Song picture
Breathing While Black
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Folk
acoustic folk social commentary political satire western massachusetts oil coal climate change fracking incineration music for social change nuclear energy
Folk singer, social commentary, satire, people's stories, children's music
Hi Folks, The Bard Insurgent here. My comrade D.O. (the Poet Roofer) and I got that handle (The Bard Insurgents) from traveling town to town performing songs and poetry about people's lives. I've been performing since I was 3 years old, cutting my vocal chords on liturgical and classical music. I was a concert soloist as a child, when I wasn't herding cows, throwing hay and shoveling manure. During the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam war, I began writing songs about social change. I left the country in 1970 and my dozen years in other countries, mostly in Africa & South America, have provided a global perspective to my music. My travels helped me realize that people all around the world are essentially the same in their basic life needs and their desires to live peacefully in their communities. These experiences have informed my commitment to working for international understanding as I organize at home. A powerful way to educate and inspire is with music. I tell people's stories, do social commentary with a touch of satire that I hope you enjoy and share with your friends, as well as sing together in the streets and in your living rooms. I also have children's music written for the children in my life with Jacob and Kayla as primary muses. Looking forward to seeing you on the road, Tom
Song Info
Charts
Peak #1
Peak in subgenre #1
Author
Tom Neilson
Rights
Tom Neilson 2016
Uploaded
October 24, 2017
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.6 MB 160 kbps 3:59
Story behind the song
A brief account of stories depicting discrimination to the point of murder based on profiling seemingly by skin pigmentation.
Lyrics
John Crawford was shopping in the Walmart store When police with guns charged through the door. He was holding a toy gun in his hand So the cops had to kill him, you understand. When the police say they got a call - that, of course, explains it all You’re gonna provoke a police attack When you break the law shopping while Black. Amadou Diallo was on the steps to his home But the NYPD couldn’t leave him alone The police wanted him to show some i.d. Then they pumped him with lead 19 times you see Cause you’re gonna provoke a police attack When you break the law showin i.d. while Black. Chris Lollie was found sitting down on a bench in St. Paul He was pickin up his 2 kids from school, that was all. Waiting for them on a bench, not breaking any law But the police said they got a call. And that, of course explains it all. They cuffed his hands behind his back It’s against the law to pick up kids while Black. And Danielle Watts of Django Unchained Was smoochin with her honey so the LAPD came They told her they wanted to see her i.d. And Danielle said “Why you messin with me?” But the police said they got a call - And that, of course, explains it all They cuffed her hands behind her back. It’s against the law to be kissing while Black. Whether your hands are up or down Doesn’t seem to matter if you’re Black or Brown Every 28 hours, a Black man they kill. Tell me Is there a quota they gotta fill But If the police say they got a call That, of course, explains it all You’re gonna provoke a police attack If you break the law breathin while Black
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