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Songs From The Before Times​.​.​.​& Some More

by Boom Boom Racoon

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1.
When we need a piece of paper we take it from the bank When we need a ballpoint pen we take it from the bank When we need an envelope we take it from the bank When we need some Sellotape... We ask them at the post office We don't buy stationary (NO! NO!) 'Cause it's not necessary If you go to the bank they'll give you that shit for free! We don't buy stationary (NO! NO!) 'Cause it's not necessary If you go to the bank they'll give you that shit for freeeeeee! They steal from us everyday They owe us more than stationary They steal from us everyday They owe us more than stationary They steal from us everyday They owe us more than stationary They steal from us everyday So do the Royal Mail... Ask our lovely friends in Slack Bird We don't buy stationary (NO! NO!) 'Cause it's not necessary If you go to the bank they'll give you that shit for free! We don't buy stationary (NO! NO!) 'Cause it's not necessary If you go to the bank they'll give you that shit for freeeeeee!
2.
When you're feeling down and lacking in your energy It's turbo mocha time, yeah turbo mocha time When the weight of everything has left you feeling bed ridden It's turbo mocha time, you know it's turbo mocha time! Seven shots of rum and the same amount of strong coffee That's turbo mocha time, yeah turbo mocha time A table spoon of sugar and another one of cocoa please It's turbo mocha time, you know it's turbo mocha time It's turbo mocha time! It gets you drunk and it tastes divine Yeah turbo mocha time! Drink that drink and feel sublime I do not drink coffee, can I have a rooibos please? That's turbo rooibos time, turbo choco-rooibos time Can I have two sugars please because this tea is caffeine free? I'm way ahead of you, this drink has extra rum in too It's turbo rooibos time! Still gets you drunk and it tastes divine Yeah turbo choco-rooibos time! Drink that drink and feel sublime When it's time to sleep Sunday before your working week Your turbo mocha times are something you must leave behind Unless you quit your job, stop paying rent and find a squat Then it's turbo mocha time nine to five and five to nine! Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA! Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA! Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA! Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA! We drink this drink to fuel everything we do From having lots of fun to activism too Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA! Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA! Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA! Barista! Barista! ANTIFASCISTA!
3.
The world that we live in for so many unforgiving And not just for the ones who're physically in cages Segregation separates the nation That's how it is and how it's been for ages It's even worse on a global scale Government agendas telling people how to feel If we blame those that've crossed the borders Then we're never gonna fight against law and order STATES AND NATIONS and the borders in between Created by the people who sit pretty at the top Freedom of movement is what we really need To gain the strength as one to fight the common enemy NATION STATES AND every border in-between Created by the people who sit pretty at the top Freedom of movement is what we really need To gain the strength as one to fight the common enemy Those in power don't represent me And I despise all the lines they draw Sovereign states seem so archaic SMASH THE BORDERS we don't need them any more STATES AND NATIONS and the borders in between Created by the people who sit pretty at the top Freedom of movement is what we really need To gain the strength as one to fight the common enemy NATION STATES AND every border in-between Created by the people who sit pretty at the top Freedom of movement is what we really need To gain the strength as one to fight the common enemy The world that we live in for so many unforgiving And not just for the ones who're physically in cages Segregation separates the nation That's how it is and how it's been for ages It's even worse on a global scale Government agendas telling people how to feel If we blame those that've crossed the borders Then we're never gonna fight against law and order States and nations and the borders in between Created by the people who sit pretty at the top Freedom of movement is what we really need To gain the strength as one to fight the common enemy NATION STATES AND every border in-between Created by the people who sit pretty at the top Freedom of movement is what we really need To gain the strength as one to fight the common enemy Those most privileged can cross the borders They're only barriers for the poorer Those most privileged can cross the borders They're only barriers for the poorer Those most privileged can cross the borders They're only barriers for the poorer
4.
Cages 03:59
Animals are clothing, animals are food Animals allowed to live only if they're cute And only in the kinda way where we dictate and they obey That's how they're seen today Animals commodified live out their lives in cages Genetically they're modified, matured at younger ages Profit is the bottom line, that's how it's been for ages The cost of life is getting pretty low THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE Animals have feelings too and you know it's the truth Animals cannot consent to testing out our drugs The effects of which are rarely the same they are for us This practise is compulsory, for our health they will bleed The illness that we have is further fed There should not be a word for living beings with a cost Yet livestock is a word that's used by too many of us Why the hells should we decided which creatures live and which ones die? Every creature has the right to life THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE Animals have feelings too and you know it's the truth You scrimp and you save and you work all day You earn a tiny fraction of the money made But you've gotta keep on working, yeah you've gotta get paid That's how it is today The bosses in the office, the grim reaper in disguise Spend their hours counting profits while the death tolls rise Propaganda and deception, a smokescreen for their lies That's just the game they play Separate and segregate, create a lower class Perpetuate the rhetoric that what is our's is our's National identity don't really make much sense to me But that's how they keep control Problems of another country aren't our's to get involved Unless there's opportunities for minerals and gold Labour is preferable when workforce is disposable The cost of life is getting pretty low THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE Humans are animals too, open up the borders THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE Humans are animals too, open up the borders THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE Humans are animals too, open up the borders We're all in cages We're all in cages We're all in cages We're all in cages WE'RE ALL IN CAGES! WE'RE ALL IN CAGES! WE'RE ALL IN CAGES! Lock by economics, revolution is the key
5.
Living in the anthropocene, and it’s 200 and something 66 million years since dinosaurs were walking here Reputation was pretty mean, but Kept the planet nice and clean Then from the sky a big surprise Dinos said their last good... Bye bye plants and fauna, even though we cant really afford to lose you, We’re still gonna abuse you Bye bye plants and fauna Turn the planet into a sauna, We’ll miss you, Are you gonna miss us too? Go to school and study history From dinosaurs to the birth of industry Learn about “Man great creations”! But never about the consequences Pumping coal into the sky Learning how to make things fly Human progress aint it great All these shiny things to…. Bye bye plants and fauna, even though we cant really afford to lose you, We’re still gonna abuse you Bye bye plants and fauna Turn the planet into a sauna, We’ll miss you, Are you gonna miss us too? Politicians pretend to care, tell us, They'll do their fair share, but When it comes to big decisions, Like, granting new fracking permissions The only ones they care about Are their mates and their bank accounts Local democracy in tatters Real change feels so hard to come ….. Bye bye plants and fauna, even though we cant really afford to lose you, We’re still gonna abuse you Bye bye plants and fauna Turn the planet into a sauna, We’ll miss you, Are you gonna miss us too? Kent police waffle on Reclaim The Power’s answer phone whilst looking for a protest in the wrong county Bye bye plants and fauna, even though we cant really afford to lose you, We’re still gonna abuse you Bye bye plants and fauna Turn the planet into a sauna, We’ll miss you, Are you gonna miss us too? Burning fuels to feed our addiction Heading to a new mass extinction Its bleak but don’t despair There's things to do if you really care so , grab your friends and raise a banner Stop that truck and do a lock on Our movements are winning battles This might not be our final good… Bye bye plants and fauna, even though we cant really afford to lose you, We’re still gonna abuse you Bye bye plants and fauna Turn the planet into a sauna, We’ll miss you, Are you gonna miss us too?
6.
Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen... COVID 19!!! We don't mind if you smell or if you're dirty You've gotta understand that this virus can't be seen, though So wash your hands for twenty seconds, maybe thirty We promise that we won't say that you're a cleano! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! I know it's fun to fiddle with your lip ring I do it all the time, yeah, I fiddle with my lip ring You've really gotta stop fiddling with your lip ring Ah rats! I've done it again! I've fiddled with my lip ring! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! If like me you're struggling not to touch your face Try occupying your hands by playing your guitar... Or your bass! Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Don't touch your face! Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Don't touch your face! Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Don't touch your face! Wash your hands! Wash your hands! Wash your hands and do not touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! Wash your hands don't touch your face! WASH YOUR HANDS AND DO NOT TOUCH YOUR... WASH YOUR HANDS AND DO NOT TOUCH YOUR... WASH YOUR HANDS AND DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE! PLAY THE BASS!
7.
Prisons 03:41
We incarcerate the people that have fallen through the gaps Of this broken system, stuck in the traps of the laws that were built to keep 'their kind' away Boop bee doo bee doo boop It's just another opportunity to destroy the communities of certain groups, while handing impunity. To rich white men, who're the ones that are usually Causing all the harm. These cages won't keep our streets safe, When the violence comes from the hands of the state How can locking someone in a cage Ever bring about positive change These cages won't keep our streets safe, When the violence comes from the hands of the state We don't need reform, we need abolition Build communities, burn the prisons Prisons have always failed from the start of it Rehabilitation was never at the heart of it It's all about punishments, not about justice Locking people up will always be destructive But we keep on ploughing on with this system Crime rates haven't dropped, in fact they've risen So what do they do? They build more prisons, and create new laws so that they can fill them These cages won't keep our streets safe, When the violence comes from the hands of the state How can locking someone in a cage Ever bring about positive change These cages won't keep our streets safe, When the violence comes from the hands of the state We don't need reform, we need abolition Build communities, burn the prisons But does this really work in all cases? What about keeping us safe from the rapists? What about keeping crime off our streets? Don't we need prisons for that at least? Rape cases see few arrests and convictions Never focus on actually supporting the victims The majority of street crime's routed in inequality And just a product of our racist economy These cages won't keep our streets safe, When the violence comes from the hands of the state How can locking someone in a cage Ever bring about positive change These cages won't keep our streets safe, When the violence comes from the hands of the state We don't need reform, we need abolition Build communities, burn the prisons There's racism every step of the way From the courts to the judges that put people away, The teachers and the schools and the welfare systems The cops and the juries and the guards in the prison This system's rigged and it's in my favour I'm less likely to be caught out for my behaviour To be stopped and searched, arrested or served time, Than my black counter part would for the same crime We need to tear down these walls and create a system That doesn't profit from destruction and create decision We need to tear down these walls They won't tear down themselves We don't want your cops, your laws, your courts, your prisons!
8.
There's palm oil in the food that I buy I put diesel in the van that I drive And there's privilege in the pigments of my skin and the country that I happen to be born in There's rare earth metals in my phone that are mined by children in a conflict zone Slavery's stitched in the clothes that I wear And the pockets of the benefiting billionaires. I put money in the hands of my enemies as I try to live ethically There's no such thing as ethical consumption under this capitalist system that we live in. But they'll sell you the dream that you have a choice, But voting with your wallet won't give you a voice. Playing at their game just isn't going to stop it, We need to put people over profits. There's 7 types of vegan cheese in Tescos, But they've closed all the local shops on my road. And these white washed lessons of history hide the colonial horrors of my tea. This avocado somewhere down the line Is funding a war on Palestine And this blood on my hands I'll wash away, With microplastics that go down the drain. I put money in the hands of my enemies as I try to live ethically There's no such thing as ethical consumption under this capitalist system that we live in. But they'll sell you the dream that you have a choice, But voting with your wallet won't give you a voice. Playing at their game just isn't going to stop it, We need to put people over profits. It doesn't really matter what brand you choose, 'cos everything's controlled by just a few People at the top that own it all And don't seem to give a shit at all They own the papers and their stories And they'll gladly fund the Tories With a big campaign donation So they can rewrite legislation. I put money in the hands of my enemies as I try to live ethically There's no such thing as ethical consumption under this capitalist system that we live in. But they'll sell you the dream that you have a choice, But voting with your wallet won't give you a voice. Playing at their game just isn't going to stop it, We need to put people over profits. But please don't be defeated by this, 'cos it's ethical consumption when you eat the rich We'll share out the land and share out the crops And tomorrow for breakfast we can eat the cops
9.
Off we go, to find some wood, resourceful as we are This will do great, and it's free to take I just wish it wasn't so far But we load up our bikes and pull bungies tight And turn around to make our way When from nowhere some man appears “You got a boyfriend” he says Within a minute he has got us cornered Strong advances and familiar questions Are you gay or bi or what he spits Now he wants a threesome freaky creepy piece of shit Well what do you expect when you look like that, And you dress like that, and do DIY in public! Well just to be, left the fuck alone Would that be so hard you shit head?! Later that night we park the van And get to sawing outside It isn’t neat and it isn’t straight Scrappy ska-punk DIY But before we can finish The dreaded happens And we are spotted by a guy Come over here and look at this lads “There’s women doing DIY”?! Well what do you expect when you look like that, And you dress like that, and do DIY in public! Well just to be, left the fuck alone Would that be so hard you shit head?! We finish up quick and just as we hope we might make it inside in time Over comes another bloke To see this DIY But we’ve stepped outside our gender roles And it’s too much of a trigger He decides it’s time to assert control With his head through the wing mirror Oh Ashley what did you do that for? What were you trying to prove? You silly boy… You grab your head, Dazed and confused You’ve gone and hurt yourself Well what do you expect when you think like that And when you act like that I hope you wake up with a headache Now just leave us The fuck alone Would that be so hard you shit head!?

about

Do you remember when gigs used to happen all the time? Do you remember bashing shoulders with strangers as you danced and swayed to your favourite tunes? Do you remember the before times?... We do!

Originally we had planned to record a full length second album with friends in Hamburg back in March 2020. It was gonna be fat and tasty like your favourite takeaway pizza or a massive fry up...

The pandemic, however, had other ideas and forced us to return to the UK just days before recording was due to start. Having spent the last year and a bit since then barely able to see each other we'd become increasingly keen to release what were becoming, to us, increasingly old songs. Throw in a handful of new songs written about current events and it became clear that we needed to take the first opportunity we could to lock ourselves in a room for a few days, gaffa tape some microphones to various things that were about the height of mic stands and see what happened.

This album isn't as comprehensive as a decent fry up and it's not as carefully crafted as a bougie pizza. We feel it's a decent snack for your ears, though :) and plan to re-record a lot of the songs along with some other ones when we finally do get around to making a properly slick studio album.

A massive thank you to everyone who's helped us, personally and collectively, to navigate the difficulties of the last year and a bit. We love you so much and hope you can find some joy in the music we've made <3

credits

released May 6, 2021

All songs performed and recorded by Boom Boom Racoon.

Mixing by Ivo Johansen and Chris Fishlock.

Album artwork by Sarah Bland.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Special thanks to Olly from Invincible Pigs and Bridget from Viva Zapata! They enabled the recording of this album when all of our gear started breaking by respectively lending us a mixing desk and gifting us a bass guitar. Check out the beautiful music they create here:
invinciblepigs.bandcamp.com
vivazapatauk.bandcamp.com

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Boom Boom Racoon Bristol, UK

All queer, anarcho-acoustic, DIY ska punk!

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