by 
Lyrics can save us. When we have no words of our own to express what we are feeling, we can look to the words of others to express them for us. In this time of great division, songs can communicate what we feel and make us feel less alone. Hard truths mixed with compassion and inspiration linked to a steady beat can help steady us. For example….
See it:
“I was just a boy when I sat down, To watch the news on TV
I saw some ordinary slaughter, I saw some routine atrocity
My father said, don’t look away, You got to be strong, You got to be bold, now
He said that in the end is beauty, That is going to save the world now…”
~ There She Goes My Beautiful World ~ Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Stand up:
“We sick an’ tired of your ism-schism game, Dyin’ n’ goin’ to Heaven in a Jesus’ name, Lord
We know when we understand, almighty God is a living man
You can fool some people sometimes, But you couldn’t fool all the people all the time
And now we see the light, you stand up for our rights, yeah…”
~ Get up, Stand Up ~ Bob Marley and the Wailers
Help each other:
“Does life seem nasty, brutish and short, Come on up to the house
The seas are stormy and you can’t find no port, Come on up to the house, yeah
You gotta come on up to the house, Come on up to the house,
The world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, Come on up to the house…”
~ Come On Up the the House ~ Tom Waits
Hope and Reassurance:
“Brother called me on the phone, Saying ‘I’m done with it all’
Safe to say I’m done with it all too, Trying to right all these wrongs
Never seemed so impossible, It’s clear to me we’re scared to hope, too
I don’t know why, I don’t know why, I cannot stop this feeling inside
I don’t know why, I don’t know why, I cannot stop this feeling inside
No matter how bad it all gets, I can’t stop this voice in my head
This voice in my head says, We’re gonna be alright, We’re gonna be alright …”
- – Alright (frick it!) – Judah & the Lion
Of course, the lyrics need go with the tune for full effect of catharsis. Pick the songs that help you through the day, and listen to them a lot! Put in your ears buds, turn up the volume and go….
