Bruce Cockburn Live . Call It Democracy

”Call it Democracy” is perhaps the only song ever written about the International Monetary Fund, which Cockburn accuses of fostering “insupportable debt” in Third World countries. Typically not pulling any punches, Cockburn charges that the IMF doesn’t “really give a flying fuck about the people in misery.” That earned it a few bleeps on radio and video channels, but no one seemed to notice the chorus, “IMF, dirty MF.” We won’t spell out here what “MF” stands for, but it can easily be imagined.” Padded with power here they come International loan sharks backed by the guns Of market hungry military profiteers Whose word is a swamp and whose brow is smeared With the blood of the poor Who rob life of its quality Who render rage a necessity By turning countries into labour camps Modern slavers in drag as champions of freedom Sinister cynical instrument Who makes the gun into a sacrament — The only response to the deification Of tyranny by so-called “developed” nations’ Idolatry of ideology North South East West Kill the best and buy the rest It’s just spend a buck to make a buck You don’t really give a flying fuck About the people in misery IMF dirty MF Takes away everything it can get Always making certain that there’s one thing left Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt See the paid-off local bottom feeders Passing themselves off as leaders Kiss the ladies shake hands with the fellows Open for business like a cheap bordello And they call it democracy And they call …