The Birmingham Six Lyrics - Chumbawamba

Birmingham, 1974, there occurred a bloody murder 

Twenty-one people killed by bombs, Britain reeled in horror 

Within three hours the British State found the first available scapegoats-- 

Five Irish men bound for Belfast, about to board the boat 

And this is their story, very sad, but true 

Of how six men were falsely imprisoned for something they didn't do 

And if any should say, "British justice is the very best in the world" 

Tell them, "Well of course it is, for the vested interests it serves" 

The men were taken to Morkham to be tested for explosives 

Tests which have since proved ambiguous but were at the time held as conclusive 

One scientists' word was sufficient to condemn the Irish men 

Like vultures the police moved in to begin interrogations 

In the circumstances how well do you think the men's rights were observed? 

The cops thought they had the bombers; do you think they kept their judgement reserved? 

Does 'innocent till proven guilty' have any meaning at all 

When you're alone in a police house surrounded by cops being kicked around like a ball 

In a dark windowless room half a dozen detectives were waiting 

Billy Power was thrown in, the serious questions about to begin 

He was kicked and hit and punched from all sides, spread-eagled against the wall 

They kicked him and hit him again, a voice from the dark said, "Stretch his balls" 

Soon after, poor Billy surrendered, screamed, "I'll tell you anything you want me to say" 

Sat in his own excretia, he could hardly speak he remained in a daze 

Whilst cops compiled his statement of how he planted the bombs 

They threatened him with the treatment again so Billy signed a confession 

Thursday night became Friday night, the five men were took back to Birmingham 

The threats and the violence continued--a taste of what was to come 

Deprived of food and sleep, all part of procedure to break the men 

Johnny Walker blacked out twice; they untied his hands while he signed his confession 

And Richard McIlkenny was threatened with a gun 

The cop said it was OK to shoot him, that the home officer'd given permission 

The cop asked him if he was going to sign, put the gun against his head 

Playing Russian roulette with a blank; when he banged McIlkenny thought he was dead 

Hugh Callaghan, a sixth man, was picked up in Berm and tortured 

He, too, hadn't done it but they made him sign a confession to mass murder 

Six men kept in isolation no contact with each other 

And it weren't until Monday morning that they each got a duty solicitor 

Still separate each unbuttoned his shirt to show how he'd been beaten up 

The solicitors, filling in legal aid forms, said there wasn't time and refused to look 

The only obvious injury, Johnny Walker's black eye in court that day 

When he tried to unbotton his shirt all the majistrates said, "Let's take him away" 

Leland workers staged a walkout, their banners read "Hang the IRA" 

The labor government empowered at the time rushed through the PTA 

In their war on the Irish people the British wanted vengeance 

Despite glaring omissions in the so-called confessions the six men hadn't a chance 

The judge dismissed their claims, said it would've meant there'd been a conspiracy 

Between fifteen officers from two different forces, as if it was an impossibility 

The police in fact became heroes, got their promotion and victory medals 

The six men got life imprisonment and fifteen years on they're still in jail 

The men protested their innocence but it fell mainly on deaf ears 

They wanted to bring the policemen to trial, the appeal took seven years 

Lord Denning dismissed their case out of hand, saying "These actions cannot go on" 

What he really meant was the State machine could never admit it's done wrong 

Another six years, another appeal, another set of judiciary 

To uphold the original convictions as safe and satisfactory 

For if it ever gets out that the State judges wrong, well what would people say? 

We'd say, "We know who are real enemies are now", and we'd form our own IRA 

Oh let me tell a story, very sad, but true 

Of how six men were falsely imprisoned for something they didn't do 

And if any should say, "British justice is the very best in the world" 

Tell them, "Well of course it is, for the vested interests it serves" 

For as long as we remain ignorant they'll fight their war against Ireland 

For as long as we remain silent they'll imprison any they want 

For as long as we keep our eyes shut they'll continue to contain us 

For as long as we remain passive they'll trample us into the dust 

Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Hill, Richard McIlkenny, Johnny Walker, Gerry Hunter, and Billy Power 

Still fighting for their freedom fifteen long years on 

Their spirits shall remain when our State is dead 

When our State is dead 

When our State is dead and gone