His song Dark and Deep was selected for inclusion on Songs Inspired By Literature, Chapter One, a benefit CD to raise money for adult literacy campaigns. Other artists on that CD include Suzanne Vega, Aimee Mann, Grace Slick and Bruce Springsteen.
David has performed on the main stage of the internationally known Kerrville Folk Festival, and he was featured as the headline act at the 2004 Auckland Folk Festival. While there he was awarded lifetime membership in the Guitar Association of New Zealand, only the third international performer to be given that honor in the history of the organization.
David is the co-founder and director of Proyecto para las Escuelas Guatemaltecas, a non-profit organization that funds projects to improve schools in Guatemala. For more info, check the web site: www.pegpartners.org.
In the last year LaMotte has published a children's book based on his award-winning children's song S.S. Bathtub, a live concert DVD and a retrospective collection of Peace and Justice songs from his previous records, as well as his latest CD, Change, a collaborative project with cellist Stephanie Winters.
Hope
David LaMotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the fire from a church burning down
When the sun comes again the black and white men
Stand and stare at the soot on the ground
They raise up their weapons and summon their strength
And they cut at the wood with their swords
But hey're striking blows against hatred
'Cause they're hammering nails into boards
I keep thinking I hear the four horsemen
And turning around to see
It's just the pony express again
And they've got a message for me
I've got a lot of hope for the future
I've got a lot of faith things can work out fine
Got a lot of dreams for a better world
Got a lot of work to do if I'm going to make them mine
My town is still mostly divided
And I don't see much color tonight
And I know that it's all complicated
That the issues are not black and white
But how can we come any closer
If I just shake my head where I stand
There can never be any handshakes
Until somebody puts out their hand
I keep thinking I hear the four horsemen
And turning around to see
It's just the pony express again
And they've got a message for me
I've got a lot of hope for the future
I've got a lot of faith things can work out fine
Got a lot of dreams for a better world
Got a lot of work to do if I'm going to make them mine
David LaMotte's song "Hope" is a thoughtful reflection on the state of race relations in the American South. In the first verse, LaMotte paints a picture of Southern racial tension, using the metaphor of a church burning down. The scene is one of destruction and chaos, but the response of the black and white men in the aftermath is one of solidarity. Rather than turning on each other, they band together to rebuild the church, symbolizing their commitment to fighting against hatred and racism.
In the second verse, LaMotte shifts his focus to the present, acknowledging that progress has been made but still recognizing that there is much work to be done. He speaks of his hopes for a better future, but also acknowledges that achieving that future will require a lot of hard work. He recognizes the complexity of race relations in the South, but argues that meaningful progress can only be made if people are willing to extend a hand to one another, regardless of their race.
Overall, "Hope" is a hopeful yet realistic song about the potential for racial reconciliation, urging listeners to continue to work towards a better world where all people are treated with dignity and respect.
Line by Line Meaning
In the Southland we're lighting the night sky
We're making our presence known and visible.
With the fire from a church burning down
We're using the destruction of a symbol of division to unite us.
When the sun comes again the black and white men
Once the anger subsides, we'll have to face our differences.
Stand and stare at the soot on the ground
We'll have no choice but to confront the aftermath of our conflict.
They raise up their weapons and summon their strength
We'll have to be strong to face the adversity in the future.
And they cut at the wood with their swords
We must dismantle the structures that perpetuate hatred.
But they're striking blows against hatred
We must act with intention to combat hate and prejudice.
'Cause they're hammering nails into boards
We must build something new in its place.
I keep thinking I hear the four horsemen
I feel the weight of the challenges and threats we face.
And turning around to see
But I always discover it's more manageable than it seems.
It's just the pony express again
I'm reminded that hope and progress are possible.
And they've got a message for me
I have a role to play in building a better world.
I've got a lot of hope for the future
I believe that things can get better.
I've got a lot of faith things can work out fine
I hold onto the belief that we can make a positive change.
Got a lot of dreams for a better world
I have a vision of what a better world looks like.
Got a lot of work to do if I'm going to make them mine
But I know that it's up to me to take action and see it come to life.
My town is still mostly divided
My community is still segregated and polarized.
And I don't see much color tonight
I'm surrounded by homogeneity and lack of diversity.
And I know that it's all complicated
I understand that the roots of our struggles run deep.
That the issues are not black and white
I acknowledge that the challenges are complex and multifaceted.
But how can we come any closer
I wonder how we can bridge the gaps between us.
If I just shake my head where I stand
I know that I can't just be a bystander.
There can never be any handshakes
We will never build trust without making the effort to connect.
Until somebody puts out their hand
It's up to us to reach out and extend a hand of friendship.
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, O/B/O CAPASSO
Written by: NATACHA ATLAS, NITIN SAWHNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind