A Song With a Real Purpose: Emmanuel Jal- We Want Peace

Rapper enlists global stars to work on south Sudan

Learn about Emmanuel Jal


We Want Peace

Oh yeah
Oh yeah
I’m looking for some people who’s looking for peace
Maybe together we could make the war cease
Now we can send mankind to the moon
And we can reach to the bottom of the sea
That’s why it really kind of baffles me
That we cannot end wars and bring peace
And we cannot change the way people act
And we cannot change the way people think
So if we sit back, chill out and relax
Civilization will soon be extinct
That’s why I am

[Chorus]
>I am calling on
I’m calling on the whole wide world
>On the whole wide world
Come on people would you help me
>Help me scream and shout
Let’s scream and shout coz we want peace
>That we want peace
To say the least

I dedicate this song to the common people
Caught in the middle of this common evil
I wish the world was a little bit fairer
Time we start looking at the man in the mirror
Fear is the devil's policeman
Fear made good Germans side with Hitler so he can
Build the war of genocide and havoc was wreaking
Silence of the lamb 'cause nobody was speaking
That’s why I am

[Chorus]

Somebody said, "After Rwanda
>Never again,"
And after Rwanda
>It’s happening
Not far from Rwanda
>Just next door
Who’s gonna shout for the poor people living in Darfur?
The world’s gone deaf
The world’s gone blind
The world’s busy sitting down on their behind
Nobody cares about the poor and needy
Too busy sucking up to the rich and greedy
For every hero there is villain
I ain’t kidding
We gonna shout out standing up or sitting
One more time?
We got no more time!
We got to figure out the way we could all combine
Hey!
Like Jericho the walls came tumbling down
The sound of voices had the city surround
You know what is worth
Time to put our voices to work
We got to shake down heaven and earth
That’s why I am

[Chorus]

Come on everybody, come on
Stand up, stand up, stand up
You want peace and I want peace
Stand up, stand up
You want peace and I want peace
Stand up, stand up
You want peace and I want peace
Stand up... [continued]

The White Stripes - We're Going To Be Friends

The White Stripes - We're Going To Be Friends

fall is here, hear the yell
back to school, ring the bell
brand new shoes, walking blues
climb the fence, book and pens
i can tell that we are gonna be friends

walk with me, suzy lee
through the park, by the tree
we will rest upon the ground
and look at all the bugs we've found
then safely walk to school
without a sound

well here we are, no one else
we walked to school all by ourselves
there's dirt on our uniforms
from chasing all the ants and worms
we clean up and now it's time to learn


numbers, letters, learn to spell
nouns, and books, and show and tell
at playtime we will throw the ball
back to class, through the hall
teacher marks our height against the wall

and we don't notice any time pass
we don't notice anything
we sit side by side in every class
teacher thinks that i sound funny
but she likes the way you sing

tonight i'll dream while i'm in bed
when sill thoughts go through my head
about the bugs and alphabet
and when i wake tomorrow i'll bet
that you and i will walk together again
cause i can tell that we
are going to be friends

The Alarm in Concert in Derry, NH

I finally got Sarah to join me for an Alarm concert on Sep 15. It was not too far down the road in Londonderry, NH at the Tupulo Music Hall. What a great show! We were in the third row and Sarah enjoyed the show!

Here are some videos from the concert.



Could be the middle of night...or in the middle of the street

It could be uptown, downtown...or even where you sleep
I hear the marching drum... I hear a song unsung
It could be your dream, my dream...I'm not the only one
'Cause I’m a soldier marching in an army
I got no gun to shoot all I've got is ONE GUITAR
I see the risin’ smoke...I hear a heartbreak joke
All of my brothers and sisters... I think it’s time we spoke
I’ve only got six strings... but like a bell they ring
It’s like a jet plane, insane... crashin’ in my brain
'Cause I’m a soldier marching in an army
I got no gun to shoot all I've got is ONE GUITAR
So if you get knocked down... you gotta take a stand
For all the outcast, dead last... who need a helping hand
You've got to raise your voice... raise it up loud
You've got to raise your... above the crowd
'Cause I’m a soldier marching in an army
I got no gun to shoot all I've got is ONE GUITAR



A guy named Greg has his dreams come true!



Walk forever by my side

Never lose sight of the day


When we will run through all our weakness
On through the fields
Strewn with our broken dreams
Walk forever by my side


Stay forever in the light
Never lose sight of the way
For I alone can’t face the future
I need your strength
To help me make it through
Walk forever by my side


Stay forever in the light
Walk on ’til morning
All my days are yours
Walk on ’til morning
All my days are yours


Hope you’ll stay with me tonight
Lift the veil from my eyes
For I am weak and I am foolish
I need your love

To see me through the darkness
Hope you’ll stay with me tonight


Walk on ’till morning
All my days are yours
Walk on ’till morning
All my days are yours

The Alarm: One Guitar

One Guitar is one of the jewels on The Alarm's new cd Direct Action.



 One Guitar


Could be the middle of night...or in the middle of the street

It could be uptown, downtown...or even where you sleep

I hear the marching drum... I hear a song unsung

It could be your dream, my dream...I'm not the only one



'Cause I’m a soldier marching in an army

I got no gun to shoot all I've got is ONE GUITAR



I see the risin’ smoke...I hear a heartbreak joke

All of my brothers and sisters... I think it’s time we spoke

I’ve only got six strings... but like a bell they ring

It’s like a jet plane, insane... crashin’ in my brain



'Cause I’m a soldier marching in an army

I got no gun to shoot all I've got is ONE GUITAR



So if you get knocked down... you gotta take a stand

For all the outcast, dead last... who need a helping hand

You've got to raise your voice... raise it up loud

You've got to raise your... above the crowd



'Cause I’m a soldier marching in an army

I got no gun to shoot all I've got is ONE GUITAR


Written by Willie Nile / Frankie Lee


The song is actually a Willie Nile song. Here is a video from the January 20, 2010, Light Of Day 10 Parkinson's disease fundraiser at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ. You can see Bruce Springteen in the photos.



Here Willie Nile joins The Alarm at The Brook in Southampton,  on 23rd April 2010



and Willie Nile solo explaining how Mike Peters approached him to record the song.



The song sort of reminds me of The Killers song "All These Things That I've Done."



"All These Things That I've Done"

When there's nowhere else to run


Is there room for one more son

One more son

If you can hold on

If you can hold on, hold on

I wanna stand up, I wanna let go

You know, you know - no you don't, you don't

I wanna shine on in the hearts of men

I want a meaning from the back of my broken hand



Another head aches, another heart breaks

I am so much older than I can take

And my affection, well it comes and goes

I need direction to perfection, no no no no



Help me out

Yeah, you know you got to help me out

Yeah, oh don't you put me on the blackburner

You know you got to help me out



And when there's nowhere else to run

Is there room for one more son

These changes ain't changing me

The cold-hearted boy I used to be



Yeah, you know you got to help me out

Yeah, oh don't you put me on the blackburner

You know you got to help me out

You're gonna bring yourself down

Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down

Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down



I got soul, but I'm not a soldier

I got soul, but I'm not a soldier

...



Yeah, you know you got to help me out

Yeah, oh don't you put me on the blackburner

You know you got to help me out

You're gonna bring yourself down

You're gonna bring yourself down

Yeah, oh don't you put me on the blackburner

Yeah, you're gonna bring yourself down



Over and out, last call for sin

While everyone's lost, the battle is won

With all these things that I've done

All these things that I've done

If you can hold on

If you can hold on

The Alarm take Direct Action

On April 12 The Alarm will be releasing their newest Cd Direct Action.

The sound of 'Direct Action' is the sound of The Alarm right up to the minute and explores themes of change and the ways in which change impacts on our daily lives. 'Direct Action's main tenet is in how to deal with that change and the diverse emotions that it brings out in all of us. Lyrically, it challenges the listener to not be afraid of change but to take positive action or as the title track declares in it's first verse, 'To find inspiration where there is none." Perhaps the lyric that sums up ‘Direct Action’ best can be found in the simple Mike Peters' acoustic performance of 'Badge Of Honour' [Part Two] where he sings "It's up to us to make a truce, up to us to broker peace, up to us to find the words that will make or break us".

Direct Action


Fire in the hole, war coming down

As Wall Street crashes to an all time low

To find inspiration where there is none

You're going to have to take DIRECT ACTION

Free man of this land, he knows what's going down

He's got a King James Bible right by his side

To find the truth in a web of lies

You're going to have to take DIRECT ACTION

I'd give my last drop of blood just to keep you alive

Take a bullet in the head for you

Make a stand in the court of humanity all alone

DIRECT ACTION now

The Alarm: My Town

I am back to listening to a lot of music from The Alarm this past week. It didn't arrive in time for Christmas, so my wife gave me the package of all four winter releases for my birthday (didn't receive the Christmas-or birthday card-though). I always have appreciated the music of Mike Peters and The Alarm (bought the original EP the first day it was released in America). Mike is such a nice guy (sort of like the Captain Kangaroo of Rock music)! I am sure I am the first to make that comparison, but he just makes you feel comfortable, like the Captain did (although I don't think the Captain could rock!). His lyrics are filled with hope, optimism, fight, and faith. One song that I have been reacquainted with on the new cds is called "My Town". It has a great sound and punctuates the atmosphere of a post 9/11 world. I just personally hate one line, "Not even Jesus Christ could separate the sinners from believers." I know Mike is trying to prove a point here about people, but he misses the point from scriptures that Jesus is the Good Shepard that know his sheep: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14-15. I don't appreciate that these lyrics strip Jesus of his power to know "who" belongs to him and who doesn't and this song always makes me feel uncomfortable (would the Captain ever do that?). We may not, as humans, be able to judge people accurately as this song suggests, but I think it is misguided to think that, even in a song, Jesus is as powerless as us. If I was writing the song, I think it would pack just as much punch to say, "That only Jesus Christ could separate the sinners from believers. It goes against my core beliefs, but otherwise it is a great song. Sorry Mike!

Here is a performance of the song from Fearlessmusic.com.

the

'My Town'

Here it comes the reaping of the whirlwind that was promised us
And all the streets are littered with the tension and the pressure
A culture spreads it's needles ‘round like flowers in the garden
The only thing that comes for free is the air we need to breathe
This is where I come from
This is my town

When I last looked everything was black and white but now it's grey
Not even Jesus Christ could separate the sinners from believers
Backpack bombs and cups of tea lying on the kitchen table
The only thing that I believe I'm fighting fit and able
This is where I come from
This is my town

Turn off the lights listen to the city by the river
Turn off the power listen to the pulse of your heart beating
Turn off the sound listen to the blood running through your veins
Turn off the voice that says that all of this has not been worth it

I can't take back the bullets fired in the name of God
Two wrongs don't make it right
Two rights don't make it wrong
This is where I come from
This is my town

Band of Skulls: Shock Sessions

Here is a studio romp through six of the songs off "Baby Darling Doll Face Honey" by the Band of Skulls. It can be found on Shockhound.com.

Fresh from contributing a track to the Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack, England's hottest new buzz band lays down a scorching live set in the ShockHound Studio. Songs include "Light Of The Morning," "Death By Diamonds And Pearls," "Patterns," "Blood" and "Impossible."

Here is a review of some of the influences found on the album.


Here is another Shockhound video session:

Southhampton, UK power trio Band Of Skulls rock the ShockHound stage for this exclusive Shock Sessions performance. Songs include "Patterns," "I Know What I Am," "Death By Diamonds And Pearls," "Blood," and "Impossible."

Here is a Shockhound video for Fires.


FIRES

Baby, Darling, Doll Face, Honey
Now I don't mean to cause you worry
It's only hands in my pocket
And the Queen on my money

Did you know I've been wanting you?
so leave your locks on the latches
If you bring the water, I'll bring the matches

'cause we are fires in the night
We are fires in the night
Let us bathe you in our heart
'cause we are fires in the night

Come on get up Romeo
Don't you know what the time is?
It's the fall of rock 'n roll,
That's what the news said

Did you know I've been wanting you?
so leave your locks on the latches
If you bring the water, I'll bring the matches

'cause we are fires in the night
We are fires in the night
Let us bathe you in our heart
'cause we are fires in the night

we are fires in the night
we are fires in the night
let us bathe you in our life
we are fires in the night