Arkells – The Ballad of Hugo Chavez

It’s been three weeks since my first Arkells post, and I’m still hooked on the Canadian indie/alt-rock band.  Tonight’s tune, The Ballad of Hugo Chavez, was released as the second single, on April 27, 2009, in support of the band’s debut LP Jackson Square.  The song was selected as the follow-up single to Oh, the Boss Is Coming after winning an online fan-vote.  It took me a while to figure out the chorus line “in the night of the sun”.  After I did some reading on Hugo Chavez, and learned that while in prison he developed a condition that permanently damaged his eyesight, it made much more sense.

Hey hey hey

It was a bad idea, to give me this kind of time
When they said, “your gonna be in solitary confinement”
And while the other inmates are outside lifting bar bells
I’m in an eight by ten, prison cell

but in the night of the sun
Hey hey hey

look the state officials are outside running around
and they’re telling the public that I need to be put down
Washington’s saying emphatically
that i wasn’t doing things democratically

but in the night of the sun
Hey hey hey

It was a bad idea, to give me this kind of time

Related posts:

• Arkells – Blueprint
• Arkells – John Lennon
• Arkells – Pullin’ Punches
• Ox – Burnout
• Bedouin Soundclash- When The Night Feels My Song

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