SPIDERHOLES
Written February 2004
One of the latest in the Willie anthology. Quite obviously, this song is inspired by the capture of Saddam Hussein. And, while I'm not pleading for mercy on his behalf, I thought it'd be interesting to write a song that was lyrically from what I imagined as his point of view, no doubt tired, scared, and weak from months of hiding. The photos of Saddam after his capture didn't really show me a merciless monster; more like a weary old man with sad, dying eyes, knowing full well that his days have been numbered. That made me think about what the reaction would be if, in his most vulnerable moment, he saw the error of his ways, and made a teary-eyed apology for all of his misdoings. Naturally, I guessed, people would still call for his head. But, even still, I have to wonder who among us would be able to forgive a man so menacing and threatening if he were to raise the white flag, as it were.

After even more thinking, I came to the conclusion that it doesn't fucking matter what happens to Saddam. There's always a new menace waiting in the wings. We can put Saddam Hussein to death for his crimes against humanity, but it won't keep these crimes from happening again.

******

I'm fucking tired
Don't want to run no more
What am I hiding for?
Don't I know the war is over?
Hello out there
Don't shoot, I'm coming out
My time is running out
And I want to live for just a little while

The hands of time, they can't be shook
And I can't give back the things I took

So I surrender
I give in to your power
Here in my weakest hour
Looks like you caught me cowering

There's no forgiveness in your eyes
I need to atone for all of my lies

I don't expect your sympathy here
At least, I don't expect it to be sincere
When you're as hated as I
Nobody cries

I'm fucking sorry
But that's not good enough
You'll gladly call my bluff
Be it truth or fable
Hello out there
We're off the air
And you wouldn't care
But the war is over now

And when they shoot me, it's just the death of a menace
A sigh of relief, breathing life to the campaign
When you see me, I'm just another dead menace
A martyr to keep you safe from the terror reign
Until the cycle begins again...

The war is never over...