Lyr Add: I Hear Them All

Subject: Lyr Add: I Hear Them All
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 May 20 - 01:08 AM

This song warrants some study.

I HEAR THEM ALL
(Old Crow Medicine Show)

I hear the crying of the hungry in the deserts where they're wandering;
Hear them crying out for heaven's own benevolence upon them;
Hear destructive power prevailing, I hear fools falsely hailing
To the crooked wits of tyrants when they call.
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all

I hear the sounds of tearing pages and the roar of burning paper;
All the crimes and acquisitions turn to air and ash and vapor;
And the rattle of the shackle far beyond emancipators;
And the loneliest who gather in their stalls.
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all

So while you sit and whistle Dixie with your money and your power,
I can hear the flowers growing in the rubble of the towers.
I hear leaders quit their lying.
I hear babies quit their crying.
I hear soldiers quit their dying, one and all.
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all

I hear the tender words from Zion, I hear Noah's waterfall,
Hear the gentle lamb of Judah sleeping at the feet of Buddha
And the prophets from Elija to the old Paiute Wovoka
Take their places at the table when they're called.
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: David Rawlings / Ketch Secor

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Hear Them All
From: GUEST,DrWord
Date: 24 May 20 - 09:16 AM

Hey Joe! I quite agree. Been performing this tune, and particularly like the harmony on the chorus when there’s lots of voices. In terms of study, well, it sent me off to WikiVille to learn about the old Paiute. OldCrow are a lot of fun— thanks for posting. Look forward to the discussion.
keep on pickin’
Dennis

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Hear Them All
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 24 May 20 - 09:23 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43OFSXI5c94

Rawlings singing it there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Hear Them All
From: gillymor
Date: 24 May 20 - 11:09 AM

A modern-day classic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Hear Them All
From: cnd
Date: 24 May 20 - 11:13 PM

OCMS is a powerful band with a lot of deep-hitting songs (see Carry Me Back to Virginia for another similar example).

I think the main point of the song is to call out the suffering of people throughout the world caused by greed. The first stanza talks about people displaced by wars in the Middle East. Not sure if the second stanza is aimed at anything in particular. The third stanza is aimed at people who "hope things change"--the phrase "whistling Dixie" means to fantasize or daydream unrealistically (usually used as "I ain't just whistling Dixie"). The last stanza seems to be pointing out the irony of religious people not acting on the principle's of their religion's founders.