cashed in for broken hearts while our children count the cost
Oh well it’s sad it’s come to this,
Oh I feel I’ve been caught sleeping,
Oh and things have gone amiss,
Oh but now I’m finally seeing,
Some one’s been misleading,
Some one’s been misleading
