El Salvador

Peter, Paul and Mary

About El Salvador

"El Salvador" is a 1982 protest song about United States involvement in the Salvadoran Civil War, written by Noel Paul Stookey and performed by Peter, Paul and Mary. The song originally appeared on the 1986 album No Easy Walk To Freedom. It was included on the 1999 compilation album Songs of Conscience and Concern and as part of a 25th anniversary concert in New York's Greenwich Village at The Bitter End.


Year:
1986
4:36
856 
#1

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There's a sunny little country south of Mexico
Where the winds are gentle and the waters flow
But breezes aren't the only things that blow
In El Salvador

If you took the little lady for a moonlight drive
Odds are still good you'd come back alive
But everyone is innocent until they arrive
In El Salvador

If the rebels take a bus on the grand highway
The government destroys a village miles away
The man on the radio says 'now we'll play South of the Border'
And in the morning the natives say,
We're happy you have lived another day
Last night a thousand more passed away
In El Salvador

There's a television crew here from ABC
Filming Rio Lempe and the refugees
Calling murdered children the 'tragedy'
Of El Salvador

Before the government cameras 20 feet away
Another man is asking for continued aid
Food and medicine and hand grenades
For El Salvador

There's a thump, a rumble, and the buildings sway
A soldier fires the acid spray
The public address system starts to play South of the Border
You run for cover and hide your eyes
You hear the screams from paradise
They've fallen further than you realize
In El Salvador

Just like Poland is 'protected' by her Russian friends
The junta is 'assisted' by Americans
And if 60 million dollars seems too much to spend
In El Salvador

They say for half a billion they could do it right
Bomb all day, burn all night
Until there's not a living thing upright
In El Salvador

They'll continue training troops in the USA
And watch the nuns that got away
And teach the military bands to play South of the Bo

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Peter, Paul and Mary

Peter, Paul and Mary were a US folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers. After the death of Mary Travers in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform as a duo under their individual names. more »

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Written by: JIM WALLIS, NOEL PAUL STOOKEY

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Genre classification
"El Salvador" by Peter, Paul and Mary falls into the folk genre.
Background Inspiration
The song was inspired by the military turmoil and human rights violations happening in El Salvador during the 1980s. The song carries a strong message against warfare and violence.
Message Classification
The lyrics of "El Salvador" were classified as protest lyrics, as the song criticizes then-current events of political injustice and violence in El Salvador.
Album Information
"El Salvador" is included in the album “No Easy Walk to Freedom," which was released in September 1986.
Artist Background
Peter, Paul and Mary were known for their socially conscious and protest music during the 1960s and beyond. With "El Salvador," they continued this tradition well into the 1980s.
Composition Feature
The song features harmonized vocals, a hallmark of Peter, Paul and Mary's music.
Performance Fact
"El Salvador" was regularly performed at Peter, Paul and Mary concerts, showcasing their commitment to raising awareness about global issues.
Recognition Fact
Although the song wasn't a big commercial hit, it is highly regarded by fans of the trio and folk music enthusiasts for its political message.
Legacy Fact
The song stands as a reminder of the power of music to alert people to the struggles and injustices occurring in different parts of the world.
Fact About Lyrics
The lyrics of "El Salvador" are meant to evoke feelings of empathy and a call to action against the atrocities happening during that time.
Song length
The song has a duration of approximately 2 minutes and 57 seconds.
Recognition in Pop Culture
"El Salvador" by Peter, Paul and Mary is often listed as one of the most poignant protest songs in history.
Notable performance
The song was notably performed at the trio's 25th anniversary concert in 1986.

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