I didn't say the song was political. I was commenting on the story behind the song that Marion provided. Often, musicians put that story in liner notes to albums, and introduce songs with story behind the song, in public performances. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear about that. I would find it extremely exploitative and manipulative if this song was "introduced" either in CD liner notes or a public performance, with the background Marion gave above, which does put a political spin on the circumstances, big time. So I made the point that many people make these sorts of decisions about birth and death all the time, and those decisions rarely are informed by the abortion debate. Hence my suggestion to leave out the "pro-life" spin, and make it a much more compelling human story.

I have no problem with the song itself, and the mention of God is perfectly appropriate. I do like the theoretical concept of using a lullaby tune for the song, because that is a genuine and authentic way to represent the emotional attachment the mother feels to her dying baby. But *reading* the lyrics does make the lyrics sound maudlin to me. I think my view that it sounded maudlin may well have been influenced by Marion's politically spun background story though, where she said: "Although many people would opt for an abortion given this news, they decided as Christians and pro-lifers to continue with the pregnancy."

That really put me off, and made me feel that the song was exploitative and manipulative, like an attempt to turn the parents' experience into a political right to life anthem of sorts. Especially in the wake of what we had as background in this thread, ie Marion's discomfort at the idea that the song might be exploitative. Marion's statement above also suggested to me (even if she didn't intend it) that she the songwriter believes that anyone who would have chosen differently wouldn't be faithful or courageous, which I think is an absolutely preposterous statement to make.

What would not have put me off at all, was this much more emotionally honest statement: "The parents felt it was their calling to take the best care of him they could as long as they had him." That allows us to view the song in a human context which transcends anything remotely political or religious about their decision, because it makes their decision one every parent can empathize with, even if they wouldn't have chosen to make the same decision.

Any decision in circumstances like this are incredibly gut wrenching for the pregnant woman, her partner, and family and friends of the pregnant mother to be. When something isn't right with a pregnancy, there can be serious, life threatening consequences for both mother and baby. In my experience, those life and death concerns immediately become the central factor in making these sorts of gut wrenching decisions, and concern for the health of the pregnant woman and the baby often overrides the religious beliefs of the couple.

The story I told of mother and baby dying during delivery above, was similar to the story behind this song, except that the fetus was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, which wasn't discovered until late in the second trimester. The husband of the pregnant woman (who was a friend of mine's cousin) had wanted her to have a c section (what the doctor recommended as the safest course of action)immediately to terminate the pregnancy. And sadly, it is obvious in retrospect that his instincts were much better than the mother's judgment, as it was she who insisted on carrying the baby to full term and delivering, even if the baby died or was stillborn. She really didn't hear what her doctor was saying regarding her own life being at risk as well as the baby's. Her decision had nothing to do with her religion, though she was partially Catholic--one of her parents was Catholic, one Jewish. But she wasn't a practicing Catholic or Jew, and her decision was based on what she wanted to do to gain a sense of completion to her pregnancy, and do right by her baby.

The hormones of pregnancy are extremely powerful, and can cause pregnant women to make some pretty irrational decisions. Sometimes they turn out as well as can be expected under the circumstances, which is what I would say happened to the couple and their baby in this song.

I understand that everyone will want to run to Marion's defense because I have criticized her work, and that is considered to be an inexcusable violation of manners in many people's minds. But in this thread, I think it is very appropriate, and a continuation of the discussion begun by Marion herself, which was looking for feedback. I assume she is looking for feedback now about the song itself, so that is what I gave her. Don't overlook the fact that I may well have done Marion a favor professionally by pointing out to her that the story behind the song that she gave alienated me to the point that I reacted negatively to the song. Now, if Marion is on the right to life side of the abortion debate (she hasn't actually told us where she stands in this regard, and I think it is the central issue as to whether or not this song is exploitative and manipulative), perhaps that was her intention with the song--to provoke people who disagree with her opinion about abortion.

On the other hand, if she was really moved to write the song because of the choice the parents made (and not the justification given for it) and the way they responded to the devastating news about their baby, then she need not bring the right to life justification for their decision into it at all. In fact, to do so would be to potentially poison the reaction of audiences to the song every time she performs it with that right to life introduction, because many people WILL view that as exploitative and manipulative.