The Six O'Clock News
ALSO RELEASED ON: Live At Cornerstone 2001, The Very Best Of Larry Norman, I Am The Six O'Clock News (CD Single), Sixty - The Trilogy Concert
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Version 1 is a rough studio band recording, with the band Larry called White Light
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Version 2 is a full studio recording
Note that on the DTS LP and Focus cassette releases of Planet, the stereo image is reversed Note also that on the 1993 CD, the track split is botched such that the last second or so of I Wish We'd All Been Ready is on the start of this track |
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Version 3 is a live recording, performed with a full band, in 1974
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Version 4 is the same recording as version 1, but with the start cut slightly and the fade out cutting out abruptly around a second early
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Street Level [Illegal Noise CD]
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lyrics version 1
One, two, three, four
I bought a ticket for South East Asia
I packed my camera and press card badge
They only paid me to stay the weekend
What if I never come back
The flight was pretty rough
Got a room, took a shower
The bellboy gook put my bags on the bed
He left without his tip, he-heh
Then I loaded up my Hasselblad full of film
And I stepped outside, stepped outside, yeah
I’m taking pictures of burning houses
Colour movies of misery
I hear the sound of guns
How red the mud becomes
I’ve got a close up view
I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Military coups
What can I do
I’m the six o’clock news
Yeah
Ooh ooh ooh-ooh ooh
Get back from Vietnam
I’ve got a suite at the Saigon Hilton
Cocktail parties with General Ky
We talk about how the war is going
And watch his colour TV
I’m the six o’clock news
What can I do
Drinking black market booze
What can I do
Red and white and true blue
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
We-ah
Catch my plane flight back to the mainland
Fall asleep to the engine’s drone
I see the (we-ah) sound of guns
How red the mud becomes
I’ve got a close up view
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Napalm tattoos
What can I do
Guerrilla rendezvous
What can I do [x2]
Yeah
What can I do [x2]
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
(CBS, ABC, NBC) Yeah
CBS, ABC, NBC [x2]
Ah-eh
Ah-ah-aah
Woh
I bought a ticket for South East Asia
I packed my camera and press card badge
They only paid me to stay the weekend
What if I never come back
The flight was pretty rough
Got a room, took a shower
The bellboy gook put my bags on the bed
He left without his tip, he-heh
Then I loaded up my Hasselblad full of film
And I stepped outside, stepped outside, yeah
I’m taking pictures of burning houses
Colour movies of misery
I hear the sound of guns
How red the mud becomes
I’ve got a close up view
I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Military coups
What can I do
I’m the six o’clock news
Yeah
Ooh ooh ooh-ooh ooh
Get back from Vietnam
I’ve got a suite at the Saigon Hilton
Cocktail parties with General Ky
We talk about how the war is going
And watch his colour TV
I’m the six o’clock news
What can I do
Drinking black market booze
What can I do
Red and white and true blue
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
We-ah
Catch my plane flight back to the mainland
Fall asleep to the engine’s drone
I see the (we-ah) sound of guns
How red the mud becomes
I’ve got a close up view
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Napalm tattoos
What can I do
Guerrilla rendezvous
What can I do [x2]
Yeah
What can I do [x2]
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o’clock news
(CBS, ABC, NBC) Yeah
CBS, ABC, NBC [x2]
Ah-eh
Ah-ah-aah
Woh
lyrics version 2
Will passengers to flight eighty five proceed to gate number nine. Please have your boarding cards ready [Spoken]
I've got a ticket for southeast Asia
I packed my camera and press card badge
They only paid me to stay the weekend
What if I never come back
The flight was pretty rough
I got a room, took a sauna
The bellboy gook put my bags on the bed
He left without his tip
Then I loaded up my Hasselblad full of film
And I stepped outside, I stepped outside
I'm taking pictures of burning houses
Color movies of misery
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Military coups
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
I got a suite at the Saigon Hilton
Cocktail parties with Premiere Ky
We talk about how the war is going
And watch his color TV
I'm the six o'clock news
But what can I do
Drinking black market booze
What can I do
I'm red and white and true blue
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o'clock news
Catch my plane flight back to the mainland
I fall asleep to the engine's drone
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o'clock news
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
And what can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Napalm tattoos
What can I do
What can I do
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news, oo-ugh
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o'clock
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC, NBC [x4]
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and welcome aboard
Your attention is directed to the forward part of the cabin
Where your stewardess will now demonstrate the use of the oxygen mask
In the remote possibility of a loss of cabin pressure
A panel directly above your head will open automatically
If this should happen, pull the mask down firmly
Place it over your nose and mouth, and breath normally
Dinner will be served in approximately one hour
In the meantime we will be serving beverages
Cocktails will be a dollar fifty in the tourist section and complimentary in first class
After your meal I hope you'll enjoy the movie for today
Thank you [Spoken]
I've got a ticket for southeast Asia
I packed my camera and press card badge
They only paid me to stay the weekend
What if I never come back
The flight was pretty rough
I got a room, took a sauna
The bellboy gook put my bags on the bed
He left without his tip
Then I loaded up my Hasselblad full of film
And I stepped outside, I stepped outside
I'm taking pictures of burning houses
Color movies of misery
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Military coups
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
I got a suite at the Saigon Hilton
Cocktail parties with Premiere Ky
We talk about how the war is going
And watch his color TV
I'm the six o'clock news
But what can I do
Drinking black market booze
What can I do
I'm red and white and true blue
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o'clock news
Catch my plane flight back to the mainland
I fall asleep to the engine's drone
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o'clock news
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
And what can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Napalm tattoos
What can I do
What can I do
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news, oo-ugh
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
The six o'clock
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC, NBC [x4]
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC, NBC
CBS, ABC
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and welcome aboard
Your attention is directed to the forward part of the cabin
Where your stewardess will now demonstrate the use of the oxygen mask
In the remote possibility of a loss of cabin pressure
A panel directly above your head will open automatically
If this should happen, pull the mask down firmly
Place it over your nose and mouth, and breath normally
Dinner will be served in approximately one hour
In the meantime we will be serving beverages
Cocktails will be a dollar fifty in the tourist section and complimentary in first class
After your meal I hope you'll enjoy the movie for today
Thank you [Spoken]
lyrics version 3
I got a ticket for southeast Asia
I pack my camera and press card badge
They only paid me to stay the weekend
What if I never come back
The flight was pretty rough
I got a room, took a sauna
The bellboy gook put my bags on the bed
He left without his tip, huh
Then I loaded up my Hasselblad full of film
I stepped outside, I stepped outside
I'm taking pictures of burning houses
Color movies of misery
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
Got a suite at the Saigon Hilton
Cocktail parties with Premiere Ky
We talk about how the war is going
And watch his color TV
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
What can I do
I'm red and white, true blue
What can I do
I'm drinking black market booze
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
(Ooh ooh ooh)
(Ooh ooh ooh-ooh)
I catch my plane flight back to the mainland
I fall asleep to the engine's drone
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
What can I do
Napalm tattoos
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids, all those kids
What can I do
I'm just a six o'clock news
What can I do
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
CBS, ABC, NBC [x4]
I pack my camera and press card badge
They only paid me to stay the weekend
What if I never come back
The flight was pretty rough
I got a room, took a sauna
The bellboy gook put my bags on the bed
He left without his tip, huh
Then I loaded up my Hasselblad full of film
I stepped outside, I stepped outside
I'm taking pictures of burning houses
Color movies of misery
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
Got a suite at the Saigon Hilton
Cocktail parties with Premiere Ky
We talk about how the war is going
And watch his color TV
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
What can I do
I'm red and white, true blue
What can I do
I'm drinking black market booze
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
(Ooh ooh ooh)
(Ooh ooh ooh-ooh)
I catch my plane flight back to the mainland
I fall asleep to the engine's drone
I see the flash of guns, how red the mud becomes
I've got a close-up view
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids without shoes
What can I do
Guerilla rendezvous
What can I do
Napalm tattoos
What can I do
I'm just the six o'clock news
What can I do
All those kids, all those kids
What can I do
I'm just a six o'clock news
What can I do
I'm the six o'clock news
What can I do
I am, I am, I am, I am, I am
CBS, ABC, NBC [x4]
This song should have been released as a single but MGM thought the end of the war had resolved people's anger about Vietnam. Not so. For years this song was heavily requested on rock format radio stations anywhere near a military base. But the song was not so much about Vietnam as it was about the emotional indifference of the media and their reluctance in taking a moral position on the stories which they report. There will always be wars; Larry was angry about the conspiracy of media lies.