sopa cabana

i was born way back in 1986

i'm an old man now

but i remember how it used to be

any now my grandchildren ask me

grandad they say

can you tell us what it was like

in the days of the internet

you know

before sopa

and i'd tell them

when was that? hmm

let me see

some time back in the early 21st century

i remember when the internet was free

behind my keyboard

people let me be

see

there used to be a thing called freedom of speech

we had freedom to teach each other

freedom to preach

freedom to share culture and circulate ideas

without the state trying to interfere

enter fear

we lost that freedom

not freedom as in free beer

but the freedom to be free from fear

even here

in the united kingdom

the fact that i'm from england

isn't a matter that matters to our new masters and kings

i was a chap who could sing and distribute my music

and like minded citizens could listen to it

i couldn't afford an orchestra

i was a poor performer

in more ways than one so i sought an alternate formula

reinterpreted the media around me

satirized the leaders' lies on found beats

talked shop on top of a sample of a rock band

at least we used to

until rap got banned

at the sopa

sopa cabana

the place where sopa

sopa can ban ya

we're at the sopa

sopa cabana

the place where sopa

sopa can ban ya

you didn't have to act twisted to get your ass blacklisted

just annoy a big business and get fisted

they had a vested interest in congress

if one messed with them

then there'd be one less

our representatives never represented shit

so the internet was history

this was the end of it

i remember it like it was yesterday

i guess that day

i was too lazy to investigate

the escapades of another state's government

now i'm left to pay because the covenant

that they signed that day and ratified in law

zipped our mouths up and took away our appetite for more!

i can't do much now about the way it is

but if i could go back and change things i'd say this

truth is beauty

at least it used to be

and if you disagree with my views

then you can sue me

in the meantime i'll keep using youtube

even if it means that i need to find a new medium

irc

darknets

so digital's down now?

i'll use pigeons and smoke signals