Guy Garvey says this song was written to express his dismay following George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election as President of the United States.
“I saw footage of Bush Senior and Junior when the latter was voted in for his second term. George W. was all but shrugging his dad off and hogging the attention...
I'm sick of working for a living
I'm just ticking off the days till I die
Oh, I miss you Louise, yeah
And the sickest little pleasures keep me going in between pulling teeth
Oh, periscope up
I've been looking for a ladder
I need to see the Commander In Chief, ooh
And remind him what was passed on to me, oh
Your mum don't sleep, oh
And the friends you keep
I didn't raise a thief
I didn't raise a thief
But the leaders of the free world
Are just little boys throwing stones
And it's easy to ignore
Till they're knocking on the door of your homes, yeah
My thinking isn't driven, oh
But the music always gives me a lift
I'm so easy to please, yeah
But I think we dropped the baton like the '60s didn't happen, oh no
Oh, periscope up
Should be looking for a ladder
I need to see the Commander In Chief, ooh
And remind him what was passed on to you and me, oh
Your mum don't sleep, oh
And the friends you keep
I didn't raise a thief
I didn't raise a thief
But the leaders of the free world
Are just little boys throwing stones
And it's easy to ignore
Till they're knocking on the door of your homes
But the leaders of the free world
Are just little boys throwing stones
And it's easy to ignore
Till they're knocking on the door of your homes
Passing the gun from father to feckless son
We're climbing a landslide where only the good die young
Passing the gun from father to feckless son
We're climbing a landslide where only the good die young
(Passing the gun from father to feckless son)
Oh, periscope up
I've been looking for a ladder
(We're climbing a landslide where only the good die young)
I need to see the Commander In Chief, ooh
And remind him what was passed on to you and me, oh
(Passing the gun from father to feckless son)
Oh, periscope up
I've been looking for a ladder
(We're climbing a landslide where only the good die young)
Leaders of the Free World was written by Mark Potter & Craig Potter & Richard Jupp & Pete Turner & Guy Garvey.
Leaders of the Free World was produced by Tom Rothrock & Elbow.
Elbow released Leaders of the Free World on Tue Sep 27 2005.