Please don't sing my song

"Music can change the world because it can change people."  Bono

In the feeding frenzy for votes, candidates often use music to change people, so they can get elected and change the world. Republicans are famous for misappropriating songs to use in their campaigns. Among the most notable is Ronald Reagan's 1984 misunderstanding of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA". Used in his campaign to stir up patriotic pride, the lyrics tell of the shameful plight of a returning Vietnam veteran. Springsteen asked him to stop. He did.

"Born In The U.S.A."

Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Got in a little hometown jam so they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land to go and kill the yellow man
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said "son don't you understand now"
Had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there he's all gone
He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now
Down in the shadow of penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a long gone daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking daddy in the U.S.A.

There have been plenty of others - I'll let you look them up. But as recently as last week, Neil Young objected to Donald Trump using "Rocking In The Free World". Reading the lyrics, I can't really figure out why he chose it, can you? Anyway, he has promised not to use it any more.

"Rockin' In The Free World"

There's colors on the street
Red, white and blue
People shufflin' their feet
People sleepin' in their shoes
But there's a warnin' sign
on the road ahead
There's a lot of people sayin'
we'd be better off dead
Don't feel like Satan,
but I am to them
So I try to forget it,
any way I can.

Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.

I see a woman in the night
With a baby in her hand
Under an old street light
Near a garbage can
Now she puts the kid away,
and she's gone to get a hit
She hates her life,
and what she's done to it
There's one more kid
that will never go to school
Never get to fall in love,
never get to be cool.

Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.

We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler,
Machine gun hand
We got department stores
and toilet paper
Got styrofoam boxes
for the ozone layer
Got a man of the people,
says keep hope alive
Got fuel to burn,
got roads to drive.

Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.

I suspected that this might be a bi-partisan issue, and it took a little searching, but, yes, the dems are equal opportunity offenders. In 2008, then Senator Obama used Sam Moore's soul classic, "Hold On, I'm Coming". In a very polite request, Mr. Moore said that it might be assumed that the use of the song implied his support for the candidate, and, while he wished Senator Obama the best of luck, he did not officially endorse him or anyone, and his vote was private.

Man, that's a great song! Don't you want to listen to that again? Makes me want to go vote!

Hold On, I'm Comin'

Don't you ever feel sad
Lean on me, when the times are bad
When the day comes and you're down
In a river of trouble and about to drown

Just hold on, I'm comin'
Hold on, I'm comin'

I'm on my way, your lover
If you get cold, yeah, I will be your cover
Don't have to worry, 'cause I'm here
No need to suffer, baby, 'cause I'm here

Just hold on, I'm comin'
Hold on, I'm comin'
Hold on, I'm comin'
Hold on, I'm comin'

Reach out to me for satisfaction, yeah
Call my name, yeah, for reaction
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Now, don't you ever be sad
Lean on me, when the times are bad
When the day comes and you're down, baby
In a river of trouble and about to drown

Just hold on, I'm comin'
Hold on, I'm comin'

Just hold on
(Don't you worry)
I'm comin'
(Here we come)

Hold on
(We're about to save you)
I'm comin'
(Yeah)

Just hold on
(Don't you worry)
I'm comin'
(Here I come)

You know, they have speech-writers. Maybe they should just hire song-writers?

What is it good for?

I don't like killing. I don't even kill spiders, unless they try to kill me first, like the black widow I found lurking in my helmet last year. I killed that one.

War     Edwin Starr  1969

War, huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, oh hoh, oh
War huh yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again y'all
War, huh good God
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me

Oh, war, I despise
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives

I said
War, huh good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, just say it again
War whoa Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreak
War, friend only to the undertaker

Oh war, is an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest within the younger generation
Induction, then destruction who wants to die

War, good God, y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, say it, say it
War, uh huh, yeah, huh
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend that's the undertaker

Oh, war has shattered many young man's dreams
Made him disabled bitter and mean
Life is much too short and precious to spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life it can only take it away, ooh

War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker

Peace love and understanding tell me
Is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

War, huh, good God y'all
What is it good for?
You tell 'em, say it, say it, say it, say it
War, good Lord, huh
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it, nothing
War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker

     I grew up with that song, a bunch of middle school kids walking around singin: "War - HUH YEAH! (that was the best part), What is it good for? Absolutely NOTHING!....", and it's been running through my head over and over since I listened to it recently. I still FEEL it, the power of the protest, and the rightness of the message. 

    I also grew up with this one:

The Star Spangled Banner       Francis Scott Key    1814

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,

Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,

In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:

‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,

A home and a country should leave us no more!

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

   It stirs my heart, makes me sit up a little taller, makes me feel....wait! That 3rd verse! Are they talking about...killing? Death? Blood? War??? But, it's our NATIONAL ANTHEM, for crying out loud! Wait, what? America won its freedom through war? Well I guess it was good for something that time. ? 

   Hear me now, I'm not trying to make some point - I'll leave that to the protest singers. These are just the things that have been running through my head. My blog, my head, right?

   So these thoughts made me curious. And I found this:

The Battle Cry of Freedom   George F. Root      1862

Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys,
We'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom,
We will rally from the hillside,
We'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.

CHORUS:
The Union forever,
Hurrah! boys, hurrah!
Down with the traitors,
Up with the stars;
While we rally round the flag, boys,
Rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom.

We are springing to the call
Of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with
A million free men more,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 
CHORUS

We will welcome to our numbers
The loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And although they may be poor,
Not a man shall be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 
CHORUS

So we're springing to the call
From the East and from the West,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom;
And we'll hurl the rebel crew
From the land that we love best,
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 
CHORUS

     Again verse 3 struck me: "Although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave..." So - again - freedom through...war.  This song really rallied the North and helped fill the ranks of the Union Army. ( Here's a link to interesting facts about the song: Battle Cry. I just read a 1858 quote by Abraham Lincoln in National Geographic (Apr '15), "In this and like communities, public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed." Surely he knew the value of a good song! Funny enough, it was so good, the Confederate army switched some words and adopted it as well. Here's a link to the lyrics: Battle Cry of Freedom, Union and Confederate lyrics. Moving right along: WWII...  

This is Worth Fighting For

Jimmy Dorsey, 1942

I saw a peaceful old valley
With a carpet of corn for a floor
And I heard a voice within me whisper
This is worth fighting for,

I saw a little old cabin
And the river that flowed by the door
And I heard a voice within me whisper,
This is worth fighting for.

Didn't I build that cabin?
Didn't I plant that corn?
Didn't my folks before me
Fight for this country before I was born?

I gathered my loved ones around me
And I gazed at each face I adore
Then I heard that voice within me thunder,
This is worth fighting for

Sinead O'Connor covered Bob Marley's 1976 "War", and made no bones about her real feelings...

"War"   Bob Marley (?) 1976, as covered by Sinead O’Connor, 1992

Until the philosophy,
Which holds one race superior
And another inferior,
Is finally and permanently
Discredited and abandoned,
Everywhere is war.

Until there is no longer first class
Or second class citizens of any nation.
Until the color of a man's skin,
Is of no more significance than
The color of his eyes,
I've got to say "war".

That until the basic human rights,
Are equally guaranteed to all,
Without regard to race,
I'll say "war"

Until that day the dream of lasting peace,
World-citizenship and the rule of
International morality will remain
Just a fleeting illusion to be pursued,
But never obtained.
And everywhere is war.

Until the ignoble and unhappy regime
Which holds all of us through,
Child-abuse, yeah, child-abuse yeah,
Sub-human bondage has been toppled,
Utterly destroyed,
Everywhere is war.

War in the east,
War in the west,
War up north,
War down south,
There is war,
And the rumors of war.

Until that day,
There is no continent,
Which will know peace.
Children, children.
Fight!

We find it necessary.
We know we will win.
We have confidence in the victory
Of good over evil

Fight the real enemy!

If I am not mistaken, this is a pro-war protest song. So my question to you is, who is  real enemy to you? What do YOU think is worth fighting for? What is war good for? Me, I declare war on Black-Widow spiders and Copperheads. We'll see who else turns up.

Whose Land Is It Anyway? There and Back Again

Written by Guthrie as a response to Irving Berlin's patriotic "God Bless America", these three versions have very different implications. Guthrie's original, aside from paying tribute to the beautiful nature of this continent, shows his desire for freedom to live and move as he chooses, and echos his communist sympathies. Fundamentally, he is protesting an overly simplistic view of the prosperous nation, and the desperate plight of some of her citizens.

This Land Is Your Land

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

This land is your land This land is my land

From California to the New York island; 

From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters 

This land was made for you and Me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway, 

I saw above me that endless skyway: 

I saw below me that golden valley: 

This land was made for you and me.

I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps 

To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts; 

And all around me a voice was sounding: 

This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling, 

And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling, 

As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting: 

This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking I saw a sign there 

And on the sign it said "No Trespassing." 

But on the other side it didn't say nothing, 

That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, 

By the relief office I seen my people; 

As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking 

Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me, 

As I go walking that freedom highway; 

Nobody living can ever make me turn back 

This land was made for you and me.

By removing 2 of the verses, the Boss tones down the song. Unemployment and poverty, ever-present, are sound but vague protest fare. Without the context of Guthrie's time, the song has a different political flavor.

                                                           

                                                           This Land Is Your Land     

                                                     as sung by Bruce Springsteen

Well I rode that ribbon highway 
I saw above me the endless sky 
I saw below me the golden valley 
This land was made for you and me 

I've roamed and rambled and followed my footsteps 
Through the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts 
And all around me a voice was calling 
This land was made for you and me 

This land is your land 
This land is my land 
From California 
To the New York island 
From the Redwood Forest 
To the Gulf Stream waters 
This land was made for you and me 

Well the sun came shining and I was strolling 
Through wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling 
And a voice was sounding 
As the fog was lifting 
Saying this land was made for you and me 

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, 

By the relief office I seen my people; 

As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking 

Is this land made for you and me?

This land is your land 

This land is my land 
From California 
To the New York island 
From the Redwood Forest 
To the Gulf Stream waters 
This land was made for you and me

And now for something completely different... This adaptation brings a different perspective and turns it back into a protest song for today's politics. Note the sign on the guitar - a copy of what Guthrie had on his guitar.

This Land is Your Land, new lyrics by Bob T. Guevara

This land is your land, this land is my land
From the Apache pueblos to the icey Inuit islands
From the waters of the big sea to the Gichie Goomie
This land was made for you and me.

When I was a young boy, many-a story
About brave people my momma told me
Their skin was red and to the white man
They said: this land is made for you and me.

But us Europeans came in great numbers
We spread out quickly and shook the land like thunder
Although we were greedy they still were friendly
And said: this land is made for you and me.

Wherever we came we shot their buffalo
We took their land until they've got nowhere to go
As they grew hungry they started wondrin'
Whether this land was really made for you and me.

Throughout the years for their freedom they struggled
Many treaty was signed and many fight a-battled
But the treaties were broken and peace was forsaken.
Was this land made for you and me?

Whatever we promised we never held it
If we found something to make profit
Lots of silver and gold their mountains hold we're told
But this land was made for you and me.

Now it's uranium with which our greed we please
We build dams and drown their valleys
Just leaves me to render and tell ya to remember
That this land was made for you and me.

If we listen to this song with a tuning to American politics, I ask what the Founder's would comment on these different versions. If we tune toward a 'Maker', I wonder who would that Maker say the land was made for?

180˚

1965 was a really interesting year. Here are two songs from then,  one of them a protest song protesting a protest song, both of them were hit singles on the charts. Which one do you think hit #1? They don't just seem to have opposing political views, but social perspectives as well. Optimists vs Pessimists maybe?

"Eve Of Destruction"

The eastern world it is exploding
Violence flarin', bullets loadin'
You're old enough to kill but not for votin'
You don't believe in war but whats that gun you're totin'?
And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin'

But you tell me
Over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're on the eve of destruction

Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say
Can't you feel the fears I'm feelin' today?
If the button is pushed, there's no runnin' away
There'll be no one to save with the world in a grave
Take a look around you boy, it's bound to scare you boy

And you tell me
Over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're on the eve of destruction

Yeah my blood's so mad feels like coagulating
I'm sitting here just contemplatin'
I can't twist the truth it knows no regulation
Handful of senators don't pass legislation
And marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin'
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'

And you tell me
Over and over and over again my friend
Ah, you don't believe
We're on the eve of destruction

Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
You may leave here for four days in space
But when you return it's the same old place
The pounding of the drums, the pride and disgrace
You can bury your dead but don't leave a trace
Hate your next door neighbor but don't forget to say grace

And tell me
Over and over and over and over again my friend
You don't believe
We're on the eve of destruction
Mmm, no, no, you don't believe
We're on the eve of destruction

" Dawn of Correction"

The western world has a common dedication
To keep free people from Red domination
And maybe you can't vote, boy, but man your battle stations
Or there'll be no need for votin' in future generations

So over and over again, you keep sayin' it's the end
But I say you're wrong, we're just on the dawn of correction

There are buttons to push in two mighty nations
But who's crazy enough to risk annihilation?
The buttons are there to ensure negotiation
So don't be afraid, boy, it's our only salvation

So over and over again, you keep sayin' it's the end
But I say you're wrong, we're just on the dawn of correction

You tell me that marches won't bring integration
But look what it's done for the voter registration
Be thankful our country allows demonstrations
Instead of condemnin', make some recommendations
I don't understand the cause of your aggravation
You mean to tell me, boy, it's not a better situation?

So over and over again, you keep sayin' it's the end
But I say you're wrong, we're just on the dawn of correction

You missed all the good in your evaluation
What about the things that deserve commendation?
Where there once was no cure, there's vaccination
Where there once was a desert, there's vegetation
Self-government's replacing colonization
What about the Peace Corp. organization?
Don't forget the work of the United Nations

So over and over again, you keep sayin' it's the end
But I say you're wrong, we're just on the dawn of correction
But I say you're wrong, we're just on the dawn of correction

So over and over again, you keep sayin' it's the end
But I say you're wrong, we're just on the dawn of correction
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/the-spokesmen/the-dawn-of-correction-lyrics/#TSkq2Riz1xeTOmVz.99

I called the blog Revolution, because it means both “a complete change in thinking”, and “ one complete turn around an axis, back to the initial position”(both paraphrased from Merriam Webster.com ). They may sound contradictory, but I subscribe to both “The only thing that stays the same is change”, and “There is nothing new under the sun”. Almost all of the lyrics to "Turn! Turn! Turn!", written in the late 1950's by Pete Seeger are directly from the ancient book of Ecclesiastes. Seeger penned the last line about peace, and the song is usually considered an anti-war song. It was embraced by the folk movement of the 60's, but has since been recorded many times by many artists. I was born around the time this song was first recorded and it is among my favorites. To me it speaks of humanity's constant experience of and need for change - sort of a paradox. 

"Turn! Turn! Turn!"

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late!