Subtitled AN ANTI-WAR SINGLE in bold capitols, "Jacob's Ladder" was immediately a stand-out cut from CHUMBAWAMBA'S recent abum "Readymades," but now comes with added breakbeat power and amended lyrics pertaining to 9/11 and the lies we're forced to swallow over the ever-deepening Iraqi crisis. Tender and sweetly subversive, it beautifully pulls off the old iron fist in the velvet glove trick. Let's face it, it's difficult to ignore the truth in a line like "When we're pushing up daisies, we all look the same" - especially this close to Christmas.
The single also includes the original "Jacob's Ladder" with the pertinent anti-Admiralty lyrics. Co-written with eminent folk guitarist Davy Graham and looping around that damning "and they sent him to the war to be slain" Harry Cox sample, this one shows just how effective Chumbawamba's lingering love affair with ye olde Brit folk is becoming: a theory borne out by the other (previously unrelased) track here, "Round 'em Up And Throw 'em In". The kiss off line of "Not so quiet on the western front" sounds particularly pregnant with possibility in these shadowy times.
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Stupidly written off in some quarters now they're on their own label, "Readymades" and now this actually showcase Chumbawamba truly coming into their own. Let's hope they long remain the ghosts of Christmas future.
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