Today We Sing the Blues
Acoustic Junction Lyrics
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rainbow rainbow is holding them tight
outside it's cold inside he's sewed
warm to his baby at night.
The window it wept and the lightning bug crept
shining its light this way
walked into a web nowhere to go
Today we sing the blues
Tomorrow we cry for more.
Johnny's in the Ryder loading a bowl, Marky is already stoned
well we've come this far now open the bar
or we're gonna turn around and the truck back home
there's children in the streets screaming for
peace and the soldiers storm on by
the Chinese guns aimed at their own ones
for democracy they must die.
Green hills poisoned pills more stuff more
thrills graveyards full of junk
thatched roofs hunger pains feed the poor
pray for rain if you can't swim you're sunk
So what do you do in this crazy old world
do you laugh cry is there any hope
do you build a farm cause nobody harm
grow your own and learn to cope
or do you build a city with the smog and pity
get all caught up in the smoke
no you sing the blues.
The Acoustic Junction’s song ‘Today We Sing the Blues’ includes a couple of different narratives throughout the verses that highlight complex issues we face as a society. The first verse describes a man holding his baby and dreaming of a rainbow. Although it’s cold outside, they feel warm and safe inside. The second verse takes a different tone, describing the struggles of everyday life where people get caught up in drug use, politics, poverty, and pollution. Johnny loads a bowl, Marky is already stoned and as they drive down the street children are shouting for peace while the soldiers roll by unaffected. In the final verse, the lyrics give a sort of solution to the issues, asking if we should build a city with pollution or live in harmony with the earth. In the end, the singer decides to sing the blues. This is a message of hopelessness in the face of seemingly insurmountable issues. Perhaps he is suggesting we put aside our differences and face our helplessness together.
Line by Line Meaning
He's walking with his baby dreaming of a
He walks with his loved one and dreams of a bright and colorful future
rainbow rainbow is holding them tight
Amidst the darkness of the world, love and hope hold them together
outside it's cold inside he's sewed
Although the outside world is harsh, they find warmth and solace in each other
warm to his baby at night.
They share love and comfort that keeps them safe and warm
The window it wept and the lightning bug crept
The world is harsh and unforgiving, and even nature mourns
shining its light this way
There's a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness
walked into a web nowhere to go
Trapped in a difficult situation with no way out
you know it just worked out that way
Sometimes life just doesn't go as planned
Today we sing the blues
In the face of adversity, we express our pain through music
Tomorrow we cry for more.
The hardship and pain continue, and we keep fighting against them
Johnny's in the Ryder loading a bowl, Marky is already stoned
The world can be a cruel and hopeless place, and people turn to drugs to escape
well we've come this far now open the bar
After all the hardship, it's time to celebrate and enjoy life
or we're gonna turn around and the truck back home
If things don't go well, we'll give up and go back to where we started
there's children in the streets screaming for
Amidst all the darkness, people like children still hope for a better future
peace and the soldiers storm on by
Even though people seek peace, violence and destruction continue
the Chinese guns aimed at their own ones
Oppression and violence among people can be hauntingly close
for democracy they must die.
The fight for freedom can often come at a great cost
Green hills poisoned pills more stuff more
The beauty of nature is being destroyed by human greed and addiction
thrills graveyards full of junk
The consequences of human actions are often deadly and destructive
thatched roofs hunger pains feed the poor
Many people in the world struggle to survive, and basic needs are not met
pray for rain if you can't swim you're sunk
When life gets tough, sometimes all we can do is hope for a miracle
So what do you do in this crazy old world
In a world that can be bewildering and insane, what do we do?
do you laugh cry is there any hope
Do we despair or do we hold on to hope in the face of difficulty?
do you build a farm cause nobody harm
Do we work towards a peaceful and sustainable life for all?
grow your own and learn to cope
Take control of your own life and find ways to keep going
or do you build a city with the smog and pity
Do we give in to greed and disregard for the environment and each other?
get all caught up in the smoke
If we aren't careful, we'll be lost in our own greed and mistakes
no you sing the blues.
In the end, we turn to music and art to express our pain and find solace
Contributed by Harper P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hollie
on Do What You Do
I was just hiking in a forest with a friend when she said that somebody started to build a house nearby. We went to explore. The first thing I noticed was a tree growing in the middle of where the floor should have been. It triggered a memory of a song I knew when I was a kid, that I probably learned when I was at a long-ago campfire with somebody playing the guitar. It took me a while, but gradually the words to Uncle Jed's shed came to me. I sang it for my friend, and we both totally enjoyed the moment. So, thank you, for this delightful, quirky song