You don't want… (add your flavor/remix this tune)
Melody and Lyrics: Lonnie Ray Atkinson
This is a song about resistance and choices under extreme (often absurd) levels of oppression. I was thinking maybe something world beat. The vocals are quite raw with no effects (and because I do not have the voice for this kind of a song, if you know anyone who would be interested in doing a better vocal, it would certainly be welcome). If you are interested (or you think you know someone that might be interested) in adding some music/tracks/beats (or better vocals) to the mix, you can download the raw a capellas here at ccMixter (just click on the word "download" under the word "stream"). When you are done, you can email me any mp3s here.
All contributions will be considered Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0.
Your time and talent is greatly appreciated.
Lyrics:
– give me one reason – why our children find their first victory in cheating death
give me one reason – why our families fight for water, fight for food, fight for breath
– give me one reason – beyond your promises, our lands are rich but our people poor
give me one reason – yes, one more reason, why we should take this, take this any more
you don't want a revolution, no, but you don't want to be us
– show me the goodness – in a system where those who sacrifice the most get the least
show me the goodness – in a system where those who order the famine win the feast
– show me the goodness – in a system where we reap the destruction you have sewn
show me the goodness – in this system, or this system will have to go
you don't want a revolution, no, but you don't want to be us
– give me one reason – why the powerless should bear the blame for the sting of power's fist
give me one reason – why the powerful crush our options then decry how we resist
– give me one reason – why we should compromise, why we should slow down and temper our demands
give me one reason – why our people should give you another – another second chance
you don't want a revolution, no, but you don't want to be us
– is nothing sacred – is there no limit to the indignities we must endure
is nothing sacred – is there no conscience or is there only the power you wish us to ignore
– is nothing sacred – is no one listening for the dreams, for the lifetimes we have lost
is nothing sacred – is nothing sacred beyond the line you say we must not cross
you don't want a revolution, no, but you don't want to be us
alternative extra (last) a capella verse:
– give me one reason – we owe nations who've built their progress on our misery
give me one reason – we owe leaders who've found their fortunes in our poverty
– give me one reason – we owe landlords when this has always, always been our land
give me one reason – we owe anyone anything more than to take this stand
This song is under the Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0.
You are free to download this song and share it with as many people as you like (please respect and include attributions).