Music has always been a way to get folks to listen to social/political messages. Music and songs can touch people in places that mere words can't reach.
Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and modern songwriters like Roy Zimmerman come to mind as well as all the young people that are using their voices such as Rage Against the Machine, just to name a few.
I too write songs of change and it is a HUGE part of my activism work...but often I feel like a song just isn't enough these days. I wish I had a protest sign as big as a skyscraper to march up to the White House with! I wish I could fly an airplane with a banner that is miles long, to make my voice heard...but alas, all I can do is write and sing my little songs, often preaching to the choir. I can send my collages to you, hoping beyond hope that you actually read them and they touch some nerve.
Mr. President, YOU CAN FLY THAT BANNER for us...YOU CAN HOLD UP THAT ENORMOUS PROTEST SIGN, you can be the voice of change that helps to heal this wounded world. You can be the voice for all us WORRIED MOMS!
I'm enclosing a copy of our MOUTHPEACE CD. The 3rd song is called THE LITTLE FOLK SONG. It is a song written from the perspective of a Little Folk Song who wants his voice to be heard. I thought it went well with this collage I'm sending to you. Enjoy!
Here are the Lyrics:
THE LITTLE FOLK SONG
Words & Music Donna Stjerna
The little folk song wanted to be heard
but
no one would listen to his radical words
so
the little folk song adapted to the world
and
threw away his peace sign.
Then
the little folk song began to sing
only
songs about relationships and funny things
cause
everyone was finally listening to the little folk song.
But
it broke his spirit and it clipped his wings
to
never, ever sing about important things
he
could feel himself homogenizing into the pop culture.
Well,
the little folk song played it safe
he
never, ever sang songs about social change
only
songs about dogs, cars and trains and such.
Then
the little folk song began to cry
“Oh,
where’d I go wrong and why, oh why,
did
I sell my soul for a pot of gold and a record label?”
When
the world around was raging with war,
but
no but no one seemed to want to sing about it no more,
the
little folk song said “It’s time to get back to the drawing board”
His
songs were great, they cut to the core
but
no one seemed to want to listen to him no more
he
was dropped from his record label….like a hot potato.
But
the little folk song didn’t give a flip
he
started singing like his life depended on it…
songs
against the WAR and for the environment!
Well,
the moral of the story goes like this
if
you’re a little folk song always do your best,
speak
your mind swim against the tide….for the love of it
Cause
you’re a little folk songs…you’re a little folk song
You’re
a little folk song!
One Worried Mom
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