We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Sleep Armed (RR​^​26)

by Kalahari Surfers

/
1.
Prologue 00:54
2.
Should fate not cut the thread of life they’ll waste away in mausoleums built to last a thousand years. Their world seem so secure and safe. The servant still serves tea outside, on the lawn, beneath the trees. It taste so good. Silverware reflects the gardener’s Teesav suit. For the twenty years he served the family he’d get the boot. Students framed for better days. The sporting team, beneath the glazed living room eyes, seek their demise. This neighbourhood still feel so good. The swimming pool is only used at Christmas time when the children are on holiday from you UCT. Pregnant, Jenny wrote the freedom charter on her bedroom wall. How times have changed. But her parents still believe the politics they see on TV. On the patio, the maid serves tea.
3.
4.
5.
Underground 02:56
---------------------- The power lines have fallen down there’s a curfew in the town I take your hand we must escape before it is too late we can hide out near a lake of poisoned water can you see how the smoke from burning houses hangs over the city and our leaders have all gone underground we head towards a mine shaft where some other refugees are organising shelter and resistance to the siege a message to the civilized red faces in the west bring your hammer and your bi-sickle and fix this bloody mess our leaders have all gone underground some children steal a motor car from soldiers it is seen through infra red binoculars images flash on a screen the technology is there to crush subversion everywhere but the spirit of resistance pregnates the atmosphere and our leaders have all gone underground.
6.
This Land 03:29
7.
Fraud City 03:16
there is something you should know about me after I've gone you must be strong. I have to disappear a major business deal fell though something went wrong at ESKOM - take care of the kids all this I have done for you ,my dear, I took what I could our life will be good join me when you can rotten to the core corrupt the apple of your eye can't make ends meet can't satisfy can't deny connections with the east 4 million rand stashed away for better days away from home pull a sheet across your eyes don't pretend to be surprised take what you want put it in a suitcase head for Argentine east west south is best but please don't send me back to Fraud City "'n kommunis agter elke bos"
8.
9.
Mafikeng Road Imposing structures dominate this capital Homeland experiments in architecture Airport and Parliament buildings stand firm Things fall apart with the stadium they built on Mafeking Road Israeli building experts disappear into the night Mafeking Road So it goes we were told that the centre would not hold Foreigners leaving or being told to leave Currency changes hands Passports endorsed Tears at the airport a farewell embrace Houses are empty the schools are all closed along Mafeking Road Get out of here and never show your face again Mafeking Road So it goes we were told that the centre would not hold Excerpt from a Tswana Propaganda TV show. translated, the voices are saying: I wanted to say that I recognise you when you jumped over the wall of the Kraal so you eventually became a soldier and you became a terrorist go-ahead mock me but this will be the last time that you do this please you’re hurting me if you scream I will kill you I wish my examination was over I can’t wait to join the army I wonder where they’ll send me what do you want in our house? I came to visit the sergeant The Sergeant agrees that I will not make a mistake by joining the army go now and become a soldier that all of us people can be proud of
10.
11.
12.
13.
Teargas 02:09
TEARGAS laid down after cops had teargassed us in the Market Teatre during the ECC concert that year (1987)
14.
15.
16.
Existing in exile must rate favourably to this present state of uniformed mentality. I think the Boere* are watching me. Pathetic individual I clutch my sticky steering wheel. Sweating out a private fear in a shirt designed for yesteryear. That’s why I’ve always had my doubts about the healthy way of life. How can I lose myself for a while? Smoking zoll** is out of style. Inside me things are out of control. Drinking too much alcohol. Think I’ll have a bath sometime Wash the creases from my brow. Brush my teeth and stand up straight Put a smile on my face That’s why I’ve always had my doubts about the healthy way of life. ( guitar solo replaced by mad fascist wannabe dictator ranting in Afrikaans.) Standing here like a tree Waiting to work in a factory Swiping floors and making tea Such a healthy life for me Unskilled labour is easy to reproduce Its nothing new Fun and games in industry While working towards redundancy Thats why I’ve always had my doubts about the healthy way of life. ———————— *Boere - SA slang for police **zol is SA slang for weed
17.
Veraaiers 02:20

about

RR^26
Original LP liner notes:

Credit card
KS3 completed at Shifty in October 1986
a big thank you to Chris Cutler and Lloyd Ross
Vinyl cut by Tim Young CBS London
pressed by State Tune

cover by Umhlanga Roxx
printed by James Upton

Ian Herman played drums on Healthy Way, Underground, Maids Day Off and Teargas
Karen Jerg sang on Houghton Parents
Peter Morris played soprano sax on Maids Day Off
Brother Graeme vague piano on Maids Day Off
Reagans Polyps played pennywhistles on Maids Day Off
Jannie van Tonder played the trombones on Mafeking Road
Weskus van Niekerk played mouth organ on Hoe Ry Dir Boere
original Surfers played on and wrote
Houghton and Fraud City
Hamish Davidson played guitar, sax, arranged brass and chord progression for Houghton and Fraud City.
Brian Rath drummed on Houghton and Fraud City
Sony wrote all the words and played percussion and bass and engineered and recorded and looped everything.
Pat Boone (and his brother Bab) performed on This Land (tapes were smuggled out of the Johannesburg City Hall)
Eugenics Terre Blanch burst into Healthy Way foaming at the mouth dribbling in a wild Bill Adolf rhetoric which I recorded at the Irish/Boer Monument in Brixton Johannesburg.1987
Brent Quinn took us around Mafeking and showed us the stadium which still stands.
Wahwah pedal built by Robert Liesegang
photo on the mine-dumps by Henion Hahn
marimba donated by Neil Zilberg
the first live concert made possible due to the hard work
of people like Kirsten Glandien in DDR
Tim Hodgkinson, Chris Cutler, Maggie Thomas
Thanks to Doug, Shaun, Robyn
and many East-Berliners
Hello Irina
More gratitude Bill Gilonis, Jeremy Nathan and Ivan Kadey Joelle Chesselet, Steve at RRD, Ian Kerkhof, Ade in Amsterdam, Liz, Mark, Donald, Frenk, Christo Doherty, Eva and George in DDR, Khareen Jerg Michelle, Bobble, Gaye, Peter and Janet, Borkowsky Akbar, Matthew Matsuli, Carol, Herman, Max Mfazwhe, and Gabby and Tilly in DDR, Sarah Hills, Rick van Heerden, PHS, Impetus, Cherry Faced Lurches (the teargassed gig)
Matthew Krause and Famous Dead Man an inspiring work.
Insert by Jayalakshmi

credits

released November 11, 1988

composed & produced by Warrick Sony except
Houghton Parents and Fraud City which were written by
Warrick Sony and Hamish Davidson
these were performed by the original Kalahari Surfers band :
Warrick Sony, Brain Rath & Hamish Davidson
-------------
Artwork : Umhlanga Roxx
Drums: Brain Rath and Ian Herman
Guitar, Saxophone, Brass: Hamish Davidson
vocals on Houghton Parents: Karin Jerg
----------------
Pat Boone recorded live in South Africa; the master tapes were found in a disused Video RSA building during a film shoot and used in "This Land"

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Kalahari Surfers South Africa

Warrick Sony is a South African composer, producer, musician and sound designer.
He is the founder and sole permanent member of the Kalahari Surfers. They made politically radical satirical music in 1980s South Africa.

contact / help

Contact Kalahari Surfers

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Kalahari Surfers recommends:

If you like Kalahari Surfers, you may also like: