Lirik Picks And Lasers (live)

Country Joe McDonald

(This next song is called "Picks and Lasers", it's a science fiction war song about a guy some time in the future who's mining ore on Mars and hears about an intergalactic war. He goes up and he enlists in the Federation and fights, he enlists for a, er, for a tour of eighteen years, and-a, he goes off to fight in outer space and, er, gets kind of bummed out and wants to go back home. And that's about the size of it. The story is all this time and-er, this is called "Picks and Lasers", so here we go, kind of a long involved thing but I think you'll enjoy it.)

Well, the first time that I heard the sound I thought it was the humming
Of Weather-Drones orbiting above the frozen sea.
The next time that I heard the sound I also heard the voices
In a hundred different languages calling out to me:
"Come put away your laser-pick and soar the galaxy."

And working on my K-jet in the heat of martian summer
I felt a strange vibration coming from the distant stars.
Old Charlie only laughed at me, he said it was 'space fever'
He thought that I had lost my mind when I told him that I saw
The War-Ships of a thousand worlds slicing through the stars.

Then from the sky came Saturn Sal with contrail streams behind her
And the word she said was 'war' again, so what was I to do ?
Oh, the 'droids' all started chirpin' and Old Charlie's mouth fell open
As I tossed my picks and lasers in the little Turbo-Two.
I could hear them cryin', "no, don't go!" as the red dust blocked the view.

Hey, picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time.
Here's a story of blood and glory and life upon the line.
Picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time.
Here's a story of blood and glory and digging in the mines,
In the martian mines.

Oh, the 'Cruiter' said I'd broke down and surely I must know it
For I'd been diggin' martian ore for thirty years or more.
I must have made a fortune and I'd probab