Doug: Maybe I'm a johnny-come-lately to this sort of thought, but it was really my college years (1984-88) that expanded my tastes in music, which served to manifest in me an interest in national and international news and social issues. The art of local Midwesterner John Mellencamp (nee Johnny Cougar and John Cougar Mellencamp -- I just love his anthem to the Midwest Pink Houses), pianist Bruce Hornsby, Phil Collins, and others made us think about how we relate to our fellow humans. Mellencamp's work with Farm-Aid called out the large farm conglomerates that pushed the family farmer into hard times. Hornsby and Collins sang about the downtrodden and homeless. And in listening to this music, my interests expanded, reaching into the past to artists like Neil Young and some early REO Speedwagon.
Doug: Politically, I could go on about U2's Bullet the Blue Sky and Don Henley's End of the Innocence -- maybe that will be for another time.
Doug: Below I've posted some lyrics to favorite songs from the '80's, and I've also included Young's Southern Man, which Lynyrd Skynyrd famously chastised in their mega-hit Sweet Home Alabama. Enjoy the poetry. Give it some thought.
Hot Dogs and Hamburgers: John Mellencamp
Drivin' down on a dry summer's day
Old Route 66 and I was just a kid
Met a pretty little Indian girl
Along the way
Got her into my car
And tried to give her a kiss
I'll give you beads and wampum
Whatever it takes, girl, to make you trade
She jumped into the back seat
And she kinda flipped her lid
She said you're tryin' to get something for nothing
Like the Pilgrims in the olden days
We rode for a while till the sun went away
And I realized it was sort of an honor
Bein' around this girl I felt embarrassed
Of what I tried to do earlier that day
She was the saddest girl I ever knew
She told me stories about the Indian nations
And how the White man stole their lives away
And although she kinda liked me
She could never trust me
And when the sun comes up
We'd go our different ways
CHORUS
Now everybody has got the choice
Between hotdogs and hamburgers
Every one of us has got to choose
Between right and wrong
And givin' up or holdin' on
So I dropped her off at some railroad crossing in Texas
An old Indian man was waiting there
He smiled and thanked me
But he saw right through me
I could tell he didn't like me
For my kind he did not care
Because to him I was the White man
The one who sold him something that he already owned
And it was like he'd been riding in the car right there with us
And I felt ashamed of my actions
And the way the West was really won
So I drove down the highway
Till I came to Los Angeles
The town of the angels
The best this country can do
I got down on my knees
And I asked for forgiveness
I said, Lord, forgive us for we know not what we do
CHORUS
Justice and Independence '85: John Mellencamp
So his parents called him Independence Day
He married a girl named Justice who gave birth to a son called Nation
Then she walked away
Independence he would daydream and he'd pretend
That some day him and Justice and Nation would get together again
But Justice held up in a shotgun shack
And she wouldn't let nobody in
So a Nation cried
CHORUS
Oh, oh When a Nation cries
His tears fall down like missiles from the skies
Justice look into Independence's eyes
Can you make everything alright
Can you keep your Nation warm tonight
Well Nation grew up and got himself a big reputation
Couldn't keep the boy at home no, no
He just kept running 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round
Independence and Justice well they felt so ashamed
When the Nation fell down they argued who was to blame
Nation if you'll come home we'll have this family again
Oh, Nation, don't cry
CHORUS
Roll a rock across the country
Everybody come along
When you're feelin' down, yeah, yeah
Just sing this song, yeah yeah
The Way It Is: Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Standing in line marking time--
Waiting for the welfare dime
'Cause they can't buy a job
The man in the silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies' eyes
Just for fun he says "Get a job"
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
They say hey little boy you can't go
Where the others go
'Cause you don't look like they do
Said hey old man how can you stand
To think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, Son
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
Well they passed a law in '64
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far
Because the law don't change another's mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
Waiting for the welfare dime
'Cause they can't buy a job
The man in the silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies' eyes
Just for fun he says "Get a job"
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
They say hey little boy you can't go
Where the others go
'Cause you don't look like they do
Said hey old man how can you stand
To think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, Son
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
Well they passed a law in '64
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far
Because the law don't change another's mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
Another Day in Paradise: Phil Collins
She calls out to the man on the street
"Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep
Is there somewhere you can tell me?"
He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
He starts to whistle as he crosses the street
She's embarrassed to be there
Oh, think twice, it's just another day for
For you and me in paradise
Oh, think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it
She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she's been cryin'
She's got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can't walk but she's tryin'
Oh, just think twice, it's just another day
For you and me in paradise
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it, just think about it
Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do?
Oh Lord, there must be something you can say
You can tell by the lines on her face
You can see that she's been there
Probably been moved on from every place
'Cause she didn't fit in there
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you and me in paradise
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it, just think about it
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me
It's another day
For you and me
It's another day
For you and me in paradise
In paradise
"Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep
Is there somewhere you can tell me?"
He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
He starts to whistle as he crosses the street
She's embarrassed to be there
Oh, think twice, it's just another day for
For you and me in paradise
Oh, think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it
She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she's been cryin'
She's got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can't walk but she's tryin'
Oh, just think twice, it's just another day
For you and me in paradise
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it, just think about it
Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do?
Oh Lord, there must be something you can say
You can tell by the lines on her face
You can see that she's been there
Probably been moved on from every place
'Cause she didn't fit in there
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you and me in paradise
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it, just think about it
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me
It's another day
For you and me
It's another day
For you and me in paradise
In paradise
Southern Man: Neil Young
Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man
I saw cotton
and I saw black
Tall white mansions
and little shacks.
Southern man
when will you
pay them back?
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?
Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man
Lily Belle,
your hair is golden brown
I've seen your black man
comin' round
Swear by God
I'm gonna cut him down!
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man
I saw cotton
and I saw black
Tall white mansions
and little shacks.
Southern man
when will you
pay them back?
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?
Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man
Lily Belle,
your hair is golden brown
I've seen your black man
comin' round
Swear by God
I'm gonna cut him down!
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?
Golden Country: REO Speedwagon
Golden country your face is so red
With all of your money your poor can be fed
You strut around and you flirt with disaster
Never really carin' just what comes after
Well your blacks are dyin' but your back is still turned
And your freaks are cryin' but your back is still turned
You better stop your hidin or your country will burn
The time has come for you my friend
To all this ugliness we must put an end
Before we leave we must make a stand
Mortgage people you crawl to your homes
Your security lies in your bed of white foam
You act concerned but then why turn away
When a lady was raped on your doorstep today
Well your blacks are cryin' but your back is still turned
And your freaks are dyin' but your back is still turned
You better stop your hidin or your country will burn
The time has come for you my friend
To all this ugliness we must put an end
Before we leave we must make a stand, oh yeah......
(solo)
Golden country your face is so red
With all of your money your poor can be fed
You strut around and you flirt with disaster
Never really carin' just what comes after
Well your blacks are dyin' but your back is still turned
And your freaks are cryin' but your back is still turned
You better stop your hidin or your country will burn
The time has come for you my friend
To all this ugliness we must put an end
Before we leave we must make a stand
(repeat)
With all of your money your poor can be fed
You strut around and you flirt with disaster
Never really carin' just what comes after
Well your blacks are dyin' but your back is still turned
And your freaks are cryin' but your back is still turned
You better stop your hidin or your country will burn
The time has come for you my friend
To all this ugliness we must put an end
Before we leave we must make a stand
Mortgage people you crawl to your homes
Your security lies in your bed of white foam
You act concerned but then why turn away
When a lady was raped on your doorstep today
Well your blacks are cryin' but your back is still turned
And your freaks are dyin' but your back is still turned
You better stop your hidin or your country will burn
The time has come for you my friend
To all this ugliness we must put an end
Before we leave we must make a stand, oh yeah......
(solo)
Golden country your face is so red
With all of your money your poor can be fed
You strut around and you flirt with disaster
Never really carin' just what comes after
Well your blacks are dyin' but your back is still turned
And your freaks are cryin' but your back is still turned
You better stop your hidin or your country will burn
The time has come for you my friend
To all this ugliness we must put an end
Before we leave we must make a stand
(repeat)
1 comment:
Good synopsis of Sowell's "Cosmic Justice" book...which takes a look at the underlying assumptions of "Social Justice"....
http://www.tsowell.com/spquestc.html
Post a Comment