All great movements have a song that anyone can seem to sing along with; I nominate this song off Ben Harper's new release--
Both Sides of the Gun. It has a great rhythm that makes you want to get up off your ass. It has some amazing guitar work, but what really propels it (and makes it stick in your head) is the percussion.
You can march to this song. You can bounce to this piece of music. You could have an all night mindless drum circle with this tune (yeah, I used to live in SoCal). You can make up new verses for this song. You can shout this song at the top of your lungs. You can blast if from your car, bike, campsite all summer.
It is a song full of hope, full of demands, full of energy.
The first few times I heard it, I just burst into tears. When he sings, "Take your face out of you hands/and clear you eyes/you have a right to your dreams/and don't be denied"--I just want to do that: lift my head, so heavy with despair, and start demanding that "dreams" be possible--going to school to become the best you can be--finding good teachers and better facilities; to find meaningful work without always worrying about money; to live life without the terror of losing everything to illness or injury; to have time to enjoy family and friends; to be free of demands that I think a certain way, worship a certain way, live a certain way; to believe that I can have clean water, healthy food, some woods to watk in, decent air to breathe,
"Reality is sharp/it cuts like a knife/everyone I know/is in the fight of their life/but I believe there's a better way"
Amen, Ben (inspite of the grammatical error that makes me crazy)! He really shouts this out on the mix I've been hearing--in anger and frustration. We are in the fight of our lives--and there has to be a better way.
I've been calling into my local radio station (the great WUTC 88.1 Chattanooga) to request this tune almost every day. I don't know if it is getting much play anywhere, but if you haven't heard it, by all means check it out. It would be a great tune for Dem rallies--and a great theme for the midterms.
Oh yeah, I believe there's better way.
Better Way
By Ben Harper
Album: Both Sides Of The Gun
Year: 2006
I'm a living sunset
Lightning in my bones
Push me to the edge
But my will is stone
I believe in a better way
Fools will be fools
And wise will be wise
But I will look this world
Straight in the eyes
I believe in a better way
What good is a man
Who won't take a stand?
What good is a cynic
With no better plan?
I believe there's a better way
Reality is sharp
It cuts me like a knife
Everyone I know
Is in the fight of their life
I believe there's a better way
Take your face out of your hands
And clear your eyes
You have a right to your dreams
And don't be denied
I believe in a better way
I'd love to hear if people have other suggestions.
(whew! first diary out ot the way)