The Best Country in the World Songtext
von Grace Petrie

In my primary school assembly, I sang with folded hands
Of green and pleasant lands where I was made
Now my autumn years approach me, my home′s still England's soil
These days how I recoil from the parade

As we turn from compassion, leave our fellows out to die
Oh, who will slay the dragon of the me, myself, and I?
I don′t know how it happened, and I'll never work out why
We consented for to lie down in this grave
We consented for to lie down in this grave

But I won't sing (sing), I won′t cheer every blunder
As they steer us toward the thunder, with our banners all unfurled
I won′t sing (sing), I won't raise my voice in wonder
Serenade as we go under, "The best country in the world"

Now we′re ex-Europeans, oh how sweet the hard-won freedoms
To turn desperate human beings from our shores without delay
And when school term is over, what's 10,000 odd Land Rovers
Queueing at the cliffs of Dover, but a price we′re glad to pay


We must keep all for ourselves, our empty supermarket shelves
Our overcrowded prison cells, our classrooms crumbling to bits
Striking doctors, striking teachers and no railway lines to reach us
We would fight them on the beaches, but the beach is full of shit
But the beach is full of shit

So I won't sing (sing), I won′t cheer every blunder
As they steer us toward the thunder, with our banners all unfurled
I won't sing (sing), I won't raise my voice in wonder
Serenade as we go under, "The best country in the world"

Oh, three cheers for the drivers, we are science deniers
Surely petrol will supply us, when East Anglia′s submerged
Dig for coal, dig for victory, and if that sounds contradictory
To our goals for 2050, well, we never meant a word

The lungs of London′s boys and girls are filling up with poison
As the oceans slowly boils and we expand the motorway
Oh, you old fool Britannia, can you be so cruel, Britannia?
Bow to fossil fuel, Britannia, it's your children who will pay
It′s your children who will pay

So I won't sing (sing), I won′t cheer every blunder
As they steer us toward the thunder with our banners all unfurled
I won't sing (sing), I won′t raise my voice in wonder
Serenade as we go under, "The best country in the world"
The best country in the world


So don't sell me a story of a land of hope and glory
Well, this land was broke by Tories with their hands inside the till
And if you want me patriotic, put the people over profit
But while they're getting richer off it
They never, they never ever will

So let′s hear you sing (raise up your voice and let them)
For every balls-up and blunder (hear you rejoicing)
As we sail into the thunder (as we drink down the poison)
If it′s all that we deserve (as we waste away)

So let's hear you sing (raise up your voice and let them)
All the world will watch in wonder (hear you rejoicing)
As we tear ourselves asunder (as we drink down the poison)
Never after to be heard (as we waste away)

Let′s hear you sing (raise up the banners)
Won't you smile for the cameras?
And you mind your fucking manners
As the storm begins to surge (as we waste away)

Let′s hear you sing (raise up the banners)
Like an ancient demon church choir (as you smile for the cameras)
As you're fleeing from the wildfire (and you mind out your manners)
With these rotten bones of empire (and all history will damn us)

Etched forever (as we sing) with the words
"The best country in the world"