Yesterday was a great day here in Cape Canaveral. The sun came up, the air was breathable, there was good food to be had, and most of us were free to make choices to do the things we wanted to do. When I turned on TV, however, things seemed different.

I saw death and destruction in Afghanistan, I saw people starving in Somalia, I saw pictures of stock market prices plunging through the floor, and I saw a somber American president struggling to say something – anything – to make us all feel better.

As most of you know, I am a child of the sixties. I remember marches on Washington, protests in the streets, young people preaching love and brotherhood. On one hand it seemed like anarchy; on the other, it seemed like life! Instead of everyone watching people on TV talking, talking, talking about what they might do, people were trying to do something to bring about a change in society – a change in the world. And singers were singing songs. Yes there were personal love songs and songs of lost love and squandered innocence. But there were also songs about peace and brotherhood. And we sang those songs, not only because they were fun songs to sing, but also because we believed in the messages.

This past Sunday, Patty and I sang at a little church in Rockledge called the Center for Spiritual Living. It’s a non-traditional church, but the congregation prays to God for help and guidance. It also challenges its members to do something about the problems we all face. We sang an old song that happened to be my graduation song from high school:

Get Together

Love is but a song we sing And fear’s the way we die
You can make the mountains ring Or make the angels cry
Know the dove is on the wing And you need not know why

C’mon people now, Smile on your brother
Ev’rybody get together Try and love one another right now

Some will come and some will go But we shall surely pass
When the one that left us here Returns for us at last
We are but a moment’s sunlight Fading in the grass

C’mon people now, Smile on your brother
Ev’rybody get together Try and love one another right now

If you hear the song I sing, You will understand
You hold the key to love and fear All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both It’s there at your command

C’mon people now, Smile on your brother
Ev’rybody get together Try and love one another right now
Right now Right Now
(Dino Valenti and Chet Powers / Performed by The Youngbloods)

You know, I don’t know that songs ever really solve the big problems. But I think they can help us to put our hearts and minds in the same place. For me, that’s a start.

Sound Traveler will be playing this coming Thursday for Writer’s Night at Nolan’s in Cocoa Beach. We’d love to see you there. We’ve got some songs we’ve written that we’d like to share.

4 Comments to “SongTravelin’: 08.09.11 — Where Are All the Protest Songs?”

• September 2, 2011 at 4:32 pm
  Kay says:

  This song is definitely in my top three favorites. Not that it’s third, but the top favorites tend to change….
• September 3, 2011 at 12:47 pm
  Ellie says:

  Such a gorgeous song, Bob. I love the version on your Sound Traveler CD!
• September 3, 2011 at 1:02 pm
  Ellie says:

  Ah, Bob… this is a particularly evocative piece about a very beautiful song. I just love how Patty’s trumpet enrichened an already lovely song. It’s so fitting an opening offering for your CD.
• September 5, 2011 at 11:33 pm
  Patty says:

  Yes, Bob, I’m so glad you wrote that song. It certainly changed my life…for the better! Thanks for sharing it with me!