SUMMARY:

At the close of the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell explains what happened next - but was it all worth it?

Parody of War by Edwin Starr

From Series 10 Episode 9

LYRICS:

Civil War! Huh! What was it good for?

Monarchy abolished

Civil War! Huh! What was it good for?

Royalty demolished

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Once we'd won and Charles lost his head

We became a commonwealth instead

My New Model Army fought for the cause

I crushed rebellion and reformed laws

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Dissolved Parliament, became Lord Protector

Like a king, but without the crown and sceptre

Protectorate was now what we were called

With a jolly little motto, "Peace Through War"

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Civil War! Huh! What was it good for?

Monarchy disbanded

Civil War! Huh! What was it good for?

My power expanded

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Cut England and Wales into 12 little bits

It didn't work out, had to call that quits

Thought making me king would be the solution

But I stayed Lord Protector with a new constitution

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Didn't last long, death was my fate

So, son and heir stepping up to the plate

It was a tough act to follow the great dictator

The Army forced me out a year later

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Civil War! Huh! What was it good for?

Monarchy diminished

Civil War! Huh! What was it good for?

I thought we were finished​

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But all the while, I've been in exile

Banished from my home nation

Then I got the call, they'd had enough of war

And so began The Restoration

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I pardoned crimes from Civil War times

I'm back, what's not to like?

Well, they dug me up, cut me up

And put my head on a spike

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Civil War! Huh! Who was it good for?

Don't get me started

Civil War! Huh! Who was it good for?

Right, now where's the party?

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