''Let's Start a War'', or ''Let's Start a War... (Said Maggie One Day)'', is the third album by Scottish punk band
The Exploited
The Exploited are a Scottish punk rock band from Edinburgh, formed in 1978 by Stevie Ross and Terry Buchan, with Buchan soon replaced by his brother Wattie Buchan. They signed to Secret Records in March 1981, , released in 1983 through Pax Records. The title refers to
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
's decision to go to
war over the Falkland Islands in 1982, suggesting that she did so almost on a whim.
The controversial war was fodder for many
protest song
A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for protest and social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre.
...
s in the punk movement. It was reissued on Captain Oi! Records in 2001, which featured three tracks from their ''Rival Leaders'' EP.
Lyrical themes
Being The Exploited's most politically-charged album, the lyrics on the album talk about subjects such as Margaret Thatcher's decision to go to war over the Falkland Islands, anti-war, police-driven riots, war, unemployment and hopelessness.
Despite the album's lyrics questioning the Falklands War, The Exploited later announced on stage at a gig in Argentina that the Falklands were British forever.
[http://www.the-exploited.net/history.htm History of The Exploited, Written by Morat. January 2003. Retrieved 13 August 2017]
Track listing
* All tracks written by Wattie Buchan and
Big John Duncan
John Duncan (born August 14, 1958), better known as Big John Duncan, is a Scottish musician who was the guitarist for the punk band The Exploited during their classic lineup from 1979 to 1984.Strong, Martin C. (2001) ''The Great Metal Discograph ...
,
unless otherwise stated.
Side one
# "Let's Start a War (Said Maggie One Day)" – 3:13
# "Insanity" – 4:19
# "Safe Below" – 2:17
# "Eyes of the Vulture" – 4:01
# "Should We, Can't We" – 1:41
# "Rival Leaders" – 2:43
Side two
# "God Saved the Queen" (Buchan) – 5:43
# "Psycho" – 2:01
# "Kidology" – 2:09
# "False Hopes" (Buchan) – 1:39
# "Another Day to Go Nowhere" (Buchan) – 2:31
# "Wankers" (Buchan) – 2:37
Personnel
;The Exploited
*
Wattie Buchan
Walter David "Wattie" Buchan (born 24 July 1957) is a Scottish punk rock musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the Exploited.
Early life
Buchan was born in Edinburgh on 24 July 1957. He served in the British Army as a soldier prior to ...
– vocals
*
John Duncan – guitar
*Wayne Tyas – bass
*Willie Buchan – drums
;Production
*
Barry Sage
Barry Sage is a British sound engineer and producer, currently living in Santiago, Chile. Sage has worked with a variety of British and Latin American acts, including the Rolling Stones, Boy George, Pet Shop Boys, Nicole and Charly García.
Car ...
and Stewart Picking – engineering, mixing
*Marcus Featherby – producer
*Brian Burrows – sleeve remix
*Mark Brennan – liner notes
*Mixed at Southern Studios
*Recorded at Revolution Studios
*Distributed by Red Rhino and The Cartel
References
1983 albums
The Exploited albums
Captain Oi! Records albums
Cultural depictions of Margaret Thatcher
Songs about Margaret Thatcher
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