I just love listening to this song. The words are pretty strong. I personally love the cricket reference "Take your bat and ball and head for the pavilion" Haha that was a nice touch.

Lyrics:
We danced like new years eve
We danced from sheer relief
Everything must change

The people that you projected as
We were nothing of the sort it sold us all short
Put down the champagne
No toast to the legacy(no way)
And all the propaganda of prosperity
That’s what a machine does and they don’t need therapy
You turned us into a nation of haters
Far right appeaser
believer in whatever get you leader
Dog whistle through the speakers
see who bites it
I noticed a hell of a lot of people liked it
An ethical choice is simpler if you price it
Conquer by dividing
that’s why you admired him?
unless pushed we would never have retired him
flapin pirate history will damn him
once it seemed like nothing can damage him
[UNKLE HO MANDARIN - ??]
Crook, you got your arse played in Mandarin

Finally the King is Dead,
we cried off with his head
Everything must change, Everything must change
We danced like new years eve
We danced from relief
Everything must change, nothing stays the same
Nothing stays the same oh, Nothing stays the same oh

Yeah Cats I know are feeling just like the rapture
I can tell who this mood is failing to capture
It’s like somebody finally did light that match up
And burn down the parliament, learned from the argument
Can’t be non-partisan, when you’re an artist
And you put your heart in it,
and that’s not even the half of it
Like my man said, we’re talking butter and bread
Better if his words were never uttered again
Mostly vindictive, who could have predicted
Just a few tax breaks to keep us all addicted
The dickhead dictator leader imitator
Made me feel immature when I said “I hate ya”
Did you read the paper the day after and hear the laughter?
I’ll read it to you, it starts with M McKew and ends with you
No broader view from the people on your ship that you used to call crew
Huh! That’s typical, now I guess it’s difficult
For the type of person who only thinks of individual
No residual, you’ll see our resilience
Take your bat and ball and head for the pavilion

Finally the King is Dead,
we cried off with his head
Everything must change, Everything must change
We danced like new years eve
We danced from relief
Everything must change, nothing stays the same
Nothing stays the same oh, Nothing stays the same oh

We danced like new years eve
We danced from sheer relief
Everything must change

Just promise me this,
no rose petal glasses,
quickly confine him to part of the past

Just promise me this,
no rose petal glasses,
quickly confine him to part of the past

Finally the King is Dead,
we cried off with his head
Everything must change, Everything must change
We danced like new years eve
We danced from relief
Everything must change, nothing stays the same

Finally the King is Dead,
we cried off with his head
Everything must change, Everything must change
We danced like new years eve
We danced from relief
Everything must change, nothing stays the same
Nothing stays the same oh, Nothing stays the same oh

These guys do some good stuff.

Hey Craig, yeah I'm a bit of a fan of The Herd as well. I first heard them on JJJ many years ago. They do indeed have some good stuff.

Couple of my favourites:

* Burn Down the Parliament
* Scallops

:-)

Like a three dollar forty bag of fresh hip hop from your local fish n chip shop!!!!!!!

The Herd are gods walking amongst mere mortals! It's all summed up in that line from 'We Can't Hear You' that goes 'We rock a party with a stick and a carrot'.

Instant classic song, I predict this as top ten in 09 Hottest 100. Way to go guys, it's pretty amazing hearing a song with a conscience and a brain. This song absolutely went off during their gig at Maitland recently.

PS While we're on the Herd apreesh, is there a better female voice out there than Jane Tyrells? I reckon her singing would make Lucifer himself go weak at the knees.

Peter Ustinov writes...

Jane Tyrells?

I've only really heard The Herds music played on JJJ. What songs in particular does Jane sing on?

I must admit that it wasn't Scallops that really drew me into The Herd it was there Like a Version of "I was only 19". I thought they did that magnificently. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I prefer the original one rather than the remix, but that isn't bad either.

too early in the year for top 10 Hottest 100 entry

just had a geeze of the song on youtube.... must say... the chorus grew on my by the end of the song... love local talent :)

I saw them at the adelaide BDO doing I was only 19 with the original guy from redgum that was pretty special.

Also look out for a dj album by Unkle Ho the Dj from the herd. its nice and gypyish!

Craig Davis writes...

What songs in particular does Jane sing on?

Check out 'Under Pressure', she does a pretty awesome verse in that song, at around 2.20 into the song IIRC.

Peter Ustinov writes...

Check out 'Under Pressure', she does a pretty awesome verse in that song, at around 2.20 into the song IIRC.

Spot on.

I like her voice. Really adds a bit to the song.

I haven't heard any new Herd in ages. I still love their first album the most I think.

I'm sure everyone knows that their new album 'Summerland' is released on May 24th.
Same day as Drapht's new album 'Brother's Grimm'

osams writes...

'Summerland'

Pre-ordered :)

MMMMM new Herd goodness.

Talk about choosing a bad day to take off work, my copy of Summerland turned up \m/ Listening to it now, only heard the first few songs but its friggen awesome.

J Award 2008??

Yeah just bought the album on monday, loving it so far. 2020, Emergency and The King Is Dead are favourites so far, but im sure more will jump out soon. Seems like hip hop in Australia is only getting better and better. Anyone else got the album yet....thoughts?

Yep, picked her up at JB Jables. Top stuff. I'll give my verdict on top tracks after a few more listens.

EDIT: Not to be too anal but those lyrics up there aren't 100% accurate, probably 99% though! :P

I come from Punk/hardcore backgrounds, but i'm really liking the Herd.
Anyone know what this song ("king is dead") is about? I thought it was about John Howard loosing the election...

wow great song!

been listening on repeat.

st-84 writes...

I thought it was about John Howard loosing the election...

yeah i am pretty sure it's about that.

I’ll read it to you, it starts with M McKew and ends with you

Surely that gives it away guys!

Very political album, love it. Loving 2020/king is dead/zug zug at the moment, but tis all good!

Rupe writes...

Surely that gives it away guys!

That's what gave it away to me initially. I heard that unusual line and then worked it out from there.

When I heard the line "Take your bat and ball and head for the pavilion" it sealed it.

I'll have to get their new one I think.

Rupe writes...

Surely that gives it away guys!

ohh yeah, that makes sense now. lol.

Its a great song, but I just think its a bit naive to be making such a big deal about John Howard and the libs being ousted. "everything must change" ?? Nothing is going to change, labour or Liberal, both parties are 99% the same, with minor differences in little policies.

Sorry to bring politics to the music forum, I'll leave now....

Craig Davis writes...

[UNKLE HO MANDARIN – ??]

Has anyone translated this?

Also I finally bought the CD yesterday.

Gingerfisher writes...

Sorry to bring politics to the music forum, I'll leave now....

I don't know if you can avoid bringing politics to the forum when you're discussing The Herd :P

Bought the album yesterday – these guys just keep getting better and better