Long Live the Future

The Dream of ’68

In the spring of ’68
we wanted a New Way West and East
no more poverty no more war
we wanted to shout from the top of the wall:

“Long live the Future!
Long live Freedom
Long live rock and roll

Long live the Beatles
Long live Poetry
Long live Kafka’s soul”

In the spring of ’68
people were singing in the streets of Prague
Let’s pull together (Dubcek Dubcek)
We’ll find a new way (Dubcek Dubcek)
All of us gathered on a stormy bridge:

“Long live the Future!
Long live Freedom
Long live rock and roll

Long live the Beatles
Long live Poetry
Long live Kafka’s soul”

Then the Soviet tanks rolled into Prague
the summer of ’68
Their metal cleats ran over the flowers
in everybody’s eyes

But you can’t kill the Vision You can’t stop the Beat
when everybody sings Allen Ginsberg’s line:
“When can I go into a supermarket and
buy what I need with my good looks”

In the spring of ’68
we wanted a New Way West and East
no more poverty no more war
we wanted to shout from the top of the wall

“Long live the Future!
Long live Freedom
Long live rock and roll

Long live the Beatles
Long live Poetry
Long live Kafka’s soul”