Song about isolation and persecution

Subject: Song about isolation and persecution
From: alanww
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 04:32 PM

I have a friend who has been asked to sing a song at the launch of an exhibition about the life of Anne Frank. The exhibition is about being isolated, persecuted, having your freedom restricted and a lack of acceptance.
She is asking for ideas, please!
My initial suggestion is:
"All we are saying is give peace a chance ...!"
Alan

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: nancyjo
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:11 PM

Well, the very first song that came to mind, that is indeed about isolation and persecution is THE BALLAD OF IRA HAYES. But that's not appropriate.

So then just trying to think of "appropriate for Anne Frank", and not worrying about isolation and persecution, I came up with some possibles:
Last Night I had the Strangest Dream
Blowin' in the wind
Where have all the flowers gone

A better one might be:
We Shall be Released

And two other Dylan songs, not as well knows as WSBR and BITW, would be CHIMES OF FREEDOM (from Another side of Bob Dylan) or DEATH IS NOT THE END (from Down in the groove). The lyrics to DEATH IS NOT THE END really fit well, in my opinion.
On a bleaker note, I thought of Neil Young's DON'T LET IT BRING YOU DOWN. It's certainly about isolation ("old man lying on the side of the road with the lorries rolling by...")

nancyjo

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: GUEST,Sammy
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 05:24 PM

I don't know if this is suitable. I have heard it belted out by Matt, done in gospel style, read out as a poem by David Hayman and sung as a lament. It is a beauty of a song.


Depth of My Ego


Chorus:
Deep in my heart and deep in my mind
Deep in the Depth of My Ego
Deep in my breast lies a treasure chest
A world that only I can know


You can criticise me, try to analyse me
Put me in your little pigeon hole
But I still hold the key to a place where I am free
A place that only I control

chorus

I can love you dearly I can love you true
I can love you long and love you well
But I must have my own song only I can sing   
My own tale that only I can tell


chorus
Place me in your prison, put me in your cell
Lock me up and throw away the key
I will only wander wander all around
This big world that's inside me

chorus

By Matt McGinn
On The Return of the Two Heided Man ( Relrecords )

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 06:02 PM

Tom Paxton's "We Didn't Know" might be appropriate, though the performer would have to judge whether some of it hit too close to home.

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 08:35 PM

I Am A Rock - Simon and Garfunkle?

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 08:45 PM

Cripes - The suggestions so far are a travesty to the memory of the poor girl. How about something GERMANIC or even JEWISH?

Try: Kindertotenlieder, the name itself will give an American audience a shudder and your friend will be considered at least "continental."

Children's Death Songs
MUSIC: 1902 by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
LYRICS by Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866)

http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/merge.cgi?107

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 08:55 PM

Ahhh....while I was typing you got the jews in there Sinsul.

Perhaps, this one?

The tune is enough to through you into dispare.

Oft Denk' Ich, Sie Sind Nur Ausgegangen

Gustav Mahler

Oft denk' ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen!
Bald werden sie wieder nach Hause gelangen!
Der Tag ist schön! O sei nicht bang!
Sie machen nur einen weiten Gang!

Jawohl, sie sind nur ausgegangen
Und werden jetzt nach Hause gelangen!
O, sei nicht bang, der Tag is schön!
Sie machen nur den Gang zu jenen Höh'n!

Sie sind uns nur vorausgegangen
Und werden nicht wieder nach Hause gelangen!
Wir holen sie ein auf jenen Höh'n
Im Sonnenschein!
Der Tag is schön auf jenen Höh'n!

Often I Think That They Have Only Stepped Out

Often I think that they have only stepped out -
and that soon they will reach home again!
The day is fair - O don't be afraid!
They are only taking a long walk.

Yes: they have only stepped out
and will now return home!
O don't be anxious - the day is fair!
They are only taking a walk to those hills.

They have simply gone on ahead:
they will not wish to return home.
We'll catch up to them on those hills
in the sunshine!
The day is fair on those hills.

Sincerely,

Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 01:06 AM

Well...I'm surprised a giggling gatita has not checked in.

Tonight, I commented to a fellow musician about your request. He, like me, scoffed at the MC's "modern-folk" suggestions.

His suggestion, an aria from the Danish composer Poul Ruder's withdrawn and haunting, opera, "The Handmaid's Tale" (produced in Copenhagen in 2000) which is currently circulating the United States.

Perhaps, your vocalist is not up to professional arias???? THEN...

If you MUST have a modern-"FOLK-feel" you should check-out an MP3 recording, RED HABITS by Vannesa Lowe, it is also based on the "Hand-Maid's-tale"

http://www.vanessalowe.com/Pages/frrec.html

Sincerely,

Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: alanww
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 08:12 AM

Thanks for the contributions so far. Just had another thought myself, a simplified variation on the version which is on the DT:-

BRIGHT MORNING STAR

1 Bright morning star's arising
Bright morning star's arising
Bright morning star's arising
Day is a-breaking in my soul.

2 Where are our dear children
Where are our dear children
Where are our dear children
Day is a-breaking in my soul.

3 They've gone to heaven shouting [or possibly "singing"?]
They've gone to heaven shouting
They've gone to heaven shouting
Day is a-breaking in my soul.

4 Bright morning star's arising
Bright morning star's arising
Bright morning star's arising
Day is a-breaking in my soul.

Alan

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 08:38 AM

Close Every Door from the musical, Joseph

Subject: ADD: I Will Stand Fast (Fred Small)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 08:59 AM

"Hard Times Come Again No More" can be a prayer that it never happen again. A little verse tinkering could make it apply nicely.

Instead of portraying the painful side of the isolation and persecution, why not inspire with the answer to it? "I Will Stand Fast" by Fred Small. Verse Two does not fit your occasion (it's actually an incest song), but the rest says you will not forget her/leave her alone in memory.... it says we stand fast (for her and with her) against isolation, persecution, etc.

I WILL STAND FAST
(Fred Small)

The echoes of childhood whisper violence
Cold wind beating out of the past
Rage in your throat, muffled silence
Hold on, I will stand fast.

In the darkness your guardians had left you
Cold wind beating out of the past
None to hear your cries, none to defend you
Hold on, I will stand fast.

I will stand fast, I will stand fast
You are safe in the daylight at last
Nightmare and fear, they have no power here
I will stand fast.

I will listen to the terrors that tried you
Cold wind beating out of the past
I will cradle the child that breathes inside you
Hold on, I will stand fast.

Though you take the shape of a hundred ancient horrors
Cold wind beating out of the past
Though you strike at me and flee into your sorrow
Hold on, I will stand fast.

I will stand fast, I will stand fast
You are safe in the daylight at last
Nightmare and fear, they have no power here
I will stand fast.

~S~

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: sian, west wales
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:16 AM

Thirsty Boots?

sian

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: Jeri
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:27 AM

Susan, that is a GREAT song! I'd love to hear the tune.
If one were so inclined, one could easily adapt the second verse.

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:33 AM

Jeri, it's been so long since I heard it, all I can recall of it now is the deep voice and calm delivery of Small's performance of it. It's a lovely tune, tho, and if you get a chance to hear it, it's a real special approach to pain. I don't have it to send you, sorry!

~S~

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:49 AM

Soundclips:

FLICK!

The Media Player clip gives most of the verse, and the Real Player clip is the chorus. There is a line of melody missing from the verse, which picks up in line 2-- but it's nearly identical to the third line's melody, although it would be chorded a bit differently, so what the heck!

(In the darkness your guardians had left you)
Cold wind beating out of the past
None to hear your cries, none to defend you
Hold on, I will stand fast.

BTW, not to missed is the clip on there about "If I Were a Moose." Perhaps the best song ever written, should be done as a duet.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: Wolfgang
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:52 AM

A good fit would be R. Mey's 'In Tyrannis' which has the minor disadvantage of being in German.

The first verse in my translation:

From wall to wall it is four steps
from door to window six and half
alas, the window is too high
and much too far from the old plank bed
so there is nothing I can see
except a stretch of dark grey sky
I guess it could be close to seven
they've taken from me my own wrist watch
and all my clothes and what they gave me
are heavy cotton overalls.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: Jeri
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 10:36 AM

Susan, thanks for the link!

Subject: RE: Song about isolation and persecution
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 10:38 AM

:~)