Burn Down The Mission
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
© 1970 Dick James Music
You tell me there's an angel in your tree
Did he say he'd come to call on me
For things are getting desperate in our home
Living in the parish of the restless folks I know
Everybody now bring your family down to the riverside
Look to the east to see where the fat stock hide
Behind four walls of stone the rich man sleeps
It's time we put the flame torch to their keep
Burn down the mission
If we're gonna stay alive
Watch the black smoke fly to heaven
See the red flame light the sky
Burn down the mission
Burn it down to stay alive
It's our only chance of living
Take all you need to live inside
Deep in the woods the squirrels are out today
My wife cried when they came to take me away
But what more could I do just to keep her warm
Than burn burn burn burn down the mission walls
Elton John Sources:
- March 1970 Recording
Session at Trident Studios, Soho
London
- May 22 1970 UK TV performance
BBC In Concert
- June 25 1970 Radio recording
session at Aeolian Hall, BBC London Studio 2
- July 2 1970 BBC Radio broadcast of
June 25 session Stuart Henry, Sounds Of The
Seventies
- August 25 1970 US Concert at The
Troubadour Club, West Hollywood CA (First US concert appearance)
- October 30 1970 UK album
Tumbleweed Connection (DJM DJLPS 410)
- November 1970 US concert at the
Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino CA
- November (15) 1970 (incorrectly reported)
US concert at the Civic
Auditorium, Santa Monica CA
- November 17 1970 US radio WABC-FM
Live Broadcast, New York City NY (source of the 17-11-70 / 11-17-70
album)
- November 21 1970 US concert at the
Fillmore East, New York City NY
- December 4 1970 US concert at the
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim CA
- March 3 1971 UK concert at the
Royal Festival Hall, London with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra
- April 1971 UK live album
17.11.70 (DJM DJLPS 414)
Paul Maclauchlan () Last
change: Mon Nov 20 23:36:54 EST 2006