ribbons

Erica, I'm glad you and your dad have been sharing those special activities -- hiking the hills, listening to Bach and eating organic strawberries are lovely ways to build even more memories together, which I hope you continue doing for a long time to come.

What a great idea, to compose a classical piece for your dad! That is bound to lift his spirits and I bet it'll mean so much to him. So break out that violin and get started, lady.

Unicorn

I'm also very sorry to hear that about you Dad, I think this is very beautiful and moving- especially the last verse. I have been blessed to not have dealt with cancer in my immediate family, but I have lost loved ones to illness and accident and it is very painful. Keep up hope through everything!

__________________
<witty quote>

VEGANGELICA

I've got my ol' violin tuned and ready! Thanks, Liz, for your kind words.

Thank you, Unicorn. I'm sorry about *your* loved ones. I have worried about my parents dying since I was 13 or so...and the most painful part for me, now that I'm older, is the fear of how it will feel for them to lose themselves and the chance to live and fulfill dreams. I always hope the joy of having lived a good life will make up for the emotional and physical pain of death...but I'm not so sure it is easy to keep this perspective when one is the one who is dying! I do have hope, though, that a hard death will not negate the appreciation of a mostly beautiful life.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Switching back to the topic of life, I have finished the lyrics for my third activist song about a hairy subject...HAIR. The first song was supportive of men with long hair. The second song was supportive of bald women. I wrote this final song, "Brave," in support of women like myself who keep their body hair.

I suspect that women who feel shaving and waxing their bodies is a trivial issue probably have always done so and thus have never faced the negative social consequences of not removing their body hair.

I think the women who dare to keep their body hair, in defiance of a sexist culture that is critical of women's but not men's leg and underarm hair, know this issue of shaving body hair is far from trivial. I think they will understand this song only too well.

So, my fellow non-shaving women, wherever you are, this song goes out to you...

*************************************************

“Brave" by Erica

I know what you are going through
when they shove you up against the wall.
I know how it feels when they spit on you,
trying to make you feel weak and small.

I know people can be cruel
and you’re a brave individual
because...

you don’t give up, you don’t give in,
your don’t give out
when they shout their snide remarks.
You don’t give up, you don’t give out,
you don’t give in
when they treat you like a sin

all because you dare
to keep your...

I know how it feels when someone you love
finds touching you hard to bear
just because, oh so distasteful,
you stop shaving your...

I know how it feels when asked to meet
a loved-one’s family
and he says, like a punch to the gut,
“If you don’t cover up,
you’ll be going without me.”

I know people can be cruel
and you’re a brave individual
because...

you don’t give up, you don’t give in,
you don’t give out
when they shout their snide remarks.
You don’t give up, you don’t give out,
you don’t give in
when you see their scornful grin

all because you dare,
all because you dare...

even though you’re scared,
for you want to be liked,
but to thine own self be true,
and you long to scream,
this is who we are!
What did I ever do to you?!

All you did was dare
to keep your hair
everywhere.

So shocking! Watch them gawking:
Hair! She’s got hair! “Disgusting”
hair! She’s got hair! “Horrifying”
hair! She’s got hair!
“That’s the sickest thing
I’ve seen in my life!”

Brave.

*************************************************

__________________

VEGANGELICA

Hello coffee-drinkers and others,

A year ago, our member Stone Birds recommended I write a song about coffee. I think he expected me to write something positive and pleasant. I, on the other hand, wanted to write a coffee song that scathingly critiques society, which often seems to focus on gustatorial pleasure with little concern about the impact of food and drink choices on others.

I wasn't sure what to write until I read this TIME magazine article, which describes how even fair trade coffee growers are in poverty, facing malnourishment:

Inspired by this information, and by an agreement with our German member Schmidti to make songs about coffee by the end of this month, I wrote the following coffee lyrics. I thought maybe the people posting in the new lounge coffee and tea thread might enjoy them. http://www.musicbanter.com/lounge/51...tml#post921269

************************************************

“Coffee” by Erica

Coffee-colored people, paid little
for the steamy drink you swirl in your hand,
labor out of sight, out of mind
on the hills of some impoverished land

of our man eat man world
of our man eat everyone world.

Coffee-colored cattle give milk for
your cappuccino. So generous!
Take their babies, kill them,
oh stupid animals, they don’t make a fuss

about our man eat animal world,
about our man eat everyone world.

Dumb people, they don’t rebel,
so they deserve to be put through hell.
Dumb animals, they don’t resist,
so you can use them.
They won’t know what they’ve missed
on this man eat everyone world.

I don’t see the dogs doing this,
I don’t see the dogs doing this
dirty business

where the middle men and companies
accumulating profits get rich and cruel
while the workers don’t earn enough
to send their kids to school

and you support this unfair trade
allowing you to buy goods cheaply.
You don’t see a race to the bottom
since you’re living in luxury
sipping your...

coffee colored people pick beans
you roast and grind for a flavorful cup
on your high rung of the social ladder
they will never climb up.

You place the burden on the ones below
and take the profits of what they grow.

Creamy-colored poultry give eggs for
the pastry puff you bite between sips.
Then you show your gratitude by slaughtering them
when their egg production dips

and you think this exchange is nice:
you get the goods while they pay the price!

Dumb people, they can’t rebel
so they deserve to be put through hell.
Dumb animals, they can’t resist,
so you can use them.
They won’t know what they’ve missed
on this man eat everyone world.

I don’t see the dogs doing this,
I don’t see the dogs doing this
dirty business

where the middle man and companies
accumulating profits get rich and mean
while the animals they steal from
are treated like a machine

and you support this unfair trade
allowing you to buy death cheaply.
You don’t see the lives you deprive
since you’re living in luxury
sipping your coffee
sipping your coffee
sipping your coffee.

************************************************

__________________

Schmidti

Hi, Erica!
I'm sorry, I'm late, I know, but it is summertime and the weather is fine... :-)
Wow, these are such nice lyrics, I like it very much! A very good beginning with "coffee-colored" because it's almost a bit unexpecting and zooms very artful from the coffee-colored things to the coffee itself. And it's really so elegant and fascinating how you mention the problems of the world based on this banal coffee, great!
But I would add one thing: The first, I associate with coffee is to wake up, so I think such a "wake up" would fit quite well in your lyrics, e.g. that the people have to wake up or something like that, I think, you know what I mean!
Unfortunately, I didn't write something about coffee, because I had no idea what to write and therefore I'm even more fascinated what you made out of it, that you can make the world a better place with lyrics about coffee!

~Schmidti

VEGANGELICA

Schmidti! Hello! I'm glad you've been enjoying your warm German summer, hopefully some of it spent zipping around on that bike of yours!

Ooo! "Elegant and fascinating!" I couldn't have hoped for any kinder review of my "Coffee" lyrics than that. I'm really quite pleased you appreciated my negativism. And that you actually read the lyrics and commented! (Maybe you aren't a coffee drinker, so you didn't take them personally.)

I hesitated to use "wake up" because then my strident lyrics would be even *more* strident. There is nothing that irritates people more than being told to wake up. Even if they should.

I still plan to write about the garden vole. You got your garden vole lyrics done! I will have to work harder now, since I am behind. I hope you are well and that your exams are all done and went fine. I'm happy to see you back at MB! I wasn't sure you were going to return.

__________________

Schmidti

Hello, Erica!
Yeah, of course I rocked the nature with my Hippie-Bike :-) And I went to France and made holidays in Paris, a very beautiful and interesting city, you would also like it!
In fact, I'm not a coffee trinker because I find coffee much too bitter, if I'm forced to drink one, I always need a lot of milk and a lot of sugar to make it enjoyable :-)
Yes, you are right, the "wake up" is much too acute for these cute lyrics, this was only an idea!
Yeah, my exams all went fine, I've passed them all, this is the essential!

VEGANGELICA

Your vacation sounds lovely, Schmidti, and I'm glad you passed all your exams, though I'm not at all surprised. My main memory of Paris from when I was 5 was of a huge rat bumping into a wall as it walked along some alley. That was very memorable. The Eiffel tower is nice, too, of course...but it pales in comparison to a gigantic, bumbling rat!

****

And now, for today's song lyrics:

After talking with Crash and Freebase in the shout box about what it is like to be in the military, I decided to write an anti-war song in honor of Sept. 11th based partly on their descriptions. I imagined what I thought would happen if I were to enlist in the military. The song pretty much describes the outcome. Erica + Military probably wouldn't be a love match, shall we say.

As for the song structure, I decided to try following a post-rock blogger's suggestion for post-rock lyrics because it amused me. He said he'd like to hear a song that goes like this: "Intro - verse - prechorus - chorus - bridge - preverse - verse2 - breakdown - drive bus into pit, back bus out of pit - slow part - fast part - chorus."

I'm not sure what "drive bus into pit, back bus out of pit" means, but hopefully I'll figure that out when I put these lyrics to music!

*********************************************
“Failure to Adapt,” by Erica

Fellow soldiers fighting for religion, wealth, and domination
led by leaders seeking peace through violence and intimidation...

I don’t like their rules we're told to follow.
I don’t like the games they want us to play.
Defeating a foe is a victory hollow.
I just want to get away, get away.

Their rationale lacks any rhyme or reason.
I’m tired of being here, feeling trapped.
I’m not going to stay while they shout in my face.
I already know I’m a clear case of a...

failure to adapt to their tyranny,
failure to adapt to their heavy hands,
failure to adapt to decisions
that fail to adapt to what my conscience demands.

I don’t need counseling!
I don’t need correction!
I don’t need the consequences
they claim are for my protection

because I’m a failure,
because I’m a failure,
because

I’m not going to help create a hierarchy.
I’m not going to be crushed to the ground.
I’m not going to learn to embrace immaturity.
Hatred will never hold me down.

I’m not going to be broken, submissive.
I’m not going to crouch here, feeling trapped.
I’m standing up now and I’m leaving this place
since I already know I’m a clear case of a

failure to adapt, failure to adapt

to living the lie leaders want me to live,
programmed to fight an offensive offensive,
armed like a limb of a mindless machine,
following orders, unsure what they mean.

The walls will not sweat with my perspiration
preparing for war when no war can be won.
I’m exercising my right and my will
not to storm into countries to maim and to kill.

Let them say I’m off base and a shameful disgrace.
I already know I’m a clear case of a

failure to adapt to their tyranny,
failure to adapt to their heavy hands,
failure to adapt to decisions
that fail to adapt to what my conscience demands.

*********************************************

__________________

VEGANGELICA

Hi!

Earlier this month, our new member named anti-war posted a song called, "You Don't Care and I Don't Care," which reminded me of a song I wrote a while ago called "Plea"...except that the meanings of our songs are opposite from each other.

I had been planning today to share lyrics I wrote recently about the hypocrisy and irony of people who oppose the burning of religious books yet support killing. I decided instead to post "Plea" to give you a breather from my social commentary songs. If you want a vegan's indignant perspective on book-burning vs. animal-burning, then you can wait for my next post!

So here you are: something on the lighter and more self-analytical side. "Plea" describes a common way I think people who have been hurt sometimes feel about friendships or relationships. At least, I know *I've* felt like this before. Which is why I wrote it, of course.

******************************************

“Plea” by Erica

I won’t plead.
I’ll never stoop so low
to show my need.
I’d rather go alone than
tell you I’m missing you
if you don’t say
you’re missing me.

I won’t plead.
I won’t admit I hope
you feel for me.
I’d rather live alone than
give anyone that power
over me
to hurt me again.

So if you want to be with me
you’ll have to read between the lines.
I can only give so much
and then it’s up to you.

I can’t plead.
I’d rather lose
this opportunity
than risk rejection once again
and so you’ll never have a chance
to take anything
from me.

So if you want to be with me
you’ll have to read between the lines.
I can only give so much
and then it’s up to you.
It’s up to you.

******************************************

__________________

Arya Stark

I feel like this is so straightfoward.
But I feel like I say that a lot.
I do like the idea of the lyrics, though.

__________________

MB Journal.
Azucar y Especia. My blog.