We all climbed up to the top of a very tall mountain

And there we found we had climbed a very small hill

At Willoughby I heard the voice of D Boon calling

And he talked about Cromwell and the end of the English Civil War


And it's all been asked before

Who started the song or the war

Do you fail as you get better

Like trying to catch ripples on the water


The author said I missed all the great bands the cool kids were playing

He said they were good, now they're not, they signed with a major

I'll just have to live with the records that Charlie brought over

When the Clash were singing about Johnny and the English Civil War


And it's all been asked before

Who started the song or the war

Do you fail as you get better

Like trying to catch ripples on the water


I never listened to hard core

Like the suburban kids did

From the comfort of their dens

But at least they knew about D Boon


Can you tell me how it feels to go out in a blazing crash of glory

And I'll tell you the secrets of a band that faded from its story

And we'll write a song, record, and press it all on vinyl

And glue on the labels that say we are the English Civil War


And it's all been asked before

Who started the song or the war

Do you fail as you get better

Like trying to catch ripples on the water

And it's all been asked before

(c) Stanfield