submissions
| Alan Jackson – Where Were You Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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I love this song because it states so many reactions to Sept 11th all at once... I think I did just about everything in the song except buy a gun. I love this song because it speaks of love and not vengence like other songs about Sept 11th. |
submissions
| Tori Amos – Real Men Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song also seems to be about how boys and girls are raised differently (blue vs. pink etc.). These male/female roles are changing slightly but its hard to say how much. As thehe man in the song grows up he is gay... Because of homophobia he is left to wonder if he is a "real man." He then takes a gun and goes to war... He does all the things that stereotypes tell us "real men" do. Toward the end of the song a strong statement is made about sexist and racist violence. The last line (and so it goes, go round again / but now and then we wonder who the real men are ) to show a contemplation about what really makes a "real man. This song is a powerful statement agaist sexism, sexist roles and stereotypes, racism and homophobia.a stromg message that we need to redefine what we see as a "real man." |
submissions
| Martina McBride – A Broken Wing Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This is yet another powerful song sung by Martina Mcbride. In the song a husband abuses his wife tearing her spirit. The song illustrates the cycle of violence as the husband abuses his wife, then kisses up trying to make her believe he loves her, and then abuses her again. She eventually breaks the cycle of violence by refusing to put up with the abuse any longer... She leaves him. She will probably be affected by the abuse for years to come, but still she is powerful. The broken wing is a metaphor for the lasting emotional affects of the abuse, while flying repressent her growing sterngth and independence. |
submissions
| Martina McBride – Independence Day Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song is about a family; an alcoholic, abusive father/husband, a proud woman who tries to stand by her husband, and a child who is abused. The townspeople look the other way and the abuse continues. The wife tries to stand by her husband, but when the father continues to be abusive, the wife burns down the house. The song never states it explicitely, but the abusive husband/father is killed. The wife/mother goes to jail and while the daughter is sent to the county home. Its Independence Day for the mother and daughter as they are now free from abuse. |
submissions
| Bill Miller – Orphan Child Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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A great song talking about 2 homeless women that he saw on the street. They were doing whatever they had to do to survive, including prostitution.... offering their bodies to men for money. The men don't care about the women they pay for sex. The men don't even see them as human, much less real people with names. And unfortunately, unless someone shows these young women that they are human and worthy of love, they'll probably keep on as prostitutes their whole lives and end up dying alone on the street. A BRILLIANT song from the "Reservation Road" CD. |
submissions
| Bill Miller – Ordinary Man Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song reminds me of my own life. My Partner is a survivor of acquaintance rape and has been deely affected by it. She often wonders why I stay with her. I now answer with:
"Cause any fool would have turned and run
Any fool would have walked away
Any fool would have given up,
But an ordinary man, chose to stay"
She is a loving, beautiful, strong woman. I would have to be a fool to leave her. |
submissions
| Sarah McLachlan – Good Enough Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song sounds like a person is talking to a woman who has been abused for a long time. She no longer believes that she is "good enough" for anyone.The person who has gone through the abuse keeps coming up with excuses for her wounds. The other person responds by saying "Don't tell me why all these things happen. Don't tell make excuses for the abuser. No matter WHY these things *supposedly* happened, you are worth more than that. No one ever deserves abuse." The next stanza shows second person telling the woman who has been abused that he (?) loves her and wants a chance to show her his love. The genders aren't really specific in the song, but I included them to try to make my explanation simpler and differeniate between the people in the song. I heard this song live way back during the 2nd and 3rd Lilith Fair tours. It is awesome! |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Dreaming On A World Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song should be an anthem for activists. We (activists) see the world of the future the way it should be and will stop at nothing to make it so. Others tell us that our goals are hopeless, foolish and unrealistic. It may be unrealistic for everything to change *at once* yet still we strive for our longterm goal. Determination is the only way to make change happen. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Short Supply Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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A clear and true warning that we have to start taking life, childre, nature, plants, animals, fresh air, and fresh war seriously. If we don't, the world won't be able to sustain itself and everything will die... including humans. Everything is connected. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Woman's Work Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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A woman get's up in the morning and works all day, every day, with no support. I can only imagine this woman taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and a million other things - with absolutely no help. The song never says if she has employment or not, however it really doesn't matter. She works her butt off every day yet is not appreciated. There is a warning that she had better slow down before she crashes... yet there is no way she can slow down. She has too much to do and no support. Presumably the ctcle continues til she crashes. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Bang Bang Bang Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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We create poverty. We sell an image of masculenity and strength. We keep the poor poor and give them drugs and alcohol to anesthetise (sp?) them. At the same time, we sell a "bad boy" image. People then give this man anything he wants to keep him happy so that he leaves them alone. If he still comes after them, they blame him for his lifestyle. They'll kill him and say that he desrved it.... "problem solved" - He is dead. If however, he only robs and murders other poor black people, others consider it a favor because its less for them to deal with. We force poverty on people and then wonder why they get violent. The cycle repeats itself, yet no one figures it out. In the meanwhile people are dying. Before we have learned to love and drop our prejudices, more violence happens. This is a song about classism, racism, and a never ending cycle of violence. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Cold Feet Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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A guy grows up in a loving household, yet there was never quite as much money as the family needed. He grows up to be a honest and hard worker. He meets a woman, but doesn't think he is good enough for her. He wants to buy her the "best things in life." He falls into a dangerous "get rich quick" lifestyle (of crime?) and winds up dead. Yet another great warning by Tracy Chapman. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Broken Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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We're sold an image that society says we should try to be. The only problem is that this goal is NOT attainable.... Still we are trapped in a cycle of trying to attain something that is not possible. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Hard Wired Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song speaks of brainwashing of big business, materialism, and the media... Media and big business find out what we supposedly like and/or want... They repackage it as a NEED and sell it back to us for money.
tell us what we "want" until we believe it ourselves. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Tell It Like It Is Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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One of my favorite Tracy Chapman tunes, this song remins us never to give in, never to pretend that things are better than they are, never pretend that bad things don't exist. Basically, it speak out against apathy. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Across the Lines Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song speaks of segregation and racism. Race riots begin. People die on both sides yet blacks are blamed for everything because of racism |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – All That You Have Is Your Soul Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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Don't be tricked by false promises. Don't give up who you are for trivial things. Work for justice and truth. This song speaks of "mama" who gave up herself for the promises of a man. He stole her heart in love, but she gave up her soul for it. It serves as a warning as mama has been burned and is now left looking for a better day. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – This Time Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song speaks of a person refusing to be hurt like she was in the past. In order to not be hurt, she believes that she must not get too involved with anyone and that she can't admit love for another until they do so first. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Born To Fight Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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History time and time again shows one group of people stealing culture, pride, money religion from another. This song speaks of how white people have historically done this to black people. It also shows a person who refuses to let others take who she is and turn her into something else. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Material World Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song speaks of how we've come to believe in "The American Dream" of materialism. In doing so we often don't see that we've fallen into a (white) man made trap of being a slave to our jobs, corporations and to the idea of "needing" more money |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Behind The Wall Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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This song talks about the historic ways that the public and the police often view domestic violence. People and the police often repeatedly say "I shouldn't interfere" until someone winds up dead. We as a people NEED to start paying attention to domestic violence. We need to do what we can to stop it. We need to get educated and to educate about it. We need to stop seeing people as property.... before its too late. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – In The Dark Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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Parts of this song make me think of abstinance while parts of it sound like repression of same sex attraction. Does anyone have any insight on it? |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Say Hallelujah Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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I want this song played at my funeral.... Not that I plan on dying for decades to come, but still. I love how some cultures don't necessarily see death as a bad thing. Funerals should be a celebration of life. |
submissions
| Tracy Chapman – Remember the Tin Man Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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The way I interpret this song, it sounds like the after-effects of sexual assault and/or some other form of violence. Something happened that caused the person to lock the doors of their heart and put up walls around them. An obvious reference to the Tinman from "The Wizard of Oz," this song speaks of hoping that people who have gone though traunatic experience will find their "heart." Its still there, just hidden. |
submissions
| Bill Miller – Faith Of A Child Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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I have heard that this song is about Bill Miller's adopted daughter. She was born with the disability Spina Bifida, which can often affect a person's ability to walk.
Personally, I don't take the last stanza literally. I take it to mean that because she has kept the faith of a child, Bill's daughter (whom I believe is still alive) will accomplish great things in life. |
submissions
| Creed – Wash Away Those Years Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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As the Partner of a Survivor of rape, I can say that this song could have been about me... In a way, it was. Scott Stepp's friend was raped... He went through many emotions, including anger. He talks about the fact that we are not alone - there are many people (millions) who have been in his situation. He also says that he hopes to find "the mean"... a middle ground of emotion... In the meanwhile he does not act on his anger because he knows it would only make his friend worry about him and she has enough to deal with already. This song is a VERY important message for people who support survivors of abuse and rape. |
submissions
| Creed – Wash Away Those Years Lyrics
| 21 years ago
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As the Partner of a Survivor of rape, I can say that this song could have been about me... In a way, it was. Scott Stepp's friend was raped... He went through many emotions, including anger. He talks about the fact that we are not alone - there are many people (millions) who have been in his situation. He also says that he hopes to find "the mean"... a middle ground of emotion... In the meanwhile he does not act on his anger because he knows it would only make his friend worry about him and she has enough to deal with already. This song is a VERY important message for people who support survivors of abuse and rape. |
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