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

Bob Dylan: Little Drummer Boy

I have been listening to my copy of Bob Dylan's "Christmas from the Heart." Bob Dylan's voice sounds weary and hopeful like a favorite and worn out pair of boots. The lyrics to the songs are easy to hear as he sings to the Andy William's style arrangements. The critics don't get it, but I love the album. Here is his video for "The Little Drummer Boy." The images bring back joyful memories of Christmas time filled with family and friends as well the mystery of a new born baby.

New Emmanuel Jal single: We Fall

Emmanuel Jal is allowing people to download his new single "We Fall" for free at EmmanuelJal.com. It is a catchy and heartfelt song like other songs by Emmanual Jal. It is a thank-you for the people who donate to Gua Africa. Emmanuel Jal's projects are aimed a arming children in Africa with an education. From someone who was armed with an AK47 when he was a child, he knows the importance of education.

Education is the only way for my country. When you don't educate the people, you're crippling them. You are, you're not giving them ways to survive. --Emmanuel Jal

You can learn more an donate here.

Here is a recent Washington Times article.

Here are previous posts I made on Emmanuel Jal.


Here is a recent and excellent CNN video from last month that talks about Jal's life, book, music, and movie. It also talks about work toward building a school for children in Sudan. The article is here.


The good news is that he has a new album coming out in 2010.

I don't think that Bob Dylan is Talking about Santa Claus

Bill Flanagan has a wonderful interview with Bob Dylan over at Street News Service. He talks with Dylan about his new Christmas album Christmas in the Heart. Dylan can be elusive to figure out at times, but on one question he is quite clear:

Flanagan: You really give a heroic performance of O’ LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM The way you do it reminds me a little of an Irish rebel song. There’s something almost defiant in the way you sing, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” I don’t want to put you on the spot, but you sure deliver that song like a true believer.

Dylan: Well, I am a true believer.