“If I Had A Hammer” is the Royal Song of the Day for today. You can find this song on page 215 of Rise Up Singing.
I chose this song to continue the idea that singing out will keep us cool. Also, because it has such bold images and patterns, I think it would be a great song to make new lyrics for.
So, this week, while the temps in New York (and elsewhere) are in the 90’s, I am going to sing… Continue reading Royal Song of the Day: Thursday 7/21/11
“Study War No More” is the Royal Song of the Day. It’s a classic (well, make that a “traditional”, identified as a Black Spiritual). And, the song can be found in Rise Up Singing on page 163.
Here is a youtube video of Mahalia Jackson singing “Study War No More“:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nASMNYM8tn8] Continue reading “I ain’t gonna study war no more”: Peace Song for 7/19/2011
Duke Augustus: Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) by Woody Guthrie. This song was chosen from Duchess Susanna’s copy of Rise Up Singing . This poem was written by Guthrie in response to the 1948 plane crash. Over 60 years later, we are still fighting the same battle. Ten years latter, Martin Hoffman wrote the music. Pete Seeger and Woody’s son, Arlo, have popularized the song. Unfortunately, the racist attitudes in this song are as common today as they were when they were written 60 years ago.
This is video is a little shaky, but worth it to hear Arlo explain about how his father wrote the song: Continue reading Peace Song of the Day: Sunday 7/17/2011
“Mothers, Daughters, Wives” by Judy Small is the Royal Song of the Day. The lyrics can be found at Rise Up Singing, page 162.
Below is a heart-wrenching version by “The Corries”
Excerpt:
The first time it was fathers, the last time it was sons
And in between your husbands, marched away with guns & drums
And you never thought to question, you just went on with your lives
‘Cause all they’d taught you who to be was mothers, daughters, wives
Susanna, Duchess of Peace, tells more about today’s choice: Continue reading “Mothers, Daughters, Wives”: Peace Song for 7/14/2011
Duchess Susanna writes: The Royal Song of the Day is “Circle” by Harry Chapin. It appears in Rise Up Singing on page 222. In the video below, there is a clip of Circle Song during the finale, at 9 minutes and 1 second…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7h5SUw3wME&t=9m1s]
We have been experiencing a lot of car accidents on Long Island. And, a few people close to us have experienced the loss of a loved one recently. Some sadness and grieving. Though, also, new babies being born. This song does some healing, and reminds us to hope…
An excerpt:
“All my life’s a circle, sunrise & sundown…”
Duchess Susanna writes: It amazes me the way that some people will go out and buy exactly the same dress, in exactly the same color, that Duchess Catherine (aka Kate Middleton) wore somewhere. For my own sense of independence and dignity, I would at least want to pick a different color. Though, the exact ones modeled by the princess are the exact ones that get sold out and crash websites.
The idea of all of these women strolling around Great Britain and the United States in the same dress reminded me of what my departed friend, Susan Blake, called “the monoculture”. And, it reminded me of the Malvina Reynolds song “Little Boxes”. The song “Little Boxes” is The Royal Peace Song of the Day. It is can be found on page 2 in Rise Up Singing. (Favorite campfire song book of The Duke and Duchess of Peace.) Continue reading Royal Peace Song of The Day: “Little Boxes” made of ticky tacky