Song of Bangladesh

Joan Baez
(Listen to her own rendition in MP3)

Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Bangladesh, Bangladesh
When the sun sinks in the west
Die a million people
  of the Bangla Desh

The story of Bangladesh
Is an ancient one again made fresh
By blind men who 
  carry out commands
Which flow out of the laws 
  upon which a nation stands
Which is to sacrifice a people
  for a land

Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Bangladesh, Bangladesh
When the sun sinks in the west
Die a million people of
  the Bangla Desh

Once again we stand aside
And watch the families crucified
See a teenage mother's
  vacant eyes
As she watches her feeble baby try
To fight the monsoon rains
  and the cholera flies

And the students at the university
Asleep at night quite peacefully
The soldiers came and shot
  them in their beds
And terror took the dorm
  awakening shrieks of dread
And silent frozen forms and
  pillows drenched in red

Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Bangladesh, Bangladesh
When the sun sinks in the west
Die a million people
  of the Bangla Desh

Did you read about
  the army officer's plea
For donor's blood?
  It was given willingly
By boys who took
  the needles in their veins
And from their bodies every
  drop of blood was drained
No time to comprehend
  and there was little pain

And so the story of Bangladesh
Is an ancient one again made fresh
By all who carry out commands
Which flow out of the laws
  upon which nations stand
Which say to sacrifice
  a people for a land

Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Bangladesh, Bangladesh
When the sun sinks in the west
Die a million people
  of the Bangla Desh