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Hemlock Lyrics by Peter Hammill

In a Foreign Town

0

[Verse 1]
Here it comes up on the screen
The propaganda of the military-industrial machine
And by now we find there's little choice:
When our masters tell us "smile" we rejoice
With the nuclear shield safely in place
We're assured of the survival of the human race

[Chorus]
The Earth is flat and pigs can fly –
Swallow hard and believe the lies

[Post-Chorus]
In these alleys all are blind:
Skittles fall for the dreams of humankind

[Pre-Chorus]
And nuclear power is safe as hell –
Swallow hard, young William Tell

[Chorus]
The Earth is flat and pigs can fly –
If you swallow hard you believe the lies
If you swallow hard you believe the lies

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 2]
In the banks the deals are made –
Of course there's no profit in lending the Third World aid
If the larder shelves are bare let the people eat cake
And thank the governments for the air
Meanwhile, in the cells, secret police
Champion freedom, offer justice, keep the peace

[Pre-Chorus]
The Pope talks to God, the Ayatollah too –
Swallow hard and believe it true

[Chorus]
The Earth is flat and pigs can fly –
If you swallow hard you'll believe the lies
You'll believe the lies

[Bridge]
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)

[Outro]
It's a hemlock world that we must drink –
Swallow hard and don't try to think
It's a hemlock world that we all face –
Swallow hard on the bitter taste (It's a hemlock world)
Swallow hard on the bitter taste (It's a hemlock world)
Swallow hard on the aftertaste (It's a hemlock world)
Swallow hard (It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
On the aftertaste (It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
Swallow hard (It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
(It's a hemlock, it's a hemlock world)
Credits
Peter Hammill

Peter Hammill

About “Hemlock” by Peter Hammill

Read the complete lyrics to "Hemlock" by Peter Hammill from the album "In a Foreign Town". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock, Art Rock, British Rock.

"Hemlock" is performed by Peter Hammill. from the album "In a Foreign Town" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Hemlock", explore more songs by Peter Hammill using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Peter Hammill · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Hemlock" is credited to Peter Hammill. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Hemlock" appears on "In a Foreign Town".

Visit the Peter Hammill artist page at /artist/peter-hammill for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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