Lyr/Chords ADD: Singing for Our Lives (Holly Near)

Subject: A Gentle, Angry People
From: WyoWoman
Date: 03 Mar 02 - 09:50 AM

I;m looking for the chords and lyrics to the Holly Near song, "We Are a Gentle, Angry People," which I think Pete Seegar also recorded, among others.

Yes, I looked in Digitrad.

I also have been trying to find the older Holly Near recordings, to no avail. Several of her recordings are listed through Amazon, but they're all the newer stuff. Any ideas?

Thanks, WW

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: Amos
Date: 03 Mar 02 - 11:22 AM

Holly Near

We are a gentle, angry people

We are a gentle angry people, X 2 and we are singing, singing for our lives

We are a justice seeking people, X 2 and we are singing, singing for our lives

We are young and old together, X 2 and we are singing, singing for our lives

We are a land of many colors, X 2 and we are singing, singing for our lives

We are gay and straight together X 2 And we are singing, singing for our lives

We are a gentle, loving people X 2 And we are singing, singing for our lives

Dunno the tune.

A

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 03 Mar 02 - 10:22 PM

Amos, the way I learned it both lines are repeated, not just the first. It was recorded by Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert on "Lifeline". I know the tune, but don't have the time to notate it right now. If no one else comes up with it, I'll try to do so.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 06:08 AM

Let me look in my archives, Wyo- we did this awhile ago. I don't know if I had Noteworthy then or if I just have my scribbles.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 06:15 AM

Well, I have a Noteworthy printout of the song in 4-pt harmony but can't find the NWC file anywhere! My hard drive crashed not long ago so it's probably lost in cyber space. I'd be happy to snail-mail you a copy- just PM me!

Subject: ADD Chords Singing for our Lives
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 01:34 PM

Hi-o Wy-o -

Here are the chords shown in the Rise Up Singing songbook:

D - G D / A - D A / D - G D / A - G D

I sing it according to the lyrics Amos posted, but there are some alternatives in Rise Up Singing:

SINGING FOR OUR LIVES
(Holly Near)

We are a gentle, angry people
And we are singing, singing for our lives (repeat)

1. a justice-seeking people
2. an anti-nuclear (anti-racist, anti-sexist) people
3. young and old together
4. gay and lesbian people (gay and straight together)
5. a land of many colors

© 1979, Hereford Music (ASCAP) - written following the murder of San Francisco mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 05 Mar 02 - 01:52 AM

Just made a NWC and MIDI file of the tune as I remember it. I'm emailing them to WyoWoman, and to Joe, who I think still handles this stuff for the 'Cat.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: WyoWoman
Date: 05 Mar 02 - 10:38 PM

Thanks,all. I got Mark's email. I don't have Noteworthy. Can I open it with another program? I'll check it out at work on my computer that's much faster. (It would probably sound like Holly on Quaaludes if I tried this at home. ... ) I sort of remember the tune, but couldn't remember the words. Sounds like the kind of thing you can pretty much make up your own words to, ad hoc.

This song seems to about sum up my emotional/political/social state right now.

tx/kc

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 06 Mar 02 - 04:05 AM

WW, your computer probably has a MIDI player, like Winamp. If you open the MIDI file I sent you (which is simply the NWC file "Saved As" a MIDI), it should play. If it doesn't work, go to Google or Cnet.com and look for "MIDI players", download one, and try again.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: A Gentle, Angry People
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 07:06 AM

I was just watching a documentary about various abortion clinic shooters and heard this sung at the anniversary memorial service for victims of Paul Hill and another shooter who were all shot at the same clinic in Florida. It was very powerful.

They also sang a song called "Joe's Song" that I can't find the lyrics to. Joe (last name I didn't catch) was an women's health clinic defender who got shot druving a doctor to the clinic. his wife was with him and got shot too ut didn't die. Joe and the doc were killed by Paul Hill. The lyric that stuck with me was sung by other clinic dfenders and it said "we're standing here because it's where Joe would have been" or something like that

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Singing for Our Lives (Holly N
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 03:20 PM

FYI - I was so wrong. the fellows name was James (Jim) not Joe. So it's the lyrics to Jim's Song I'm looking for. I'll find those lyrics if it kills me! Just may take me a few months.

The man who died defedning access to that clinic was James H. Barret and he was a veteran of not one ut THREE Wars. Pretty amazing that he sruvived 3 wars ut died driving a doctor to a women's health clinic, eh?

Here's his obit in case anyone cares to take a moment to honor his memory:


Lt. Cl. James H. Barrett

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Singing for Our Lives (Holly N
From: GUEST,luvdoc
Date: 18 Mar 08 - 12:07 AM

The song "Singing For Our Lives" is available on itunes.