Four Letter Word
Feb 16, 2007 Suppression of People
Somehow this one sort of goes along with the Tim Hardaway thing (see item below)… from Kiss the Breath of Sunset…
Look around in your twisted mind,
Look in that empty brain
Do you feel the urge to hate someone,
Enough that it makes you insane
What is it about them that makes you cringe?
What sets your blood aflame?
Are you a little inadequate inside yourself
And you’re looking for someone to blame?
HATE… is a four letter word for ignorance,
HATE… is another word for fear
HATE… is a tool of those who would be in power,
HATE… is a word used to smear
Did you ever learn about decency
Or respect for your fellow man?
Is it easier to scapegoat someone else
When you’re not doing all that you can?
Is it because they have something you don’t
Or is it due to a fear in your heart
Do you think that hating someone
Will somehow make you smart?
Run for your life from your phobias
Hide your head in the sand
‘Cos you gotta know that hating
Won’t make you a better man
HATE… is a four letter word for ignorance,
HATE… is synonym for fear
HATE… is a generational inheritance,
HATE… is an insult to values held dear
Have you ever heard of diversity
People with different thoughts than your own
Hate’s nothing but a perversity
And yours just won’t leave you alone
Are you afraid to give up your hatred
Afraid that you might have to think
Take a good look at your fears, man
You know what? Your attitude stinks.
Ok, Tim, your opinion matters because?…
Feb 16, 2007 Suppression of People
Good-on-yas to NBA Commissioner Stern for throwing Tim Hardaway’s butt out of Las Vegas. OK, admittedly the concept of somebody being a role model because they can stuff a ball in a hole has always perplexed me. But what the hell, it happens. The downside is a bunch of kids looking up to somebody who hate-rants on the radio, or any public forum. Yeah, Tim, you’ve got your opinions, and you’re entitled to them. Just like everybody. But you also can’t blame the league when they choose to back away from somebody spouting hate.
Then again, you could always refuse to take the percentage of your salary that comes from gay people who pay to watch you stuff the ball in a hole.
Quack!
JOHANNESBURG BLUES – From the 1980s
Oct 21, 2006 Racism, Suppression of Ideas, Suppression of People
CHORUS:
You can tie my hands, you can shackle my feet
But you never can kill the beat
Of Freedom
You can jail my brothers and my sisters too
But you never can jail the truth
Of Freedom
So few of you have all the power
you seem so afraid of darkness
But you have to know it’s the eleventh hour
and recognize the real darkness
is in your hearts,
and in your minds,
and in your souls
CHORUS
The truth is something you fear most
you use your guns and jails to keep it quiet
You shoot the children, then you boast
that you have quelled a riot
It’s in your hearts,
and in your minds,
and in your souls
CHORUS
The day’s coming soon when you’ll have to run
and leave South Africa to its owners
You secret police will throw down their guns
and escape to different shores
you have no hearts,
you have no minds,
you have no souls
you have no hearts,
you have no minds,
you have no souls
repeat til fade
Cry Freedom – 1987
Oct 21, 2006 Racism, Suppression of Ideas, Suppression of People, Uncategorized
Just watched this film last night. I saw it when it first came out as an experience with the Denver International Film festival, had forgotten what an incredibly moving experience this film was. Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington were both brilliant. The story of the courage of Steve Biko and Donald Wood’s against the rages of an oppressive regime is incredible. Anyway, I moved on the inspiration and did some more research… here are a couple of the more interesting links I found.
Freedom Blues: S.African Jazz Under Apartheid
for more interesting stuff, Google music apartheid
Over the next couple of days I’ll dig into my archives and post a couple of pieces from the past.
Quack
What a Magic Word, this Freedom
Sep 4, 2006 Music Styles, Politicians / Politics, Racism, Suppression of Ideas, Suppression of People
The freedom to believe… or not to believe
The freedom to speak… or to remain silent
The freedom to vote… or to abstain
Freedom (Paul McCartney – New York City 2001)
Freedom (Richie Havens – Woodstock 1969)
Chimes of Freedom (Bob Dylan 1964)
Songs of Freedom (Bob Marley 1992)
Songs of Freedom (Santana)
We Shall Overcome (Guy Carawan, Candy Carawan from a piece by Charles Tindley)
Blowin’ in the Wind (Bob Dylan)
Your turn…..
Reggae Rules!
Sep 1, 2006 Racism, Reggae, Suppression of Ideas, Suppression of People, War
No appropriate discussion of political implications in music would be complete without the inclusion of Reggae. Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytalls… the list is endless.
Some of my favorites (in no particular order):
Reggae Down Babylon (Jimmy Cliff) — reggae down apartheid!
Buffalo Soldier (Bob Marley) — the US government using former slaves to fight indigenous Americans…
Downpressor Man (Peter Tosh) — the Jamaican police state.
