This week, I abandoned my plans of continuing to write art-rock tunes and set out to get back to my strengths - sad little folk songs. I wanted to challenge myself to write a bleak Steve Earle-esque ballad that might be of use to Sam Foster as he and I put together his new record. I felt pretty good about a few seed ideas early in the week, and settled in to write lyrics. Unfortunately, Trump wrote the story for me.
This songs is based on the story of Khalas and Nada, an Iraqi interpreter and his wife who have been fighting impossible odds to start a new life together in the U.S. after years of service to our troops. Trump's executive order this week crushed that dream at the very point of fulfillment. An absolutely heartbreaking story - read about it here: www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/a-yazidi-refugee-stranded-at-the-airport-by-trump . If you're not touched by this, I really don't want to know you.
In any case, I'm very happy with the song, as a first draft. I think it's far too melodramatic (and topical) for a good Sam Foster song, and it needs a couple more drafts to get the lyrical tone right, but it's as good a song as I think I've written in awhile.
lyrics
I've seen a man at Union Station
Stands with his face towards the wall
Screams in disgust at the top of his lungs
"When did these bastards get so small?"
Some days I'll sit and watch the trains come
Some days I'll go and have a drink
Cause I've never felt so lost before
Some days my blood's as black as ink
I have come so far for this
I've fought hell's own war
escaped the rotten hearts of men
only finding more
once, as a child, I read the story
of Job and his plagues and miseries
but I'd trade the vengeance of the god of Job
for all these powers crushing me
all of these mountains and vast oceans
the greatest walls, without, within
none can separate our love like the
the hate of such small men
they can't take my love from me
they can't stop my heart
I have waited for so long
for my life to start
but I will fight and bring you to my shores
for I will not give in, this love I swore
all for you
all for you
all for you
I still remember your black ribbons
to hold your hair behind your ear
I saw the skies lit, hellfire-red
the old world disappeared
and now, all these promises of freedom
bold meditations, have I none
all that I held as simple and true
gone, at the muzzle of a gun
they can't take my love from me
they can't stop my heart
I have waited for so long
for my life to start
but I will fight and bring you to my shores
for I will not give in, this love I swore
all for you
all for you
all for you
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