Today I fell in love....

With a song. I occassionally like to buy a magazine called 'Paste' (Signs of life in music, film and culture) and in that magazine comes a sampler CD of different artists, different musical styles, things which I might not have been exposed to otherwise. Usually, I enjoy the CD, I might find a new artist to keep my eyes and ears open for, but this was the first time I found a song which struck such a chord with me that I couldn't stop thinking about it. Until today. (This was from the September '06 edition)

This song is titled 'Light up ya lighter' by Michael Franti & Spearhead and is from the album 'Yell Fire!'

Now, I haven't had the chance to check out any of his other music yet, but I've looked up some information on him on the web and have found myself fascinated.

http://www.spearheadvibrations.com/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Franti

Here are the lyrics to
Lyrics to Light Up Ya Lighter by Michael Franti and Spearhead

Fire, fire, fire, light up ya lighter,
fire fire fire Armageddon is a deadly day,
Armageddon is a deadly way
They commin for you everyday,
While Senators on holiday

The Army recruiters in the parking lot,
Hustling kids there jugglin pot
Listen young man,
Listen to my plan ,
Gonna make you money,
gonna make you a man

Bom Bom

Here’s what you get,
An M-16 and a Kevlar vest
You might come home with one less leg,
But this thing will surely keep a bullet out of your chest

So Come on Come on, Sign up, Come on
This one’s nothing like Vietnam
Except for the bullets, Except for the bombs,
Except for the youth that’s gone

Chorus So we keep it on, til ya coming home,
Higher and Higher
Fire, fire, fire, light up ya lighter,
fire fire fire, so we keep it on Til ya commin home,
higher and higher Fire, fire, fire,
light up ya lighter, fire fire fire

Tell me President tell if you will,
How many people does a smart bomb kill
How many of em do you think we got,
The General says we never miss a shot
And we never ever ever keep a body count,
we killin so efficiently we can’t keep count
In the Afghan hills the rebels still fightin,
Opium fields keep providin
The best heroin that money can buy
and nobody knows where Osama bin hidin
The press conferences keep on lyin like we don’t know

Some say engine engine number nine,
Machine guns on a New York transit line
The war for oil is a war for the beast,
the war on terror is a war on peace
Tellin you they’re gonna protect you,
Tellin you that they support the troops
Don’t let them fool you with their milk and honey,
No they only want your money
One step forward and two steps back,
Why do veterans get no respect
PTSD and a broken back,
Take a look at where your moneys gone seen
Take a look at what they spend it on
No excuses, No illusions

Light up ya lighter

Something to think about

Sometimes, love is less about what you are willing to do and more about what you are willing not to do.

- L.A. Watkins