Where the Hammer Swings

(Intro) Yeah… 1944, the world at war, China caught between the rich and the poor Red banners rise, rifles in hand, But what’s real? What’s the plan? Let’s go (Verse) They sent Koji out with the Dixie crew, Dropped in the hills where the sky burns blue. Hot winds blow through the Loess Plateau, 没有豪宅，耕作不停在高坡。 Marching through dust, through hills scarred by war 无丝绸长袍，无富贵奢侈， 唯有破衣残衫遮体， 临时墙房挡风遮雨。 仍握双拳，誓不倒下。 KMT sittin’ back in Chongqing town, While the Reds move forward, 从不后退，永不倒 Koji walks through the village square, Sees young kids learnin’ to read right there. Mao up front, speakin’ real slow, Talkin’ revolution with a steady flow. Chou En-lai got the master plan, Building up power with a calloused hand. (Chorus) Red stars burn through the endless night History turnes, and the old world dies No more masters, no more kings, Power belongs where the hammer swings (Verse 2) Stepped through the gates of the prison yard, Saw men who once fought, now battle-scarred. Japanese troops who were taught to hate, Now they sit in the camp, learnin’ a new way. Nosaka speakin’, 心がひっくり返される、 拷問なく、ただ別の幕が上がる。 知識で砕き、信念を語る。 Make ‘em believe they were fightin’ for frauds, not gods. (Chorus) Red stars burn through the endless night History turns, and the old world dies No more masters, no more kings, Power belongs where the hammer swings (Verse) Chiang Kai-shek sittin’ back in the shade, While his troops loot cities, gettin’ paid. Weapons roll in from across the sea, But the frontline troops got nothing to see. Chou En-lai got the master plan, Building up power with a calloused hand. (Chorus) Koji writes letters, sends them back, Tellin’ U.S. brass ‘bout the real attack. Chiang’s got dollars, Chiang’s got tanks, But his rule’s like a house that’s missin’ planks. Mao got farmers, Mao got schools, Makin’ the warlords look like fools. (Chorus) Red stars burn through the endless night History turns, and the old world dies No more masters, no more kings, Power belongs where the hammer swings (verse) Nineteen months in Yenan’s dust, Where the soldiers fought for the people’s trust. War ain’t just bullets, war’s in the mind, Koji saw a future, his own mind refined Red stars burn A red dawn rises Red stars burn Red stars burn A red dawn rises Red stars burn A red dawn rises Red stars burn A red dawn rises Red stars burn A red dawn rises Red stars burn A red dawn rises Red stars burn A red dawn rises Red stars burn A red dawn rises