I was intending to write about the tremendous drop in interest rates around the world in the wake of Brexit, the dramatically improved jobs report, or the $20+ billion that is now frozen in UK property funds. And then the shocking execution of five Dallas police officers shortly after the death of two seemingly non-threatening African Americans in Louisiana and Minnesota took place. Like millions of others, I was horrified, shocked, and deeply saddened by what had happened. I felt like I had to say something about these events. Actually, I felt the need to turn to others to say something about these events. [Published July 11, 2016]
America in Crisis: Tumultuous Events in Lyrics
Steve Jobs said that when he wanted to gain powerful insights he would often turn to Bob Dylan and The Beatles for inspiration. In a similar vein, I often turn to great lyrics as well but tend to expand my horizon beyond those two great artists. I thought I would share someones that came to mind for me after reflecting upon these horrific events.
The first comes from U2 and echoes how I felt when I heard the news about what happened in Minnesota, Louisiana, and Dallas.
Sunday Bloody Sunday
I can’t believe the news today
Oh, I can’t close my eyes
And make it go away
How long…
How long must we sing this song
How long, how long…
And the battle’s just begun
There’s many lost, but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters
Torn apart
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
The events that took place in Dallas made me think of what The Buffalo Springfield sang about in For What It’s Worth. Although the circumstances were different with regard to what the people were protesting on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood in 1966, the feeling conveyed in the song is eerily similar to what has been happening recently.
There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
It’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singin”singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It’s s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
You step out of line, the man comes and takes you away
One of the most powerful anti-war songs was Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. Its power lies in the questions it poses versus a direct, stinging indictment. This song is universal in its appeal and timeless with regard to its message.
Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today, eh eh
Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today, oh oh oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going on
Yeah, what’s going on
Ah, what’s going on
Although this next set of lyrics for New Speedway Boogie written by Robert Hunter for The Grateful Dead may be very tangentially related to what took place in Dallas, the inspiration for the song was the disastrous and deadly events that took place at the free concert in Altamont, California in December 1969.
What I like about Hunter’s lyrics is that during tumultuous events there is a tendency to jump to conclusions without all of the facts being known. The first line of the song represents an extraordinary piece of advice and one I try to follow. The Buddha said we should all endeavor to practice wise speech which entails not speaking unless one has something to say that is true, useful, and timely.
We would be of much greater service to others if we restricted what we said to that which meets all three criteria. Hunter also believed and is proven over and over, that during tumultuous events there is a tendency to jump to conclusions without all of the facts being known and that these events often can’t be fully understood or appreciated without the passage of some time which he articulates towards the end of the song.
Please don’t dominate the rap, Jack
If you’ve got nothing new to say
If you please, don’t back up the track
This train’s got to run today
I spent a little time on the mountain
I spent a little time on the hill
Things went down we don’t understand
But I think in time we will
Now, I don’t know but I was told
In the heat of the sun a man died of cold
In American Skin by Bruce Springsteen he powerfully captures how dangerous it can be for someone of color to be on the streets and what to do when in the presence of the police and the precautions that must be taken. These lyrics are particularly relevant given the events in Minnesota and Louisiana.
41 shots, Lena gets her son ready for school
She says, “On these streets, Charles
You’ve got to understand the rules
If an officer stops you, promise me you’ll always be polite
And that you’ll never ever run away
Promise Mama you’ll keep your hands in sight”
Is it a gun (is it a gun), is it a knife (is it a knife)
Is it a wallet (is it a wallet), this is your life (this is your life)
It ain’t no secret (it ain’t no secret)
It ain’t no secret (it ain’t no secret)
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living in your American skin
To honor the spirit of Steve Jobs I thought I would turn to The Beatles and Bob Dylan for my last two musical references to try to shed some light and make sense of what is seemingly so senseless.
From The Beatles, we have Revolution, the stinging indictment of Charles Manson. As it’s been said over time, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Mass movements with good intentions can be hijacked by power-hungry madmen. John Lennon is the perfect voice of strength and reason to counter Manson’s madness draped in charisma and alluring messages.
You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it’s evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don’t you know that you can count me out
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right
All right, all right
You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We’d all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We’re doing what we can
But when you want money
For people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right
All right, all right
Ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah…
You say you’ll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it’s the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right
All right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
Finally, there is the classic anti-war, civil rights song of all time, Blowin in the Wind by Bob Dylan. The lyrics speak for themselves and they are truly timeless.
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take ’till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
I will leave with one last reference from New Speedway Boogie that I didn’t cite earlier but is a fitting way to end this piece. It is sung over and over and the line is:
One way or another, this darkness got to give
Over to You:
America is in crisis! Where do you turn to make sense out of the situation gripping America? Do you have a favorite song or musician that you turn to?
Love this message, Gary. So true with many believers and yet its so hard to bring peace into reality. Why? Is it because we’re silent? Too afraid to voice our opinion? Because we leave it to others to speak for us or to make a difference? And then I think of our presidential race and I’m sad, very sad.
Amen to all of this, thanks.
For What It’s Worth Is one of my all time favorites because it was SO meaningful to us at the time. In many ways we have gone ’round the mountain only to find ourselves in the same place…
Great blog Gary. The song that comes to mind at times like now is the old Burt Bacharach-Hal David standard “What The World Needs Now Is Love.” recently recorded by Broadway Stars. Well done Gary!
Jim Henson’s Muppet, Kermit The Frog, brings a little comfort….
It’s not easy bein’ green
Having to spend each day
The color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer
Bein’ red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that
It’s not easy bein’ green
It seems you blend in
With so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over
‘Cause you’re not standing out
Like flashy sparkles on the water
Or stars in the sky
But green’s the color of spring
And green can be cool and friendly like
And green can be big like a mountain
Or important like a river or tall like a tree
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But, why wonder, why wonder?
I’m green and it’ll do fine
It’s beautiful and I think it’s what I want to be
Read more: Muppets – (it’s Not Easy) Bein’ Green Lyrics | MetroLyrics