FROM:DANH@VMS.HUJI.AC.IL (RAMI)



Below are the words of the speech made by Pete Wylie at the end of the

12" version of The Mighty Wah's undeservedly forgetable

"The Story of the Blues" , which i transcripted by listening to a

home-tape recording of the song - the result of which is a few

question-marks and maybe a few mistakes , anyone who wishes to make

a comment is welcome (address above).



"Our hearts are breaking,one more song to go" (Faded Flowers - Shriekback)



".......well that's my story and i'll stick into that,let's have another

drink and let's talk about the blues,blues is about dignity,it's about

self-respect,and no matter what they take away from you - that's yours

for keeps,i remember how it was,how every medium - T.V. and papers and

radio and all those people were saying:'you're on the scrap-heep,you're

useless',i remember how easy it was to start believe in that,i remember

how you'd hear people take it for granted that it was true - just 'cause

someone with an 'outer power' said so.

And that's a problem now,too many out-balls(?),too many pocketbook

psychologists and would-be philosophers with an axe to grind,

but there's a solution,it's not easy,but it's a matter of commitment(??)

in your heart,the situation you're in,a matter of choosing how things go

for you and not having things forced upon you,there are plenty of forces

against you,forcing you against your will,your ideals - you've got to hope

for the best,and that's the best you can hope for - you've got to hope

against hope...

I remember something Sal Paradise said,he said:'the city intellectuals of

the world are divided from the folk body blood-of-the-land and are just

ruthless(?) fools'

So listen,when the smile,the condescending pat-on-the-back comes and says:

'we're sorry,but you're nothing,you've got nothing for us and we've got

nothing for you',you say:'no',and say it loud:"NO!",remember,people who

talk about revolution and a class-struggle without refering explicitly to

everyday life,without understanding what is subversive about law,and what

is positive in the refusal and constraint...since people have a core to

their hearts(?)..."



Halleluyah and Farewell,

The Mighty Ram.