Punk lives.

Yes that's right, punk is dead
It's just another cheap product for the consumers head
Bubblegum rock on plastic transistors
Schoolboy sedition backed by big time promoters
CBS promote the Clash
Ain't for revolution, it's just for cash
Punk became a fashion just like hippy used to be
Ain't got a thing to do with your or me

Movements are systems and systems kill
Movements are expressions of the public will
Punk became a movement cos we all felt lost
Leaders sold out and now we all pay the cost
Punk narcissism was a social napalm
Steve Jones started doing real harm
Preaching revolution, anarchy and change
Sucked from the system that had given him his name

Jeffrey Lewis first heard Crass while attending university in 1993. Like a handful are able to, he was able to get past the shotty production quality, repetitive instrumentation (even for punk) and appreciate the band's radicalism, wit and uncompromising sound. Crass were one of those bands who's lyrics were intended to be read rather than heard.... until Jeffrey Lewis came along and recorded his album 12 Crass Songs. The album holds twelve acoustic rendititions with minimal backing musicians and vocalists. Although I've listened to Crass for about six or seven years now, going through recent phases of pure hatred towards them, mere appreciation for their lyrics only, and at first loving everything about them, I never truly appreciated this song until now. It's aggressive, sardonic punk rock idealism blended with Lewis' own hopefulness and sunny guitarwork. Lewis plays the bearer of bad news in place of Crass here. His version is much less alientating, which may finally make people appreciate what Crass had to say. Not everyone wants to be shouted at. They'd rather be told bad news from a gentle voice.

Jeffrey Lewis - Punk is Dead