Every now and then, a musician comes along whose music touches your soul. BRUCE MURDOCH is a man whose music touches mine. A man who had to leave the music industry for over 30 years, but who is now back again with a brand new CD called 'MATTERS OF THE HEART' and another already in the making for which Bruce has returned to writing some of his great political songs, for which he is so highly respected and well known.
Yet, this time last year (this being written in February 2009) I'd not heard of Bruce, I didn't know his story, I'd heard none of his music, nothing. I know one helluva lot more now.
So here is Bruce, with the incredibly tender and very beautiful....
'I CAN SEE YOU NOW'
Over Christmas I read Richie Havens' words about Bruce, in Richie's autobiography 'They Can't Hide Us Anymore' Below are some words taken from that book. (brilliant book, by the way!) In the first quote Richie is talking of his own song "What More Can I Say John" and in the second, about his time in Greenwich Village, where he first saw Bruce perform:
"..The title came to me while I was playing in Canada after listening to the songs Bruce Murdoch was playing, songs that addressed issues going on in America more than most of the songs I was hearing back home. Listening to Bruce altered my perspective, opened my thinking, and expanded my songwriting. That's what a good piece of art does; that's what is behind the song-writing process for anyone. Giving new perspectives in your own way..."
"..Bruce was a prodigy in the purest sense of the word. He was a seventeen-year-old-singer-songwriter so brilliant and so well read that he was asked to teach a special course in literature at McGill University. Jack (Solomon) was right. This kid could write, sing and play and we were both anxious to see him come to the Village as soon as he could get there. We thought Bruce was going to set the world on its ear..."
RICHIE HAVENS WEBSITE
"...Jack managed to get Bruce a spot on the Carnegie Hall stage, when Bob Gibson agreed to call Bruce up to do a single song. The next day's newspapers went out of their way to point out how good this stranger, Bruce Murdoch, was and how a new star had been born. The big question on the street was; "Who was that kid, who sang one song and brought down the house?" Bruce even did an album that year that attracted some attention as one of the best of the year. Unfortunately, that was about all we would ever really see of him......" (All of the above taken from 'They Can't Hide Us Anymore' by Richie Havens)
"Unfortunately, that was about all we would ever really see of him......"
Wanna bet? :0)
Bruce performing his beautiful 'I Can See You Know', along with Ron Bankley, April Wener and Jeri Corlew, at The Apple Hollow Music Festival in Quebec, Canada..July 17th 2009
'AS SOON AS POSSIBLE'
"We thought Bruce was going to set the world on its ear."
Bruce Murdoch IS going to set the world on its ear! It's just taken a little longer than they first thought, because 'life' got in the way, that's all.
I hope Bruce wins many awards through his new CD, 'MATTERS OF THE HEART' not only because the calibre of his songwriting is mind-blowingly beautiful, but also because, as someone said on his Myspace page a while back, "It's Never Too Late To Be Who You *Should* Have Been." - And to that I'll add, nor to be who you ALWAYS have been.
Here's Bruce's Myspace page, with 4 tracks and 3 videos, all are songs taken from 'Matters of the Heart'
And I'll leave you with one final song, the very sassy...
'YOU MAKE MY HEART BEAT FAST'
..And of course, Bruce's LPs from the past....
THE SINGER SONGWRITER PROJECT (1965)(Elektra)
FOLKSONG '65 (Elektra)
33 1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE (1971)(Produced by Richie Havens)
BRUCE MURDOCH (1980) (Produced by Radio Canada International)
RON BANKLEY produced 'Matters of the Heart' for Bruce, see above. Ron is also a brilliant songwriter and musician in his own right. Not only that but he's as determined as Bruce is, and as many others are, to bring about a change in this world, through his songs, as you'll see and hear from the video below, of a song called 'CHANGE' which he co-wrote with another fine musician, J.T. OGLESBY Both this song and the one that follows, are due to be on Ron's new CD, which will be out soon.
'CHANGE'
And then, of course, there's Ron's new song 'Jabaliya' which tells the story of the terrible sadness, now bordering on insanity, happening in the Middle East. Ron's moving words say it all...
'JABALIYA'
You can buy Ron's superb 'Insurgent Sun' CD here:
INSURGENT SUN
And listen to more of his songs below, 'The Spell' is brilliant:
And here is Richie Havens, opening Woodstock, way back now. Bear in mind that at the time most of the musicians booked weren't able to get into Woodstock itself, because the roads were blocked all around it for over 30 miles in every direction. Richie got there early though, flown in by helicopter, when there was still space for it to land.
He was the first person to walk out onto that stage, to face an audience of hundreds of thousands, who'd been waiting for hours for it all to start.
Richie remained on that stage for the next 3 hours or more, filling in until the other acts got there. He played every song he knew and more, even making them up on stage as he went along, the now famous 'Freedom' being one of them.
Richie is a phenomenally talented man, as is Bruce Murdoch, the man who so inspired Richie way back, and Ron Bankley, who now also inspires Bruce.
An Awesome Threesome, if ever there was one! :0)
RICHIE HAVENS AT WOODSTOCK
Richie at Glastonbury 1982, playing some pretty darn amazing guitar and singing a brilliant song about Richard Nixon
'NOBODY LEFT TO CROWN'
And here are three videos of an interview with Richie, where he talks about Woodstock, the power that music held back then to bring change..and about his life in general. "There had to be some way of us having a voice.." It's WAY past time for all of us to find our voices once again, and never has it been more needed!
PART I
PART 2
PART 3
The photo below is of AUNG SAN SUU KYI - the TRUE leader of Burma and her gentle people. This peaceful, wise woman has been under house arrest, off and on, since the 1980's, whilst her people have been ruled by an evil regime.
NOW her people are trying to rise up. May the rest of the world stand beside them in their hour of need and NOT turn away from these incredibly brave people who need our support so much at this time. You can read all about this amazing lady right here:
And watch a highly moving video on Burma below. This is the video that has been made to accompany the beautfiully written song 'The Unplayed Piano' by Damien Rice, about Suu Kyi's imprisonment, it is played halfway through the video....These words are taken from the Action Burma site below and tell you a little about the song...:
"To celebrate her birthday, Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan released a new single - ‘Unplayed Piano’. The song was written for Suu Kyi following a visit by Damien Rice to Burma in July 2004...........Damien Rice said, " refer not to interfere too much with what is going on in the world, but when someone has been thrown into a hole and they ask you to throw down a rope, I am happy to look for a rope, especially for a woman of such grace."
And you can find out more on the link below, where you can also sign a petition for Suu Kyi's release:
Listen to the wise, gentle and compassionate words of Suu Kyi herself, on those who have imprisoned her, and those who wish to spread evil around the world:
The beautiful photo of Buddha and one of his monks, below, is taken from the site of Steve McCurry. A man for whom the phrase "A Picture Paints A Thousand Words" could have been invented.
Here is a great video with some thought provoking photos, set to the background of a wonderfully vibrant and inspiring song, written and sung by a dear friend of mine, Michael David Evans:
'RUMI SAY (Heart Beam)'
"..Buddha Laughs and Jesus loves
And Sufis go there too
Whirling with the dancing heart
Through the door of unseen truth
Heartbeam's been a gift
of life since Genesis began
Upanishads, Sanskrit talk
and pharaohs in the sand.
Ignore this ring of heartless thought
Will keep us in a cube..." - taken from 'Rumi Says' by Michael David Evans
MEVLANA JALALU'DDIN AL RUMI
Michael's also in the process of creating the most amazing blog about his mother, actress and soprano singer, Susanna Foster, and his father, actor and baritone singer, Wilbur Evans.
Susanna was the first ever 'Christine' in the 1943 film of 'Phantom of the Opera' Susanna passed on just a couple of weeks ago, January 17th 2009, with obituaries to her in many of the leading papers over here in the UK, The Guardian, being amongst them, and in the USA as well.
Wib played the lead role in 'South Pacific' for over two years, when it came to London. Both he and Susanna were also in many other films of their day.
Below is their story, 'Phantom of the Heart' one which starts with happiness, goes through much sadness, and onto tragedy. But it's a story which ends with hope, for their son has survived, despite all the sorrow and hardship. He survived against many odds and never gave up.
Personally, I think this story would make an incredible film.
Michael's talent for writing, his magical way with words and his skill at making videos/documentaries, shines out. He's also inherited the vocal talent of both his mother and father.
Yup, Michael David Evans is a man for whom I have a great deal of respect. So, here, is the remarkable story, not only of his family, but of how The Story itself was 'brought to him', demanding to be told.
Below are the first videos in Susanna and Wib's story. You'll find the others in the list at the right hand side of each page. Wib's video story is still ongoing.
SUSANNA'S STORY - PART 1
WIB'S STORY - PART 1
"Every 3 seconds, a child...." ....is STILL dying!
There is a song 'out here' which I know about, that I strongly believe could bring in vast amounts of money for the charities above...and many more besides. I've contacted them and they are deeply interested in taking it on, but....the problem is raising the funds to get the CD printed in the first place.
I found John's music on Myspace and immediately sent off for the 'Significance' CD, never having heard the title track. In the information about this song, John explains how his much loved Auntie Doris worked for Save The Children all her working life. Here are John's words:
"Significance is the title track and covers one of the main themes on the album, whereby it discusses the options and choices we have during our lives.
The idea for this track came from my Auntie, who spent her entire working life battling for the ideals of the Save The Children Fund. She worked on the front lines in Egypt, Beirut, Israel, India, Pakistan, Korea and finally Vietnam for six years. She fought in more wars than a soldier, she never carried a gun and she never married, yet she had more children than any of us.
Among her friends numbered the Dalai Lama, Princess Anne and the late King Hussein, and Indira Ghandi. If she were to show her photo albums, it would not be full of celebrities, royalty or dignitaries, but of the children she cherished. In that album you will see youngsters with no arms or legs and she will describe them as beautiful, something I find hard to comprehend.
Her humanity is stunning, her laughter infectious, her energy at 85 years old astounding. She is a living Spielberg movie. And our world is honoured to have her presence."
And the reason I think it's so important?
Well, it's about each and every one of us being able to make a difference, learning to stand up for those weaker than ourselves, looking a little deeper into our souls and starting to change how we live, becoming stronger and more caring...and that's a pretty good road for a song to lead people down, because if we don't start changing things ourselves then there will be no change!
"I've got to be strong for the weak
As I could make all of the difference
You've got to be strong for the weak
To be of some significance..."
It's purely John's song which has inspired ME to try and do something, so, if it can touch one person in that way, I believe it can touch many more....and if somehow we can get that inspirational feeling to be multiplied several million times over....well, who knows what could happen or where it might lead!
Now, all I have to do is work out how to organise getting SIGNIFICANCE 'out there' in the first place!
And that's where I need YOUR help. So, if any of you have *any* ideas, PLEASE message me on the link above, as I'd be so very pleased to hear from you. You can hear the song again on the link above, or by clicking on here:
Inspiring! Beautiful! Strong! Passionate! Not a swear word in it! Nor a scantily clad, 'bimbo' woman anywhere to be seen! Just:
Hope Determination Conviction And Faith!
It's about William Wilberforce and his friends, who, through their committment, belief, passion, faith and integrity, eventually put an end to the Slave Trade. It's been a very long time since I left a cinema wanting to cheer, but Oh...I SO felt like that! Take your children to see this film and your friends too. Let the children see that there is so much more depth to life than Britney,Pop Idol and Alcohol. Let them know that once there were people whose passion, compassion and committment changed the world!
And there still are people out there who care in the same way, but their voices have been taken away from so many of them. It's up to us now to give them their voices back and to let them be heard once more, because they and all of us have been silent for far too long.
It's time TO change and it's time FOR change!
Television
When Television is used for the right things, to inspire, to teach, to broaden horizons, to enrich, to enthuse, to entertain in a positive, funny and non-crude way, to spread wisdom and kindness, to unite...then and only then will I watch it more.
JOHN LOGI BAIRD would be turning in his grave at the dumbed down, crude and so often vitriolic, de-sensitising rubbish which now seems to dominate our TV. I have no interest in so-called fatuous 'celebrities' or ignorant politicians who use it for their lies and self-obsessed views....This world is in one hell of a state right now and Television has a tremendous power to change things around.
So it's way overdue that the people in charge of Television Programmes throughout the world, banged their heads together, took responsibility for the, so often, total trash they are feeding a seemingly ever-hungry, insensitive, shallow population and turned themselves, their audience and this world right around!
The brilliant programmes are diamonds amongst the pebbles...I know many Diamonds! And it frustrates me deeply that during these Dumbed Down Days Of TV they are buried by The Pebbles! I could fill programme after programme with INCREDIBLE songwriters, poets, dancers, artists, teachers...with people who care SO deeply. THEY need a VOICE and THAT is what Television should be being used for...For The Power Of Good!
IT IS TIME TO BRING THE DIAMONDS BACK AGAIN AND LET THEM SHINE RIGHT AROUND THIS WORLD. WE CAN ALL DO THAT, IF WE PULL TOGETHER.
Books
The brilliant poetry of
TONY STRINGFELLOW This man has an absolute gift with words. His thought-provoking wisdom is powerful and strong. Tony is an Antidote To Apathy. So...wake up to the silence that has stifled us all, for so long, by listening to his brilliant poem
VOICE? (lyrics)
on his myspace page here...TONY'S POEMS
His brand new book 'SILENT SOLITUDES' is out this week. So join him in his fight against dumbing down, in his words of strength and beauty....and bring some inspirational poetry back into your lives.
Heroes
Ronald D. Davis.
His brilliant book THE GIFT OF DYSLEXIA is one of the most important books I've ever read. He has helped many thousands of people because of this book and also with his many teaching centres:
His book explains how the dyslexic mind works, something that many, many people do NOT understand and some refuse to acknowledge it even exists!
But exist it does and I can verify that, for I come from a dyslexic family....my father, my brother, my son and myself. I see in pictures, I read in pictures, I write in pictures, I hear music in pictures...It's that simple So..if your child is struggling at school, try reading this book and you may find the answers to calm many of your worries. Then remember, dyslexia IS a gift.
Some of the brightest people can't read you know...so never let anyone tell you that you're stupid, purely because your mind does not work as theirs does, or as they may insist it should. Always be proud to be who you are.
And remember these words from an old Jewish Proverb "If I try to be like him, who will be like me?"
A teacher for over 20 years, who finally realised that for many children, school does far more damage than good. He is now a huge supporter of Home Education. His intelligent, inspirational, insightful and excellent book 'Dumbing Us Down' should be read by every teacher, every pupil and every parent.
WILLIAM WILBERFORCE Oh! The most AMAZING MAN! The man who ended the British Slave Trade and who worked so desperately hard all his life, to create a better and more caring society! HOW we SO need an entire Wilberforce Army in this uncaring world right now.
The people behind The Amazing Change, below, who are, in a way I suppose, part of the Army of William Wilberforce...Take this banner to your page and spread the word. Just click on it, then go to the page and copy and paste the details on to your page, it really is that easy.
SUSIE BUNDRICK
for her tireless work with helping animals. And her lovely daughter Cathy Jane who is now carrying on her beautiful Mum's work for her, following in her footsteps.
You can read about them both at the top of my page and below too, by pressing on the banner of the charity now set up in Sue's name..'THE SUE BUNDRICK MEMORIAL FUND FOR ANIMALS'
TONY STRINGFELLOW deserves to be amongst 'my heroes' too, for his powerful, caring words. Many of my heroes are people who write,poets and songwriters especially. They are people who are DETERMINED to make a difference and they do NOT turn away. Tony is one of those people.
Below is his wonderful poem 'Urban Sandstorm' He's a man who sees what's so wrong about us and does something about it, using his words to wake those who have turned away. Childhood is NOT about materialistic things. It is about Love. It is about Peace. It is about Time. Children NEED parents who HAVE TIME. Time for their children. Time to pour their wisdom and love into these young, precious souls.
So many of our children have been robbed of their childhoods whilst their parents have not only watched it happen, but have contributed to it. So read Tony's words....and NEVER let it happen to your own children! Get angry and then, make a difference...
And now over to Tony and his wise words.......
URBAN SANDSTORM - by Tony Stringfellow
"Watching from the windows in my head
At the leaves of another dying day
Swirling around my feet in a winter breeze
A crowd of passing moments on display
My organic microphones listen to the cold banter
From a flock of parents at the school gate
Trapped in their ritual posing, like clones
As they barter their trite debate
‘Jamie’s got an Xbox’
‘Mark has a BMX’
‘Sophie has the Bratz set’
‘Amy needs an Ipod next’
We are all Urban Dust
Trapped in the lust
Of makeover merchandise
Compelled to be scented
With unrepented passion
For the new device
The vice is our hunger for toys
That destroys...
We’re caught in the Urban Sandstorm
Gusts of lust at dawn!
Urban dust…
Running down the street like clumsy gazelles
Billowing gusts of tumbling innocence
Children flee on a spree of playing, shouting, singing
Random harmonies in chaotic resonance
Released by the toll of the digital bell
To the pollution of parental territory
Where the corruption of these tender seedlings
Will give rise to a forest of cupidity!"
And here is another of Tony's poems. This one is the one I mentioned above 'VOICE?' It is for those of you who have stopped questioning. It is for those who have not yet realised the 'dumbing down' that has gone on. It is for those of you who are just starting to realise, starting to question, starting to think more clearly. It is for those of you who are just about to find YOUR 'voice'....
FIND IT!....THEN..USE IT!
'VOICE?' by Tony Stringfellow
I hear no voice
As I turn my ears to the crowd
Just a silent muttering
Sighs of discontentment in a maze of opinions
Pale faces of placid expression
Mouthing words of shallow intention
Eyes lost in a glaze of chat room jargon
Where is your voice?
In a world wide connection
Comes the distraction
Souls lost in a web of virtual backchat
Faces masked by an illusion of user names and passwords
Your words are safe within their cyber disguise
The narrator cannot be traced
He cannot be faced to account for his debate
Where is your voice?
Lennon called for peace
Geldof called for food to end starvation
Bono called for money to banish poverty to extinction
Dylan called to us all
The angry protest singer
Who denied the label
Joan Baez marched in anger
Hand in hand with each rebel
Punks stood up to be counted - in zips
The causes of youth dripping like spit from their lips
They brandished sex pistols at authority
And were obscene with clarity
They all had a voice!
Where is the spunk of youth?
It is twitching ..pads
Over texted on phones
Lost in reverberating drones and monotones
Of abbreviated conversation
With meaningless direction
A wasted labrinth of vocabulary
Where is your voice?
Where is the passion of protest?
The scream of discontent
The eruption of brave intent
That gives you breath to breathe?
Where are the violent shouts of compassion
That vomits from the essence of youthful abstraction?
Where are the flag bearers of your minds?
WHERE IS YOUR VOICE?
And my latest hero? Oh well...that's easy!
His name is:
He is also known to some of you on here as just 'Charlie'
Charlie and Gloria have had so very much to overcome, following the loss of their beloved only child Peter, but they have fought through their pain with incredible dignity, love and courage. If you read my blog called 'In The Footprints Of A Boy Called Peter' you will find their story, an incredibly touching and true story, some of which is also further up this page too.
Charlie has now started to write poetry and he has that same insightful, tender gift with words as his son.
Charlie, I am SO proud of you! :0)
So here, for the first time, I'm thrilled to let you read Charlie's beautiful and deeply heartfelt words.
'Heal The Senses'
"Take sadness and paint it pretty colors so that it is easier to look at.
Grief is not pleasant to listen to, cover it over with pretty words and it becomes a song of love.
Broken lives have a rough texture, smooth them over so that they feel like silk.
The taste of heartbreak is bitter and sour, mask it with red wine and chocolate.
Roses and scented candles may hide the terrible odor of hopelessness.
But what can be done about the reality?
The senses can be fooled, but the heart is much too wise.
Only love can heal the heart"
Charles R James 2007
'Paint the world!'
"Paint the world
Side by side
Brushes held with care
All of us artists
Painting a canvas of earth and rock
Creating a masterpiece of tolerance and understanding
Never-ending
Leaving our hands much too busy for war or violence
Imagine the view from the heavens!!!"
Charles R James 2007
Two of my most important heroes are my children, Nonny and Josh. :0) Two young souls who have already seen the troubled side of human nature, but who've battled against it all and won!
Due to bullying and insane examination pressure, from an Education System which is, in my opinion, now totally out of control, and causing much damage to our children, they have been home-educated for the past few years.
My daughter is now 21 and, thankfully, beyond it all. At school she was told, by her art 'teacher' (and I use that word very loosely, and with anger) that her artwork was "crap" (her teacher's word). At that point she gave up completely and turned away from the world. She came out of school the following week, as I realised that no-one had the right to make my child feel this way, let alone someone who dared to call themselves a teacher.
Nonny put down her brushes for a long time at that point, despite having had them in her hands since she was in her high-chair. She thought her 'teacher' knew what she was talking about and vowed never to paint again, and she became deeply unhappy.
It took two years of never-ending love and support, to heal the damage that had been going on for years at school before she picked up her brushes again. But, Thank God, pick them up she did, as you will see below...and she has never looked back!
I was also told by a former primary school headmaster of hers, that my daughter was "a child who will never set the world on fire" and that is when I realised that many who are teachers have no right to be, for it is a teacher's job to make each and every child feel they can change this world for the better, that they ALL have something incredibly special to contribute, and that they WILL get there...no matter what.
The 'natural' teachers, those who are born to be, are the ones who do exactly that and we remember them all our lives. If you do not have this feeling inside you, then please, do NOT become a teacher, for you will only cause pain and damage to innocent young souls on the threshold of their lives....and that damage can last a lifetime.
Below is the link to Nonny's myspace page, where you will find a young person with deep insight and many varied interests. There is also the link to her art website, which I will put on here too...and there you will see some of her beautiful paintings. The moment she adds a new painting to her site, she now gets hundreds of viewings within a couple of hours...
So you see, this young woman is beginning to set the world on fire, in her own way, as I knew she always would..and just watch her spread her light far and wide.
NONNY ISABELLA's Myspace Page
And her younger brother, Josh? Well my young lad is now 14 and he's doing just fine!
Josh is the one who has taken many of the photos on Nonny's site, and as you can see he has 'an eye' for photography, but he still has many years ahead of him to decide what he is going to do..but whatever he does with his life, he will always be kind, thoughtful, compassionate and empathetic...and his bright spirit will also shine in this world.
Our children need freedom from stress, they need time to find out who they are, they need peace, they need guidance, but most of all, they need love. They do NOT need to be put on a conveyer belt of parents with no time for them, playgroups, schools, universities, debts, depression, drunkeness and in far too many cases, tragically early death which has been caused because we have all turned away from our children!
"I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized." - Dr. Haim Ginott
Always, ALWAYS be that "Instrument Of Inspiration"
Lizzie Cornish's Details
Status:
In a Relationship
Hometown:
Sidmouth
Zodiac Sign:
Aries
Children:
Proud parent
Occupation:
Mum :0)
Lizzie Cornish is in your extended network view more
"IF THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE CHANGED IN THIS WORLD THEN IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN THROUGH MUSIC" Jimi Hendrix
To those words above, I will add these: "But, that change can only happen, if enough of us are willing to MAKE it happen." So please, help to spread the Message Within The Music, far and wide.
APOLOGIES FOR THE WAIT THAT SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HAD IN GETTING ON TO MY PAGE, THIS IS DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF VIDEOS ON HERE, OF INSPIRATIONAL MUSICIANS AND PASSIONATE PEOPLE, ALL OF DEEP INTEGRITY. HOWEVER, THEY ARE HUGELY WORTH THE WAIT.
SO.....A REALLY WARM "WELCOME"
This page belongs to all of you as much as it does to me, for this site is not about me.
It is about the stunningly beautiful, and often deeply powerful voice of the musicians, singers, peace-bringers and poets; the healers, dancers, writers, artists, environmentalists, abolitionists and animal lovers, together with the beautiful 'ordinary' people too, contained within these pages. It is about the power which they carry with them in their deep-felt belief and desire to unite and care for this troubled world and its people, making it a far better and more joyous place to be.
And it is very much about YOU too....for I dearly hope that you will take away some of the music, wisdom and joy from here and spread the word about it, either through making your own page, or in whatever other way you are able.
With many thanks to all those who have been kind enough to let me bring their sites, thoughts, ideas and visions here.
"We need leaders, not self-serving fools
Hanging out with rock stars to make them look cool
They're dealers, just shadows of men
Bringing down bad karma, again and again..."
(taken from The Return of Crazy Horse by Dan Britton)
Those words above, so many of which suited Bush and Blair, are from a great song called: THE RETURN OF CRAZY HORSE by DAN BRITTON which you can hear in full on the link there to Dan's Myspace page.
I'd imagine Crazy Horse himself would be proud of those words. Every single leader around the world should hear 'The Return Of Crazy Horse', then learn it backwards and inside out, making them able to carry the wisdom of those words out to their people. If they cannot lead their people in this way, then they have no right to be Leaders in the first place.
World Apathy, in my opinion, played an important part in bringing George Bush to The White House and letting him remain there for so long. Thousands of people died because of decisions taken by him. Yet he was, apparently, revered by many as the MAJOR LEADER in this world. WHY? The man was totally incompetent!
WHAT has happened to us all? Where were our VOICES? Where were our protests? WHERE was our concern? We buried everything because we became 'comfortable' 'inward looking' 'controlled' 'dumbed down' and...maybe...more than a little 'terrified' too.
And on the very day that Barak Obama has been voted in as the next President of the United States of America, and the world starts to remove that Cloak of Apathy, I think we have finally got a Leader who CARES...and here he is, giving his wonderful, and historic, Victory Speech in Chicago.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA 'A LEADER WHO CARES ABOUT US'
Just to be on the safe side though, even with President Obama now in charge, let's not forget these words of wisdom below, because there are still many of the 'old guard' in place around him:
"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories." THOMAS JEFFERSON
I think Thomas Jefferson might just approve of this next video:
"..Over the past 5 years and more, the Federal Government of the United States has shown itself to be less concerned with its peoples' health and democratic wishes, than with the preservations of corporations and institutions that are robbing the people of this nation of both our present and our future...." - taken from the link below....
"We need leaders, not self-serving fools
Hanging out with rock stars to make them look cool
They're dealers, just shadows of men
Bringing down bad karma, again and again
"We need leaders, people to trust
Someone to look to who cares about us
We need healers, the medicine men
It's too late for 'if', it's got to be 'when'
"Lily-livered goons, red necked baffoons
Masquerading as leaders of men
They'll be swept aside
Nowhere left to hide
When Crazy Horse rides again
When Crazy Horse rides again
"We need leaders not jobs for the boys
Playing war games like a kid with his toys
They're feeders with vampire eyes
Attracting others like shit attract flies
"Lily-livered goons, red necked baffoons
Masquerading as leaders of men
They'll be swept aside
Nowhere left to hide
When Crazy Horse rides again
When Crazy Horse rides again
Of all the videos on my page, this one below is the most touching and most important for some families. It has been made by the family of
YVETTE GATE who are talking about their dear, deeply loved daughter. Yvette has aplastic anaemia, for which she urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. Her mum, Mary, and her step-dad, David, have worked tirelessly and endlessly to find a donor for Yvette, so far without success. Yet, that donor IS out there somewhere. It takes just ONE person to come forward and be a perfect match and Yvette's life will be not only transformed, but saved. As will the lives of many others on that Bone Marrow Donor Waiting List.
So, however tired you're feeling today, however rushed or busy or miserable...please, take 15 minutes out of your healthy life, and watch this short film. Then kiss your healthy children and Thank God that you have the life and health you have. Think about becoming a donor, it's quick and simple and it can literally save someone's life. And as David says in the film, don't wait for someone else to do it...because they might NOT...and besides..YOU or someone you know, could be the donor that Yvette, or someone else, needs so desperately right now.
I was TWENTY FIVE YEARS LATE finding THE OYSTERBAND..mainly because their music, like so many other deeply talented people, is not played in the mainstream media, where it seems we are fed a constant diet of music to keep us 'happy'....rather than make us think or take us back to our roots. WHY?
So let me pass them on to you immediately :0) Their music is just wonderful. It will make you dance, oh HOW it will make you dance....and smile, cry, laugh and feel angry too, as there is much wise social comment in some of their songs. Luckily you can find them in Myspace nowadays, right here:
THE OYSTERBAND MYSPACE PAGE :0)
THE OYSTERBAND - 'WHEN I'M UP'
"IF WE WORK TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER" - Zach Hunter
William, and his friends, fought tirelessly to get the British Slave Trade stopped, two hundred years ago this year. (2007) William stood up and shouted when all around had turned their faces to the wall and had become so apathetic about something so terribly wrong. There are STILL 27 MILLION slaves around the world today, many of them children. For inspiration go and see the film
AMAZING GRACE and you will come out changed! You will come out a better person, having been inspired by people who cared passionately and who NEVER gave up, even when it seemed as if there was no hope. There is ALWAYS HOPE, even in the darkest hour!
Next time you hear people grumbling about our Younger Generation, lead them to Zach and get them to not only listen to his words, but to join him in his belief and determination that we have the power to change this world around. Read his inspirational book BE THE CHANGE and realise that many young people care passionately. Young people are beginning to realise, at long last, that THEY have the power to make a huge difference, just as young people did back in the 1960s. They are being helped by Zach's words, some of which are below.
""For my peers I know it can be tempting, as a teenager, to look around at all the problems in the world and think 'You know, what can I do about this? I'm only 15." Or to even think that it's somebody else's problem or maybe that we could do something but it's 'some other day'. But I'd like to encourage people of my generation to see that WE are that 'somebody' and that today IS the day."
In Zach Hunter they have an Inspirational, Caring and Compassionate Leader.
And one day, in the not too distant future, I hope this inspirational young man will stand in front of his country's flag as its President, for Zach is the type of man that Dan Britton sings about in 'The Return of Crazy Horse', a Leader who cares about US! At the age of just 16, he already shames George Bush and his uncaring and crooked Government, in standing up for truth and justice. Never let that go Zach. And always remember this:
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." - e. e. cummings
Recently we've lost our identity in England, and we've let it be taken from us through our appalling apathy. Heritage is a hugely important thing for us all, for it is where we come from and it points us in the direction of where we're going. Heritage is not about such things as Mega Casinos as our 'Ministry of Culture' (???) appears to think it is. Heritage is about US. It is NOT about stopping our folk singers from singing their songs in pubs, or anywhere else, as is happening at present. But it IS about standing right beside them and giving them EVERY encouragement to sing their stories, so that our past is kept alive, for the future. Our children need to know their history, their songs, their stories, where they've come from and where they're going to. That goes for ALL England's Children, no matter what colour or religion, for they are all a part of this beautiful land, with its amazing and varied history. It is time to give them their past back again...for at present:
EDUCATION OTHERWISE - A brilliant UK Home Education organisation. We're a Home Educating family. It's the way forward for so very many children, who struggle with our now institutionalised, factory farms of education. Something is going desperately wrong with our Education Systems, and with the children who are so 'trapped' inside it throughout their formative years! It's time to raise our heads from the sand and start shouting out loudly about it, for our children's sake.
English children are the most tested and examined in the world. This year, 2008, the National Union of Teachers has finally admitted that fact, saying that many youngsters have mental problems, are deeply anxious and desperately unhappy. SO CHANGE 'The Education System...and CHANGE IT FAST!!! They can start doing that by believing these words below, then adopting a whole new outlook, from the wisdom contained in them:
HELEN KELLER ..A truly inspirational woman, who overcame being blind, deaf and dumb, because of the determination and love of another amazing woman: ANNE SULLIVAN Helen's incredible teacher, without whom Helen would have remained in a dark and silent world for the rest of her life. Instead she went on to take the world by storm, with her writing and her outlook, inpsiring people wherever she went in the world. They were a perfect example of how just one person can touch and alter the lives of many, for without Anne Sullivan, Helen would not have been able to do all that she did for so many others. This is just one of the beautiful and inspirational quotes of Helen's:
"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit."
"Our system of "people fame" values self-centeredness and wealth. I want to live in a world where people become famous because of their work for peace and justice and care. I want the famous to be inspiring; their lives an example of what every human being has it in them to do — act from love!"
You can read more about Patch and his wonderful Gesundheit! Institute right here:
PATCH ADAMS
Now, through the wonders of Youtube you can see and hear Patch, the REAL Patch Adams, talking about his life and what made him decide to become 'A Scientist Of Joy' :0)
PATCH ADAMS ON LIFE
"...OUR MEDIA AND THE PEOPLE IN POWER HAVE MANIPULATED OUR ADULT POPULATION TO STOP THINKING. THEY MANIPULATE THEM TO BE A CONSUMERIST SOCIETY. 'BE INTERESTED IN A MERCEDES! BE INTERESTED IN SPORTS! BE INTERESTED IN BRITNEY SPEARS! WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS!' AND THEY LEARN FROM HITLER'S FRIEND HERMANN GOERING THAT IF YOU CAN MAKE THE POPULATION FRIGHTENED YOU CAN GET THEM TO AGREE TO ALMOST ANYTHING..."-Patch Adams
And here, talking of more important issues, Patch sees the solutions in a very different way to the majority. He is being interviewed in Brazilian/Portugese but answers in English.
A REVOLUTION OF THOUGHTS
Below is the kind of human being who Patch Adams is talking about above in his quote about 'People Fame'....
"I want the famous to be inspiring; their lives an example of what every human being has it in them to do" His name is MARTYN JOSEPH one of our deeply powerful songwriters. A man who works tirelessly to get his message out. And his message is simple....Compassion, Love, Honesty, Integrity, Inclusion.
This is the story behind the video:
Brazil’s Landless Workers Movement, also known as the MST is the largest social movement in Latin America, with an estimated 1.5 million landless members, organized in 23 out 27 states. The MST carries out long-overdue land reform in a country mired by unjust land distribution. In Brazil, 1.6% of the landowners control roughly half (46.8%) of the land on which crops could be grown. Just 3% of the population owns two-thirds of all arable lands.
Here you can read all about the 19 people murdered in 1996 for daring to stand up and say they simply wanted a decent life. One of those murdered on that day was a young man called OZEIL ALVAREZ LIMA leader of the MST, who Martyn sings about in his song below.
Martyn Joseph is a man who'll inspire you and who'll light a flame inside your soul. Take that flame...and pass it on to others. So...here is Martyn's Flame, which I now pass on to all of you:
Martyn again, singing live at The Royal Hall For Cornwall in Truro, just before Christmas 2006. I was there that night and I watched him take an audience who'd never heard of him, completely by storm! He had them in the palm of his hand by the end of the first song. You can read the whole story in my blog, 'Martyn Joseph's Cornish Experience' plus another review of him too 'Martyn Joseph's Soul Music' This is his great protest song 'How Did We End Up Here?' about Bush and Iraq. How DID we end up here?
Apathy I guess....and Martyn blasts apathy apart with his words!
MARTYN JOSEPH 'HOW DID WE END UP HERE?'
And if you want to have a few thoughts about HOW we ended up here, then watch this video about the...
THE PEAK OIL MOVEMENT and hear the facts about how the world will soon be running out of cheap oil and how Governments may well be going to war over it in the future...Then ask yourself "But hasn't that already happened in Iraq?"
Next, spread the word that we HAVE to change the way in which so many of us are living...and fast!
"WE NEED TO CONSUME MUCH LESS AND WE NEED TO CONSERVE MUCH MORE"(taken from the video below)
"There is a principle placed in the human mind
Which is pure & proceeds from God
It is deep and inward
Confined to no religion
Nor excluded from any
Where the heart stands in perfect sincerity" - JOHN WOOLMAN-American Quaker 1720-1772
And below these words is one more person who cares passionately about this world, and who is doing everything in his power to turn things around for the better. His name is VINNIE JAMES
and he is a man for whom I have a great deal of respect. I've written to Vinnie on many an occasions, he is a man of integrity and honesty.
Vinnie writes songs that wake people up. He sees what is happening around him, and does not turn away, he REFUSES to be apathetic and he REFUSES to give up. He sees how we're drifting apart as a species, instead of being inclusive and supportive of one another....and he is DETERMINED to start turning things around in his own way...and he WILL do it too. I've a huge amount of faith in Vinnie. He's a great protest/anti-war songwriter, but he's also a great writer of love and the human condition.
Below is Vinnie singing one of his moving songs, recorded at the Glasgow Songwriters Festival. It's very appropriate that his video lies right above 'The Quaker Tapestry' because he's a great believer in peace, kindness and the power that love has to change this world for the better.
So, I'll leave you now to watch Vinnie James, a man with the power of Springsteen and the compassionate wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr.
VINNIE JAMES 'WARSONG'
......
The people in charge of the BBC and the Media in general, hold one of the MAJOR keys to great change, both in this country and right around the world. If they finally allowed PROTEST SONGS and music with an important message to get out there ONCE AGAIN into MAINSTREAM TV and Radio programmes, they could do a powerful amount to change attitudes and to open many people's eyes.
Once these strong songs are allowed back amongst the people, where they belong, they will reach millions of minds. The people who choose to hear the messages in these songs hold so many Keys Of Change inside themselves. The world desperately needs these 'locked doors' to be opened, as soon as possible and it is now WAY OVERDUE for a Music Rebellion to be started up, right around the planet. AND IT SHOULD START WITH THE BBC.
Here are a few Protest Songs to pass around the world from NEIL YOUNG'S SITE:
Seth Lakeman. '2007 Folk Singer Of The Year' in the BBC Folk Awards. Seth is from Devon and is writing and performing songs about the legends and people of The West Country. Below is a video of his brilliant song 'Kitty Jay'
Kitty was a real woman, who lived the hard life
of a servant. On finding herself with child by the Master's son, she took her own life. Her grave still lies at Manaton Cross on Dartmoor, a simple raised patch of grass. To this day, it's visited every day by 'someone' and fresh flowers and gifts are laid there. Whenever I've seen Seth play this song, the audience is spellbound by his amazing fiddle playing. When you watch the video, you'll see why.
Peter was only on this earth for a short time, but he wasted not a second. He took in everything around him, watching, listening, thinking. He joined a rap band and...just as they were becoming successful, it was time for him to 'go'...to move on, yet again, to another place.
However, unknown to his much loved parents, he left behind pages and pages of his thoughts. Wonderful words that had tumbled out of him, words that spoke of his anger and frustration at the world around him, words which show how he knew it didn't, and doesn't, have to be this way. A young man, with a wise 'old' soul. A young man, who already knew about 'the locked doors' which I have spoken about above.
His parents have now lovingly compiled Peter's words into two books and a new third book is due out shortly (2007):
'LIVING ON PAPER STREET'
Peter's words will bring you insight, they will make you angry, they may make you cry, but in reading them you will be given inspiration to take Peter's ideas forward for him, to help this world become more gentle, more caring, more compassionate, for it is up to each and every one of us to change things.
These are some words of Peter's that I have chosen:
"A pen and a notebook are just a few of my favorite things, the keys to unlock doors. I open them and begin to explore through dark journals, on a quest to tell you the truth."
And these speak, to me of the never-ending circle of Peter's love for his parents and theirs for him:
"ETERNAL, EVERYTHING TURNS ETERNAL, NO ENDING FOREVER, ETERNAL!!!"
Below are links to the sites of Peter's deeply loved Mum and Dad, where you can read more of his words. Gloria and Charlie, through their deep and continuous love for their son, and with Peter's help, are gathering many of us around them now. We are 'PETER'S PEOPLE' and if you wish to 'join' then your journey starts right here...
GLORIA, PETER'S MUM and CHARLIE, PETER's DAD
Since writing the above words about Peter, there is now a third book of his words due out any day now, called 'STREET DROPS' and the story behind that can be read in my blog above entitled 'In The Footprints Of A Boy Called Peter' There is also a brand new Myspace page which has been launched recently, on behalf of Peter, run by his Mum and Dad, called:
On here you can see beautiful photos of, and read all about, the very first ever ELEVATION WALK which took place in April this year (2007) around the streets of Peter's home in New Jersey and also over here in the UK, in Dorset, to raise money for various charities and to celebrate Peter's life. The UK walk was organised by the poet and good friend of Gloria and Charlie, MAX HILLMAN
So you see...Peter's a busy lad, even now, but you watch, he won't stop there, of that I'm sure.
And here I am, just a few days later, with yet MORE to add about Peter! This time it is to bring you the hymn that has been written for him, by Max Hillman (see link above) and his colleague, MORTEN HANSEN the composer. It's a beautiful hymn called 'If He Must Go, Let Him Go Staying' which Gloria speaks of, in my blog above.
The words of the African Proverb below is what Peter, in his own way, did, and is still doing, with his powerful words and his caring nature. Death will never stop him. We each have the 'The Power Of One' within us and with that incredible power we can change this world right around. It starts with You...and Me...then We and Them....ending in ALL OF US.
Next, a song which is all about that very subject of ONE person starting the ball rolling, the ONE pebble that starts the avalanche.It's by Nickelback and my children brought it to my attention, already it's made an impact on them and how they think, so watch it, then maybe pass it on. And remember, don't wait for someone else to take that step, take it yourself.
IF EVERYONE CARED
The people in the next video CARE.
Every time you hear of something awful in the world or each time people tell you there are nothing but bad things going on..well...just take a look at this video and realise that the Power Of Good far outweighs the Power Of Evil. It just needs far more of us to take the Good 'out there' and use it in the right way.
This short film is about the orangutans. The orphaned ones, whose mothers are being killed and whose natural habitat is being decimated by human beings with no souls, no compassion and no thought or concern for the future.
But these wonderful people pick up the Evil and transform it into Good. You can read all about what is happening to the orangutans right here: ORANGUTAN FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL Then, feel the palpable love and empathy with which these beautiful, but often heartbroken, creatures, are being cared for by these loving people. Look deep into the innocent eyes of a species, which some of our own species are deliberately, and knowingly, bringing to the edge of extinction. They have no right to be doing this. There are NO excuses.
A GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR THE ORANGUTANS
....
Another man who cares, doing his bit in changing the lives and outlooks of many young people in New York. His name is PIERRE DULAINE and he's a dance teacher. He's taken the kids who are seen as 'problem' kids and given them hope by giving them pride! Pride in themselves and pride in their ability to achieve. He has bothered to look beyond, past the insanity of National Curriculums and Examination Passes, to the SOUL of the person.
So many of our young people are being thrown away by an Education System that demands that they perform ONLY in the boxes they are permitted! Hey, do you want to know something? We are NOT all scientists, or mathematicians, some of us do NOT yearn to speak French fluently or get the highest grade ever for our schools! No...many of us just want to dance, or sing or learn things for which we have a natural passion! We want people to see beyond, to see that we are all different and that we ALL have a purpose and a reason for being on this earth. Many of us want teachers and our Education System to just see US!
Not one single child on this earth should leave school feeling that they are a FAILURE! If they do, then it is the school that has failed so very deeply, NOT the child! I have had people say to me that THAT is what school is about, teaching you how to fail! YE GODS! If that is the attitude then it needs to be changed right now!
EVERYONE has a skill, every single person is good at something, even if it is only to inspire or touch others. And every child should come out of a system, in which they have been forced to spend their formative and most precious years, feeling inspired, uplifted and really good about themselves. Schools have our children for near on 15 years these days and if they can't get children to feel good about themselves after 15 years...then they have no right to believe that they are 'caring' for our children! Something is going VERY wrong within our Education System and we need to put it right..FAST!
The inspirational film 'TAKE THE LEAD' tells Pierre's story. A story that has now taken ballroom dancing into many schools in America, where over 20,000 children (and rising) have taken it up, a story which shows that through dance you can learn respect. Respect for you partner and respect for yourself...and you also learn far more along the way as well.
This is the trailer from Pierre Dulaine's story where he is portrayed by Antonio Banderas:
TAKE THE LEAD
"Nowadays, I don't say that the world is uncivil, but I believe we don't have enough civility in life and this is what this program teaches. If we can instill civility into children at the age of 10 or 11 - early enough in life - we can nurture it and have it grow with them. It will only make them better human beings." – Pierre Dulaine
And below are some 'real' young people who have now become part of Pierre Dulaine's wonderful vision above...
COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW
"A great vision is needed and the man who has it must follow it, as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky" -CRAZY HORSE
"There is one God looking down on us all. We are all the children of one God. The sun, the darkness, the winds are all listening to what we have to say" - GERONIMO
"We must try not to educate our children away from the spirit, so that they don't have to work so hard trying to reconnect when they grow up. When they know they already have spirit, then everthing else becomes understood. And it makes life easier for them." - SOBONFU SOME
Below is a video containing a mixture of many Spirits and many Cultures..but in the end it is the music of One Spirit and One Culture, which is that of the Human Race. Here you'll find music as it should be played, without barriers, racism, rules or regulations. Where it is played with freedom, joy, inclusion and openess.
The fabulous IMAGINED VILLAGE playing an English traditional folk song in a very different and inspirational way.
'Cold Haily Rainy Night'
"I'm just a human being trying to make it
in a world that is very rapidly losing its understanding of being human."JOHN TRUDELL
"The Leaders of tomorrow are growing up today
Totally unsure of these foundations you have laid
Your children wander aimlessly
Through prisons you have made
And for your sins of blind ambition
They will make you pay...." taken from 'Here Goes Tomorrow' by VINNIE JAMES
"If we were attacked by beings from another planet, all of a sudden, world order would have to be created to face the alien attacker. Muslims, Christians and Jews would be brothers. So why do we have to wait?" JOHN YOUNG
LIVING WITH WAR...Watch the 'Freedom Of Speech' video and listen to NEIL YOUNG because he cares and he's trying to get us to open our eyes.
If you've never heard the most BEAUTIFUL voice of
LOREENA MCKENNITT...then something in your life is definitely missing! Luckily, you can find out exactly what it is..right here..
This is the man who took me out of my small world and let me soar with the eagles, high above those Cathedral Mountains of his. JOHN DENVER opened my soul to another world, as he did for so many people. It wasn't the 'happy clappy' John that interested me, but the one who knew about sadness and joy, about sorrow and love...who cared about the land and its inhabitants. The man who was brave enough, when he was older, to realise that he'd made some big mistakes, as so many of us do, yet few of us are brave enough to admit to them.
And this is what John Denver left behind for us, as well as his inspirational music. His
WINDSTAR FOUNDATION...dedicated to the land....
Time to remind yourself, not only of a beautiful, inspirational song, but the man behind that inspiration, as John Denver talks about the birth of his song 'Calypso' named after the famous ship of the deeply caring Jacques Yves Cousteau.
John Denver sings 'CALYPSO'
The much needed work of Jaques Cousteau is now of course being carried on by his sons. Jacques was a man who cared desperately about the environment and what we are doing to it. His sons feel exactly the same.
Jacques is sorely missed, as are his wonderful programmes, that used to teach so much to so many of us.
I'd suggest to the BBC that they abandon so much of the complete trash they feed people, and bring back programmes that teach, Programmes from which our children can learn inspirational things, which will set them on a path to 'who knows where' in their lives. For as Jean Michel Cousteau said, when asked, that given the shocking state of the planet, where he was still able to get his hope from "I get it from HERE!"..and he cupped the face of a young child he had been teaching, in his hands, "Here, HERE is where the hope is, in her eyes! SEE! THAT is where my hope is!"
Here is where it started, with fascinating, intelligent, inspirational programmes such as the one below. THIS is the kind of stunning TV that I was raised on. So sit back and be transported to an amazingly beautiful place, as you watch nearly an hour of Jacques Cousteau and his team:
BENEATH THE FROZEN WORLD - COUSTEAU IN ANTARCTICA
And NOW I shall leave you to meet well over One And A Half Thousand of the world's magical musicians and non-musicians within my pages. I sincerely hope you enjoy finding out about them all as much as I have. And that they open as many spiritual and educational doors for you as they're doing for me.
PS: For the ORDINARY people of Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Burma and indeed this entire, beautiful planet, which belongs to each and every one of US and NOT JUST to our so-called Leaders:
"YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world"
GHANDI
"..Imagine there's no countries. It isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us and the world will live as one..." John Lennon
He never got the chance to finish his work, perhaps it now lies with each of us to do that for him and change what is happening all around us, for the better.
"Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."
"Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
"Will we be extremists of hate, or will we be extremists for love?"
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
"NOW IS THE TIME.."
Below is the video of one woman who encapsulates so many of the wise words above. An incredibly brave woman, a woman who has had the strength to stand up and speak her words, with a clear conscience and an open mind. Words that many would never dare to speak. Let us hope that she is listened to and that her flame will spark 'A Fire Of Peace And Inclusion' around the world, the likes of which has never been seen before. Her name is WAFA SULTAN and these are her words and her hopes for peace in this troubled world of ours...and as you listen to her, remember these words too...
"I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the Spirit" - KHALIL GIBRAN
WAFA SULTAN SPEAKS OUT
And it's only fitting, after Wafa's message above, to have this next video on here...for these are just some of the words you'll hear on it:
...I believe there is a God
But it doesn't mean that my God is greater than yours
It only means we all have the right to believe
'Cos nobody knows it for sure
If there's a Heaven or Hell or a sweet Paradise
Or a place where we all meet again
'Cos with minimal change
Everyone here is the same.....
The video, and the song, belong to a man I've not paid as much attention to as perhaps I should of over the years. This is his song 'One World' and his words speak volumes about many things happening in this world right now..and how we ALL have to change it right around for the better...and we CAN do it, if we all pull together...
And the final video on here is..well...this is JOHN TAMS who is a great singer songwriter. Below is John singing with his good friend BARRY COOPE
JOHN TAMS is a natural teacher, a storyteller, a Keeper And Passer-On Of Memories And Wisdom. A gentle, wise man, who, with his 'ramblings', as he calls them, takes you off the so often straight, featureless motorway of modern life, and into the twisting country lanes, filled with wild flowers and small villages, where you meet the local people and learn so much about their lives. He brings out all the things that so many of us miss 'seeing' these days. The simple, beautiful, sometimes heart-breaking, but important things. He's a wonderful, compassionate songwriter who was hugely influential in creating the brilliant new
BBC RADIO BALLADS contributing immensely to the music and songs that were written for it and working so hard in 'putting it all together' so that many more stories and much history is again, written down and recorded for future generations to have.
From his concerts and CDs he's taught my children a great deal about the past and present of their country. If you've never seen John 'live' then GO! His stories, inbetween his songs, are humourous, sad and enchanting, filled with tenderness and empathy. You may also recognise John as 'Lieutenant Hagman' from the TV series SHARPE
It was written after a mass protest had taken place in 1932, by local people from in and around Manchester, who were enraged that the open land they had always walked upon, was due to be fenced in by the landowner, forbidding them to walk their mountains and wild places. This 'freedom' and beautiful landscape was the only respite they had from the grim and filthy city, where they toiled hard all week long. And so, they took to the hills, literally, and came face to face with the gamekeepers of the Duke of Devonshire, who owned the land. Some were arrested and imprisoned for six months and a huge anger resulted that eventually led to THE RAMBLERS ASSOCIATION being formed and THE FREEDOM TO ROAM which we now perhaps take so much for granted. You can read the full story right here, on the KINDER TRESPASS SITE
So, next time you go walking freely in Britain's
NATIONAL PARKS and NATIONAL TRAILS
...remember that the freedom you're so enjoying was fought for by many people....for YOU as well as for them.
And also remember, that all the above has come from just ONE song, ONE intelligent song, then consider the power that our music has, to teach, to inform, to keep our heritage ALIVE! This music belongs to our children and it is being denied them in many cases, so please, do *your* bit to ensure it is now given back to them again.
The Future belongs to our children, but so does the Past.
THE MANCHESTER RAMBLER
........
Take care, and above all, be kind to one another...
Lizzie :0)
THANKS FOR THE FRIENDSHIP & SUPPORT, MUCH APPREICATED, STOP BY WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE AND GIVE A LISTEN AND LEAVE A COMMENT ON YOUR THOUGHTS..............
Hi Lizzie: Bobcat Tiger Lily and I send greetings to you from across the pond. Hope you're having a wonderful week. Peace & Blessings, Paul (Tiger Lily lives at the Bear Creek Feline Center here in North Florida.)
Hey up Lizzy! You seem a little scarce around the iterwebnet thingy at present. Hope you are well and not too peed off with us all. Gotta song called Wooton Bassett Afternoon on My Space would you give it a listen and maybe leave some feed back? Cheers
Lizzie Cornish dear: It's wonderful to have you as a friend of mine. I'm proud to know you also enjoy the awesome songs of Bruce Mardoch. It was far-out listening to "I can see you now" and "The first robin in spring" here on your site. I'm ever so happy that I have found out Bruce in my musical life. He is a pearl, a jewel and his rural music beyond compare, it's rather touchy and can easily bring me to tears. I'm looking forward to hearing his so notorious record "Matters of the Heart",of which he's promised to send me a copy. Great that you are enjoying every single track of it. I'll be happy if you feel like getting to know my provincial songs and send me any desirable comments. Cordially,
Hi Lizzie. We will be releasing a 10 track pastoral psych folk CD entitled 'midsummers' on 24th June 2009. midsummers is currently available to buy from our website www.millersounds.co.uk . You can hear some tracks from midsummers on our myspace player. Best wishes, The Rowan Amber Mill.
Hello darling Lizzie. I hope everything is wonderful for you. Just finishing up the school year and looking forward to some nice quiet summer days at home. Just wanted to send you some love from me.
Hi Lizzie my friend!!! I hope the sun is shining and the rain is refreshing and nourishing and you are smiling wherever you are in your corner of the world.
Hi Lizzie my sisterfriend!! How are you sweetie? I want to wish you and your family a Happy Easter. I hope you're well and pushing forward with love and inspiration. xxo. - n.
