TO KILL THE CHILD / LEAVING BEIRUT

Wow! If song lyrics could be taken into consideration for the Nobel prize (literature or peace), "Leaving Beirut" would at least be nominated, with good chance of winning. And if you consider that Mr. Waters now lives in New York city, it's not easy to dismiss his politically-driven music as left-wing, against-US bullshit. I think he loves America, and can't stand such a great country being spoiled by the silliest and OIL-minded politician in the world.

"Leaving Beirut" is more than a song, is quite a small-scale theatrical piece, which tells the story of a seventeen years old Waters being helped by an Arab family in Lebanon. That's why he asks himself "Are these the people that we should bomb?".

Waters is partially tone-deaf and probably an heavy-smoker, but here is broken voice really makes the song more moving and dramatic. Great bluesy guitar, too.

"To kill the child", however, if far below all expectation. The song is marred by such flat and silly lyrics as "prosciutto, risotto, falafel and ham", or recycled ones: "safe in the glow of his Donald Duck light", from "The tide is turning" (Radio Kaos, 1987).

All in all, I give this single four stars because "Leaving Beirut" is simply outstanding and carries a very strong message of peace.

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