The weather this week reminded me of the weather when visiting Ireland. Belfast has a tour of its controversial wall separating the Protestants (Unionists) and Catholics (Nationalists), which you take in an infamous "Black Cab". Black Cabs during the civil rights movement of 1960's in Belfast were recorded in history as being vehicles of destruction, carrying bombs and being bombed during that time period. Nowadays, there isn't much danger there, but the cabbies that take you through the city are very passionate about this moment in history and give a pretty intense tour. There is a connection between the US civil rights movements and the civil rights movements in Ireland, hence the lyric about Martin Luther King.
lyrics
The messages paint the wall that splits the city in two divided parts
They turned an ugly reminder of a bloody past into a work of Art
A message of peace between a black and white increasing gray
the message is vast but it’s continually harder to say
Black cab Belfast
Gates and barbs, burnt out fires
Why does everyone looks the same?
Houses on this side, houses on that
Different only if you ask them their name
Does your life depends on
if you know your neighbor or not
If no the cabby takes you across
the line To visit a gate of hate that time forgot
Black cab Belfast
Many years have come and gone
But a wall remains with a guarded gate
To the sides it’s different as Black and white
to a stranger it’s hard to separate
You can tell by the accent if you’re ears are sharp
Children raised with hate in their hearts
As you watch out a window passing by
Black cab Belfast
Cabby said I’m not taking sides
These are the facts make up your mind
Here’s wall and here’s a fire
And a film of a riot in ‘69
Peace walls Bloody Sunday UVF and IRA
Tit for tat and eye for an eye
And everybody ended up blind
Black cab Belfast
Cease fire campaign
Victory parade
Nationalist
Unionist
Martin Luther king
One man one vote
Gerrymander low road
Police brutality
Questionable morality
Civil rights
Riots fights
Hopes and dreams
War machines
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