Lead single from the album of the same name.
Talking with Stereo Society about the song “Broken English” Marianne’s collaborator Barry Reynolds said:
Marianne was reading a lot about the Baader-Meinhof Gang, and she wrote these lyrics about them. Then Steve Winwood came into the session, and start...
[Verse 1]
Could have come through anytime
Cold, lonely puritan
What are you fighting for?
It's not my security
[Chorus]
It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
[Verse 2]
Lose your father, your husband
Your mother, your children
What are you dying for?
It's not my reality
[Chorus]
It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
[Bridge]
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
[Verse 1]
Could have come through anytime
Cold, lonely puritan
What are you fighting for?
It's not my security
[Chorus]
It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English
[Outro]
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
Broken English was written by Terry Stannard & Steve York & Joe Mavety & Barry Reynolds & Marianne Faithfull.
Broken English was produced by Mark Miller Mundy.
Marianne Faithfull released Broken English on Fri Jan 25 1980.