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NOTE: ALL SALES OF THIS SONG WILL BE DONATED TO DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS. Doctors Without Borders delivers medical help to populations endangered by war, civil strife,
epidemics or natural disasters.
This is a hard song to post, but the lyrics are sincere. I am not making a political statement, rather a musical statement about the human condition surrounding the Middle East conflict, and for that matter, anywhere that war is taking lives.
This song is, I believe, "Spirit" originated, as I awoke several weeks ago with the title, lyrics and melody blasting in my mind, such that I was compelled to get up at 3 AM and get it down on my piano and iPad. It was done in a few hours.
I realized that my singing voice is poor at best and was the wrong "timbre" and lacked a "rawness" I wanted, and although I initially thought a female voice might work, I asked Fivos Valachis if he knew anyone who might want to collaborate and he introduced me to Paolo D'Emilio who agreed to do the vocals and whose voice has the tonal qualities I don't have. I'm grateful to Fivos for the introduction and grateful for Paolo for singing with his unique passion and style.
I added the strings, and as the song is in a minor key all the way through, I wanted to make a musical and positive statement at the end of the song, so the last two chords are in a major key, just my way of trying to convey a positive and hopeful ending.
Maybe someday, both sides in this (and any other conflict) will decide that killing is a waste and just figure out a way to get a lasting peace established. Although that doesn't seem likely in the immediate future, there is always hope and faith in things unseen and we can at least believe that peaceful times will someday take hold.
The picture is of children crying at the funeral of 4 of their playmates as their entire family was killed in the current conflict.
We hope this song touches a chord in someone somewhere and they can try to make that move towards that peace that is so elusive.
lyrics
I WEEP FOR THE CHILDREN
I weep
for the children
who’s lives are filled with confusion and pain
while they watch their moms and dads killing others,
instead of love from their parents
now they’re orphans
that’s just insane.
When will you see it’s not worth it?
To kill for your cause when the price is so high?
if each side would just stop and say “no more”
You would all live in peace
and the children would no longer cry
And I weep
for the children
my tears fall like rain
if each side would just stop and say “no more”
no more fighting, no more killing, no more pain.
I weep
for the parents
whose lives are filled with hatred and pain
as their children die from closed minds like theirs and others
instead of loving their kids
now their child-less and that’s just insane.
When will you see it’s not worth it?
To kill for your cause when the price is so high?
if each side would just stop and just say “no more”
You would all live in peace
and the children would no longer cry
And I weep
for the children
my tears fall like rain
if each side would just stop and say “no more”
no more fighting, no more killing, no more pain
I weep
for the families
their anguish is so hard to see
I pray that their leaders
would just stop, and embrace love, and choose lasting peace.
When will you see it’s not worth it?
To kill for your cause when the price is so high?
if each side would just stop and say “no more”
You would all live in peace
and the children would no longer cry
And I weep
for the children
their pain is so hard to see
if each side would just stop and say “no more”
No more fighting, and dying, just lasting peace
credits
released July 22, 2014
Piano, lyrics and strings - Bruce Haines.
Vocals - Paolo D'Emilio
Music has always been a passion - to create from a finite number of notes a unique and one-of-a-kind sound is a gift that I
never tire of. Everyone who writes or creates music provides the world with little miracles that can be enjoyed forever. I'm only an amateur composer, but I hope something in my tracks touches you...comments always welcomed....
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