Dunn released several full-length albums of recorded music including Willie Dunn (1971), The Pacific (1980) and Metallic (1999), the latter reprising material from both earlier releases. Dunn also composed the song, "Son of the Sun", which Kashtin recorded on their second album Innu. In 2004 Dunn released the album Son of the Sun with sixteen songs (including three live versions).
I Pity The Country
Willie Dunn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pity the state
And the mind of a man
Who thrives on hate.
Small are the lives
Of cheats and of liars
Of Bigoted newspress
Deception annoys me
Deception destroys me
The Bill of rights throws me
Jails they all know me
Frustrated are churchmen
The saving-of-soul men
The Tinker the tailor
The Colonial governor
They pull and they paw me
They're seeking to draw me
Away from the roundness
of the life
Instrumental Break:
Silly Civil Servants
They thrive off my body
Their trip is with power
Back bacon and welfare
Police they arrest me
Materialists detest me
Pollution it chokes me
Movies they joke me
Politicians exploit me
City life it jades me
Hudson's Bay fleeces me
Hunting laws freak me
Government is bumbling
Revolution is rumbling
To be ruled in impunity
Is tradition continuity
I pity the country
I pity the state
And the mind of a man
Who thrives on hate
Willie Dunn's "I Pity The Country" is a song that criticizes the society for their current state of being. The song begins with the lyrics, "I pity the country, I pity the state," which express the singer's sympathy for the current situation of the society he belongs to. He then goes on to criticize people who thrive on hate, emphasizing how their small lives are filled with cheating and deceit, and how they are fueled by fascist propaganda. He expresses his disgust at how the churchmen, the colonial governor, and others seek to control and dictate his life, forcing him away from the freedom of life that he desires.
The song then highlights the various issues that the singer observes in society, such as the corrupt civil servants, the exploitation of power by politicians, the choking pollution, and the hunting laws that curb freedom. The composer expresses his frustration with the lack of change and evolution within the society, emphasizing that the government is bumbling and that revolution is necessary to break away from the tradition of being ruled with impunity.
"I Pity The Country" is a powerful musical critique of society, showcasing how the singer passionately expresses his thoughts on various social issues. The song acts as a call to action, urging people to take a stand against the current state of affairs.
Line by Line Meaning
I pity the country
I feel great sorrow for the country
I pity the state
I feel great sorrow for the state
And the mind of a man
And the way some people think
Who thrives on hate.
Who finds joy in hatred.
Small are the lives
The lives of some are barely worth living
Of cheats and of liars
Those who deceive and lie
Of Bigoted newspress
Newspapers that express prejudiced views
Fascist town criers
People who spread fascist ideas
Deception annoys me
I am annoyed by deception
Deception destroys me
Deception is harmful to me
The Bill of rights throws me
I am upset by violations of the Bill of Rights
Jails they all know me
I have been to jail often
Frustrated are churchmen
Churchmen are frustrated
The saving-of-soul men
People trying to save souls
The Tinker the tailor
People of all walks of life
The Colonial governor
The governor of the colony
They pull and they paw me
They try to influence me
They're seeking to draw me
They're trying to persuade me
Away from the roundness
Away from the completeness
of the life
Of a fulfilling life
Silly Civil Servants
Stupid civil servants
They thrive off my body
They benefit from me
Their trip is with power
They're focused on exerting their power
Back bacon and welfare
Canadian bacon and welfare programs
Police they arrest me
The police arrest me
Materialists detest me
Materialistic people hate me
Pollution it chokes me
Pollution is suffocating me
Movies they joke me
Movies make fun of me
Politicians exploit me
Politicians take advantage of me
City life it jades me
City life tires me
Hudson's Bay fleeces me
The Hudson's Bay Company takes advantage of me
Hunting laws freak me
I'm upset by hunting laws
Government is bumbling
The government is inefficient
Revolution is rumbling
A revolution is brewing
To be ruled in impunity
To be ruled without accountability
Is tradition continuity
Is a continuation of the current situation, which is problematic
I pity the country
I feel great sorrow for the country
I pity the state
I feel great sorrow for the state
And the mind of a man
And the way some people think
Who thrives on hate.
Who finds joy in hatred.
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robertcarroll3340
A truth teller always with great songs of the heart of mankind.✌️
@owenmcmahon2420
This was played on Radio New Zealand today. Wonderful in every respect. I had never heard of Willie Dunn before and feel ashamed of my ignorance. I find that so many of my heroes have passed from this earth before I have learned of them.
@susanlingle6668
I live in Canada and only heard Willie Dunn about a month ago. Why didn't we hear him during the 70's? (I did live in the U.S. as a kid, so perhaps it was played more in Canada. But with those lyrics and voice, we all should have heard him.) Did you listen to the Ballad of Crowfoot, with pictures sewn together as a video. Incredibly sad, and incredibly beautiful, but so sad.
@owenmcmahon2420
@@susanlingle6668 yes I did listen to Ballad of Crowfoot, and it is both beautiful and sad.
@philmckay9973
@@susanlingle6668 i remember his songs. 60s 70s had so much bubbling up….we canadians threw much of it aside.
@andrexadoh
@@susanlingle6668 He was not heard of because his political message was clearly not something European Canadians wanted to hear. He had revolutionary messages about the treatment of indigenous people. Considering indigenous children were still being tortured in residential schools and hidden from the rest of society, in addition to the start of the Red Power movement in North America, it was not convenient for someone like Willie Dunn to be more popularized.
@tical523
@@andrexadohuhhhhh a lot of music exposed inequality. Neil Young was hugely popular along with many others. Sometimes good music doesn’t make it big for many reasons.
@shaundepasquale9883
American Gladiators sent me here...what a hidden gem this is
@tomgraham8468
I heard this song on the CBC today. It's as relevant today as it was in 1971.
@davidfleishman2275
I finally heard this song on CBC Reclaimed today.Great song.