From the 1971 album, “Oh, What a Lovely War,” many believe that this depresssing anti-war song entitled “Six Day War” by the British rock band, Colonel Bagshot, is indeed about the Israeli-Arab Six Day War of 1967. The lyrics, provided on screen and below, describe a progressively worsening war lasting six days, which begins with the breaking down of peace talks and ends with the aftermath of dropping a bomb. Inherently pessimistic, the repeating line of the song, “Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late,” suggests that, even in a short war of only six days, violence seems like an eternity that causes irreparable damage, trauma and loss.
Six Day War
At the starting of the week
At summit talks you’ll hear them speak
It’s only Monday
Negotiations breaking down
See those leaders start to frown
It’s sword and gun day
Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late
You could be sitting taking lunch
The news will hit you like a punch
It’s only Tuesday
You never thought we’d go to war
After all the things we saw
It’s April Fools’ day
Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late
We’ll all go running underground
And we’ll be listening for the sound
Its only Wednesday
In your shelter dimly lit
Take some wool and learn to knit
Cos its a long day
Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late
You hear a whistling overhead
Are you alive or are you dead?
It’s only Thursday
You feel the shaking of the ground
A billion candles burn around
Is it your birthday?
Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late
Although that shelter is your home
A living space you have outgrown
It’s only Friday
As you come out to the light
Can your eyes behold the sight
It must be doomsday
Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late
Ain’t it funny how men think
They made the bomb, they are extinct
Its only Saturday
I think tomorrow’s come I think its too late
Make tomorrows come I think it’s too late