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Proceeds from this track received via Band Camp will be donated to Amnesty International to support human rights worldwide.

"Sure to Drown" was written in the early part of 2015 when the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean began making the news here in the US. We have played this song many times in the months since and, unfortunately, it seems to grow more topical with each performance. The events of the past year remind us that immigrants are often the first to be exploited and also the first blamed for the societal ill of the moment. The song asks that we pause and continue to see everyone, be they native or foreign born, as human beings and not as problems to be dealt with.
lyrics

lyrics

"Sure to Drown" (Pickering/Hartford)

Floating dungeon on Atlantic Seas
Stolen souls are chained ‘tween each other’s knees
There’s five hundred maybe more
For forced labor on the Carolina shore
Don’t you wheeze and don’t you cough
Sick ones pulled on deck and they toss ‘em off

CHORUS
And they’re sure to drown
Well they’re sure to drown
When the ship goes down
They’ll surely drown
When the ship goes down
They’re sure to drown


Poor folks pay for a chance at paradise
‘Cause times have changed and now we’re civilized
In a rubber boat or a rusty van
For South Europe or across the Rio Grande
And it don’t matter if they meet their lord
I got my money before they came aboard

CHORUS

Pulled by hunger pushed out by war
They take low wages we ain't gonna offer more
For those who reach our fertile land
Do you see a problem, or do you see a man?
If we don’t change course, if we let things flow
We’ll end up in that fiery lake that’s down below

And we’re sure to drown
Well we’re sure to drown
When the ship goes down
We’ll surely drown
When the ship goes down
We’re sure to drown
credits

credits

from Sure to Drown & 60 Miles Gone Singles, released February 26, 2016
Written by Nat Pickering and Josh Hartford

Nat Pickering-Vocals and acoustic guitar
Josh Hartford-Electric guitar and backing vocals
Jose Reyes-Drums
Paul Jones-Bass

Recorded 1/18/16 in Whittier, CA
Engineered and Mixed by Paul Jones

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The Cheeky Few Whittier, California

The Cheeky Few is a four piece roots band from Whittier, CA. Their songs aim to address today's world through the well worn traditions of American music. Please enjoy!

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