Hemlock Lyrics & Chords By Peter Hammill

Here it comes up on the screen,
the propaganda of the military-industrial machine.
By now we find there's little choice:
when our masters tell us "smile" we rejoice.
With the nuclear shield safely in place
we're assured of the survival of the human race.
The earth is flat and pigs can fly –
swallow hard and believe the lies.
In these alleys all are blind:
skittles fall for the dreams of humankind.
And nuclear power is safe as hell –
Swallow hard, young William Tell.
The earth is flat and pigs can fly –
If you swallow hard you believe the lies.
In the banks the deals are made –
of course there's no profit in lending the Third World aid.
If the larder shelves are bare let the people eat cake
and thank the governments for the air.
Meanwhile, in the cells, secret police
champion freedom, offer justice, keep the peace.
The Pope talks to God, the Ayatollah too –
swallow hard and believe it true.
The earth is flat and pigs can fly –
if you swallow hard you'll believe the lies.
It's a hemlock world.
It's a hemlock world that we must drink –
swallow hard and don't try to think.
It's a hemlock world that we all face –
swallow hard on the bitter taste,
swallow hard on the bitter taste,
swallow hard on the aftertaste.
It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world.