Welcome to The Cahokian... A thousand years ago Cahokia — across the Mississippi from what is now St. Louis — was one of the biggest cities in the world. Now it's an empty green spot next to the highway. I'm a middle-aged gay man living in New York City, center of the world, future footnote on somebody's future map. Welcome to the new world.
Friday, May 06, 2011
"Gonna Lay Down My Sword & Shield"
In continuing our series of anti-war anthems, here's a wonderful arrangement of a good old-fashioned hymn by alterna-folk group Ollabelle. This is a live performance new to me, but it's pretty close in spirit to the version off their wonderful 2006 album "Riverside Battle Songs," which I heartily recommend. That's got another rearranged old Gospel hymn with their unique sound, "Trouble of the World." (I commented on the classic Mahalia Jackson version of that hymn almost exactly a year ago here).
But this one is, of course, "Down by the Riverside," sometimes known as "Study War No More." That's an electronic keyboard masquerading as a harmonium, but the vocal harmonies are flawless.
"Gonna lay down my burden,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
Gonna lay down my burden,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
I ain't go study war no more,
study war no more,
ain't go study war no more.
I ain't go study war no more,
study war no more,
ain't go study oh war no more.
Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside..."
Sometimes those old songs get it just right. There's a slightly different performance of the song also on Youtube here.
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Hi,ish, you know I just don't understand why peace is such a bad thing, why is it not embraced by everyone?
ReplyDeleteWhat is so great about WAR? It's like the school yard bully - to be the one feared by all. I don't like bullies and I don't like war.
I accept there will be disputes and differences but why can't we use are brains and not brawn to settle these differences?
Could it be as simple a fact as war is profitable for so many? That's a terrible thought, but I think truer than that of ideology. Sad...
From The Daily Dish:
ReplyDeleteMother's Day And War
Jean at The New Gay notes that "Julia Ward Howe, a US feminist, poet and social reformer [...] wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation" in the wake of the carnage of the Civil War." She quotes:
“We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”
Great quote Annie. AND happy mother's day to you!
ReplyDelete