Never to Be Next (Au suivant)

Wholely naked

My my worn towel serving as loin cloth

Face turned red

Hands clutching at soap and froth

(Next, next)

I was barely 20

And we were over 100

Being the followers of the one who led

(Next, next)

I was still 20

When my innocense was revealed

In a mobile brothel of an army

In the field

(Next, next)

Maybe I would have liked

A little touch of tenderness

Maybe a word

Or maybe a caress

But no

(Next, next)

It was not Waterloo

And it was not Arcole

It was the moment

When I regreted missing school

(Next, next)

But I swear on hearing that sergeant

Who was not worth tuppence

It was a dirty trick that

God made his armies of impotence

(Next, next)

I swear by the head

Of my first bout of syphillis

It's that voice

That voice that sticks like a fist

(Next, next)

That voice that stinks of garlic

Foul drink and crud

It's the voice of nations

And the voice of blood

(Next, next)

And since then

Each woman in the heat

Of succumbing in my skinny arms

Seems to be murmering

Next, next

Next deary, next sonny

All the followers of the world

Would hold each others hand

For in my delirium, well I scream and demand

He's next....well I'm not delirious

I act as a reasoner

Say, it's more humiliating to be the followed

Than the follower

(Next, next, next, next)

One day I'll cut my legs off

Or even become a nun

I'll hang anything

So long as I'm not anyone

Never to be next

Never to be next

Never to be next

Next, next

Please don't pick me next

Never to be next

I want never...never...never....never....never....never to be next