Why Music Venues Are Totally Lost: An Open Letter from a Professional Musician | DIY Musician

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via Why Music Venues Are Totally Lost: An Open Letter from a Professional Musician | DIY Musician.

John Lennon’s Legacy

I have tried to explain what significance John Lennon had to me as a songwriter but it is hard unless you know me pretty well. He was an artist. He suffered much pain growing up. He was a terrible father to his first son and then a great Dad to Sean. Complicated, messy, life but simple message – all you need is love, peace not war. He lived large, but was still insecure. I think is how all artists feel. Do something grand, but is it good enough. In the end his legacy was long lasting not like a pop artist of today. His legacy lived on because his message was true, pure and innocent.

I identified with his music because how I grew up and how I lived my life. If you know me you know what I mean. His words and music were raw, honest, emotional, clever, and witty.

I think his best song, his most revealing song was Working Class Hero.

Rock on John. Love, Peace.

Working Class Hero

As soon as you’re born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you’re clever and they despise a fool
Till you’re so fucking crazy you can’t follow their rules

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they’ve tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can’t really function you’re so full of fear

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you’re so clever and class less and free
But you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There’s room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

Iron Bird

Went up to the ticket gate but the ticket taker was running late.
He fell upon an early fate but the show it goes on.

The town organ grinder watched feet upon the moon
listened to promises of kindness that ended all too soon.

Beyond 5th Ave, executives play with revenues
while a man searches for a new saloon.

To raise a toast and wink an eye.
Because now these wings are rusted
and the Iron Bird won’t fly.

And the lawmen they look down upon
the hungry town they frown upon.
Writing words to legislate,
making deals in back rooms.

And the salesmen now are Governors
who point fingers at young mothers.
Tear babies from their arms.
Slowly raising the blade
washing their hands of any harm.

And the ragman’s son he wonders now.
Turns to wave goodbye.
Because now these wings are rusted
and the Iron Bird won’t fly.

Copyright TMB 2004

Witness

Witness

Into the future we will fly beyond the reign of our minds
Frozen choices, are such Trojan horses
Readied on the eve of discovery
Set free the armies to sight the blind

The code of survival is to show your rival
all the justice you have learned
While the coat of justice is only worn
When it is earned

No judge can forbear my witness
No jury can foresee the fate
Through hands of knowing pass such quickness
But is the knowledge too late
Is the knowledge too late?

Into the future we will fly beyond the reign of the dark
To the humble masses, time slowly passes
Within the hour of discovery
Set free the arrows to find the mark

No judge can forbear my witness
No jury can foresee the fate
Through hands of knowing
pass such quickness
but is the knowledge too late
Is the knowledge too late?

Into the future we will fly
beyond the reins of our minds

Copyright 1988 tmb

Stolen Horses – Disguise

Stolen Horses – Disguise

Dawn is burning on the other side of town
The old man sits and watches the sun going down
Shoutin’ Hi-ho Silver, but the heroes cannot ride

He is standing with wisdom staff in hand
but there is no more promised land
he raises his fist to the heavens
and shakes it with pride

I was fooled this was not foretold.
The streets around me they were paved with gold,
but now they crumble from the weight of the greed.
What kind of blessing, What form of curse could
betray me and change my best to my worst?
Are you listening, won’t you fill my needs?

Chorus

Give me back my Stolen Horses
I don’t think you understand
Give me back my Stolen Horses
I want you off this land

“Look around you man, Why do you plea?
Your troubles are many , but now you are truly free
Listen closely to the witness you have left inside.

You have been given everything you choose
and in this game you chose to lose
Because from your indifference you can never hide
For everything that you create
the numbers you destroy are far more great
For everything that you take what do you give?

So listen mister am I to blame
I have only created this game
You have made the choices
the time has come to rest

No longer will I have to sit and look
While you do not heed the words from my books
And now you ask me for answers after the test?

Chorus
Give me back my Stolen Horses
I don’t think you understand
Give me back my Stolen Horses
I want you off this land

Bridge Change

Disguise

Have you seen enough
I have seen enough
Have you seen enough
I have seen enough

2nd Chorus

Your guns they kill children
Your guns they tell lies
Your guns are in countries
Under disguise

I’m not afraid of what you’re telling me
I’m afraid of what you are selling me

I don’t need , need someone
To sell me my freedom

I don’t need, need someone
To take away my liberty

I’ve seen this all happen before
I remember your last oil war
Got your finger on the trigger
Of something bigger than you can understand

Chorus

Your guns they kill children
Your guns they tell lies
Your guns are in countries
Under disguise

You’re stepping into my house
Sleeping in my head
You’re stepping into my house
Sleeping in my bed

Copyright 1990-2004 TMB

Roots

Roots

Out of this earth we shall come
born into this rising sun
The hands that still the babies cry
reach up to the endless sky

Darkness falls the rain will come
wash away what we’ve done
This emptiness is haunting still
we must do what we will

It’s these roots that keep me grounded
It’s these roots that hold me down
repeat

Out of this earth we shall come
born into this rising sun
The hands that still the babies cry
reach up to the endless sky

Darkness falls the rain will come
(these are the roots that keep me grounded)
wash away what we’ve done
(the subtle roots that hold me down)
This emptiness is haunting still
(these are the roots that keep me searching)
we must do what we will
(searching for answers, searching for answers)

It’s these roots that keep me grounded
It’s these roots that hold me down

Copyright 2004 TMB SNJ

South Side Coffee House 10-14-2011

Boone County Blues Take 2

Union Miners Support the March on Blair Mountain

Video by Flux Rostrum http://www.youtube.com/fluxrostrum

Boone County Blues

Written on the way back from Racine, WV 06-07-2011 at 2:30 am
Recorded vocals on my cell phone LOL
Thanks Appalachia Rising for the inspiration!!!

Boone County Blues

The good earth’s children on the mountainside
Marching to bridge that great divide
Some mining minds closed and filled with hate
Lining the pockets of the magistrate
I got the Boone County Blues
Sheriff said turn around
I got the Boone County Blues
Sheriff said turn around
Don’t come down here boy
Trying to stand your ground

The Freedom Fries Folks are picking fights
By denying people of their civil rights
Any irony is lost in translation
Feel like I’m living in a Third World Nation

I got the Boone County Blues
Gonna throw me in jail
I got the Boone County Blues
Gonna throw me in jail
Don’t count on Mother Jones
To post your bail