Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST

Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD

Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION

Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST

Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS

Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT

Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD

Playlist Covers

Playlist Directory

Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS

Music Video Directory

Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST

Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED

Dork Radio

Live

Live 24/7

Dork Radio

Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

June 2026

Latest issue variants

Dork, June 2026 (Bleachers cover)

Bleachers

Dork, June 2026 (Myles Smith cover)

Myles Smith

Dork, June 2026 (Towa Bird cover)

Towa Bird

|

Privacy Policy|

Cookie settings

© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advertise on this site.

Patti Smith – Where Duty Calls (1988) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
Patti Smith
Dream of Life
Where Duty Calls

TRACK

Where Duty Calls

Release date: 31st May 1988

From Dream of Life

Track 5

7:48

Spotify Apple Music More on Patti Smith

About This Track

"Where Duty Calls" is a track by Patti Smith, from the album Dream of Life, released 31st May 1988. The track is 7:48 long. It's filed under Rock. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about Patti Smith.

About the Artist

Patti Smith

Patti Smith

Lyrics

Where Duty Calls

In a room in Lebanon
They silently slept
They were dreaming crazy dreams
In foreign alphabet
Lucky young boys
Cross on the main
The driver was approaching
The American zone
The waving of hands
The tiniest train
They never dreamed
They'd never wake again

Voice of the Swarm
We follow we fall
Some kneel for priests
Some wail at walls
Flag on a match head
God or the law
And they'll all go together
Where duty calls

United children
Child of Iran
Parallel prayers
Baseball Koran
I'll protect Mama
I'll lie awake
I'll die for Allah
In a holy war
I'll be a ranger
I'll guard the streams
I'll be a soldier
A sleeping Marine

Voice of the Swarm
We follow we fall
Some kneel for priests
Some wail at walls
Flag on a match head
God or the law
And they'll all go together
Where duty calls

In the heart of the ancient
Ali smiles
In the soul of the desert
The sun blooms
Awake
Into the glare of all out little wars
Who pray to return to salute
The coming and dying of the moon
Oh sleeping sun

Assassin in prayer
Laid a compass deep
Exploding dawn
And himself as well
Their eyes for his eyes
Their breath for his breath
All to his end

And a room in Lebanon
Dust of scenes
Erase and blend
May the blanket of Kings
Cover them and him

Forgive them Father
They know not what they do
From the vast portals
Of their consciousness
They're calling to you

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Dream of Life

7:481988

Listen

Album

Track number

5

Release year

1988

1People Have the Power
5:10
2Up There Down There
4:50
3Paths That Cross
4:21
4Dream of Life

Watch the music video

Patti Smith — Where Duty Calls

Patti Smith — Where Duty Calls

Where Duty Calls

More from Patti Smith

Albums & EPs

Another Dimension (Live Los Angeles '76)

Another Dimension (Live Los Angeles '76)

Correspondences 2018-2025

World As Pure (Live)

World As Pure (Live)

Home For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

The Peyote Dance

Mummer Love

Killer Road (A Tribute To Nico)

Explore

More tracks by Patti Smith

Birdland - Alternate Take

Distant Fingers

Break It Up - Alternate Take

Kimberly - Alternate Take

Redondo Beach - Demo

The Hunter Gets Captured by The Game

Gloria: In Excelsis Deo - RCA Demo

Kingdom of LoKhandroma

Chasing The DemonKhandroma

PasoliniCorrespondences 2018-2025

MedeaCorrespondences 2018-2025

People Have the Power (Remix) [Mixed]

Birdland - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady

Blame It on the Sun - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady

Broken Flag - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady

Peaceable Kingdom - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady

One Too Many Mornings - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady

April Fool - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady

Ghost Dance - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady

Knowledge of the Self

Dead CityHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Dancing BarefootHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Redondo BeachHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Don't Say NothingHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Gone AgainHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

My Blakean YearHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

I'm So Lonesome I Could CryHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

WingHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Summer CannibalsHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Free MoneyHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

About A BoyHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Because The NightHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Rockin' In The Free WorldHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

The Declaration Of Independence/Rock N Roll Nigger/GloriaHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Nanda DeviPeradam

Knowledge of the SelfPeradam

Dawn in RishikeshPeradam

Spiritual DeathPeradam

The Four Cardinal TimesPeradam

Hymn To the LiquidPeradam

People Have The PowerHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)

Wing (Music Inspired by the Film Roma)

Una Nota Sobre El PeyoteThe Peyote Dance

View all tracks by Patti Smith →

About A BoyHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)
10:13
April Fool - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady
Because The NightHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)
3:53
Birdland - Alternate Take
Birdland - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady
Blame It on the Sun - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady
Break It Up - Alternate Take
Broken Flag - Recorded At Electric Lady StudiosLive at Electric Lady
Chasing The DemonKhandroma
Dancing BarefootHome For The Holiday (Chicago Broadcast 1998)
5:42

Showing 10 of 50

If you like Patti Smith

PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey

Lou Reed

Lou Reed

Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop

Nico

Nico

Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell

The Stooges

The Stooges

The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground

Marianne Faithfull

Marianne Faithfull

Tori Amos

Tori Amos

Sinéad O'Connor

Sinéad O'Connor

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

READ MORE ABOUT PATTI SMITH

Patti Smith has confirmed European and US tour dates for the 'Horses' 50th anniversary

Patti Smith has confirmed European and US tour dates for the 'Horses' 50th anniversary

The punk icon will play dates across Europe and US cities to celebrate her debut album's 50th anniversary.

14 Feb 2025 • 11:34 am

4:40

5Where Duty Calls

7:48

7Looking for You (I Was)

8The Jackson Song

9As The Night Goes By

Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer: Fred Smith, Patti Smith
Producer: Fred Smith, Jimmy Iovine