Holly Near is a unique combination of entertainer, teacher and activist. An immense vocal talent, Near's career as a singer has been profoundly defined by an unwillingness to separate her passion for music from her passion for human dignity. She is a skilled performer and an outspoken ambassador for peace who brings to the stage an integration of world consciousness, spiritual discovery, and theatricality.
Holly was born to parents from the states of North Dakota and New York. They were political activists, ranchers, and supporters of culture in the rural community of Ukiah, California. Although Holly sang publicly from the time she was eight years old, her professional career began in her early twenties when she worked as an actress in film and television. She also appeared in Hair on Broadway. Eventually music returned to become her major focus, especially that music which articulated the social conditions of the world community.
In 1971, when she was 22 years old, Holly joined Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, and other artists in the Free The Army Tour, singing to soldiers who were resisting war and racism from within the military. Near started writing and singing political songs. Following in the footsteps of such writers as Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Beverly Grant, and Hazel Dickens, she added newly discovered feminist perspective to anti-war songs and developed a unique and recognizable style.
Near was probably the first woman artist to start an independent record company when in 1972 she founded Redwood Records which became a major force in alternative music for nearly 20 years. Near's vision for Redwood was to promote and produce music by politically conscious artists from around the world, a mission fulfilled for almost two decades.
Finding herself at the forefront of a growing feminist movement, Near worked for world peace and multi-cultural consciousness. The world was her university and social change movements informed her songs. She sang the secrets long before such ideas found space in the major media. Near helped support the work of artists from Nicaragua, Chile, Australia, Canada, England, Argentina, Cuba, Uruguay, Vietnam, El Salvador, Mexico, and the United States. She was outspoken on such issues as gay and lesbian rights, a woman's right to choose, stopping domestic violence, and opposing nuclear war.
Holly has traveled from the fields of central California singing in support of The United Farm Workers to El Salvador where she sang for peace amidst war and conflict. Her songs were sung clandestinely in Latin American prisons and sung boldly by Irish and English women who joined together to protest war. Whether in support of nurses striking for better conditions in the emergency room or in opposition to racist violence on the police force, Holly sings a bold truth.
A peace activist and advocate for human and civil rights, Holly has linked the multitude of issues that are our lives, refusing the idea of separate "causes." When asked how she keeps her energy for this work, she smiles: "I am selfish. I reach for the world I want to live in. And I believe in leaving our best efforts as a gift to our children."
Amidst all her work for peace and human rights, Holly is a consummate singer and entertainer. When she sings show tunes or songs from the 30s, her audience knows that Ms. Near could have chosen to be a Broadway musical star or a cabaret artist. And yet, these great songs come through Holly's unique world experience and we hear them as if for the first time. Out of this gentle, vibrant woman comes a huge voice, a unique sense of humor, an unexpected theatricality and a startling power. The moment she feels trapped in a genre, she breaks into a song that challenges the boxes and stereotypes.
In an interest to document social change music, Near's papers are archived with the Schlesinger Library at Radcliff. Near teaches performance craft and song writing. She has been a cultural leader for over 35 years and now shares her experience in creative and challenging master classes. Holly reminds both students and audience alike about the importance of their lives, and whenever they are with her, they feel a sense of being welcomed home.
Both as a participant and a leader, she bears personal witness to the hugely important role that music plays in political action movements. Throughout her lengthy career, Ms. Near has used her performances to educate, challenge, and inspire. The unifying and healing quality of her work explains the diverse nature of the groups who call on her to speak and sing.
She presented the 2004 Ware Lecture for the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in Long Beach, California; delivered the keynote address for Women Change America, a conference presented by the National Women's History Project at Smith College; spoke to participants at HerbFest in Iowa and the Bioneers Conference in California; and led a Martin Luther King Day celebration in Northern California. She participated and performed at the March For Women's Lives in Washington, DC and at the Stop The War demonstration in New York, NY before the US invasion into Iraq.
In 2004, Holly joined Eve Ensler for a march in Juarez, Mexico to protest the uninvestigated killing of hundreds of young women. In Toledo, Ohio, she sat witness to the testimony of women reporting rape and other violence against women. Holly helped raise funds for 10,000 Kites, a collaborative anti-war project between young people from Israel and Palestine who in spring of 2005, flew kites over the wall that separated them.
Last year, Holly joined thousands of protesters in Columbus, Georgia to demand that the infamous School of the Americas be closed down. She will attend again this year. Dictators and military police are trained at this school in skills that are used to destroy growing democracies, skills which include repression and torture.
Near's portrait hangs at The Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio along with those of other social change artists including Paul Robeson, Marion Anderson, Pete Seeger, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, and Woody Guthrie. She has received numerous awards for her work for social change, including honors from the ACLU, the National Lawyers Guild, the National Organization for Women, NARAS, Ms. Magazine (Woman of the Year), and the Legends of Women's Music Award. Most recently, she was one of 1000 PeaceWomen nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005.
Holly is not resting on her laurels, but continues to write and sing political songs with grace and humor. Holly Near's integrity earns her the reputation as one of the most articulate political artists of our time. Her newest CD, Show Up, proves that she continues to sing with a power and maturity that may only come from decades of love and fear, despair and inspiration.
Fired Up!
Holly Near Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
You're breaking my mother's heart
Fired up ain't gonna take it no more
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
Children need schools more than they need jails
That's where our society fails
First seven years creates the child's foundation
Mandatory for a healthy nation
How could we forget that the children come first
We left them alone and they died of thirst
Mothers and fathers confused and forlorn
When the children are missing there's something wrong
Can't just focus on kids with wealth
Can't pick and choose who gets the health care
Take an honest look at the great divide
Looks dangerously similar to genocide
Fired up ain't gonna take it no more
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
You're breaking my mother's heart
Ain't gonna take it no more
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
You say cool down, we say step down
You break another mother's heart
Holly Near’s song Fired Up! is a powerful statement against the systemic oppression faced by marginalized communities. The repeated refrain “fired up ain’t gonna take it no more, tied up ain’t gonna take it no more” emphasizes the fiery passion and fury that comes with the realization that things need to change. The lyrics are a call to action for people to stand up against injustices and fight for what is right, even if it means breaking the rules.
The second verse talks about the society’s failure to provide basic necessities such as education and healthcare to its citizens, which creates a huge divide and leads to a dangerous path towards genocide. Near emphasizes the importance of the first seven years of a child's life as the foundation for a healthy nation, urging listeners to remember that “children come first”. The final verse highlights the devastating effects of separation of families by those in power, stressing that it’s yet another approach to breaking mothers' hearts.
Throughout the song, Near urges people to recognize their power and to use their voice to create change. It’s a rallying cry for people who feel helpless and hopeless to rise up and make their voices heard. Perhaps most crucially, Near is not just demanding change from those in power, but also asking people to examine their own attitudes and assumptions, and to strive for greater empathy and compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
Fired up ain't gonna take it no more
We are angry and refuse to tolerate this situation any longer
Tied up ain't gonna take it no more
We feel restrained and powerless, but we won't stay silent
You say cool down, we say step down
You want us to stop protesting, but we demand a change in leadership
You're breaking my mother's heart
Your actions are causing emotional pain and distress to our families and communities
Children need schools more than they need jails
We need to invest in education and support for youth instead of increasing incarceration rates
That's where our society fails
Our society is failing by not prioritizing the well-being of our children
First seven years creates the child's foundation
Early childhood development is crucial for long-term success and happiness
Mandatory for a healthy nation
Investing in our children's education and health is essential for a thriving society
How could we forget that the children come first
We have lost sight of our priorities by neglecting the needs of our youth
We left them alone and they died of thirst
Our neglect and lack of support has led to negative consequences for our children
Mothers and fathers confused and forlorn
Parents are struggling and overwhelmed by the challenges of raising their children in this environment
When the children are missing there's something wrong
The absence or mistreatment of children is a clear indication of societal issues that need to be addressed
Can't just focus on kids with wealth
We need to ensure that all children have access to quality education and resources, regardless of their socioeconomic status
Can't pick and choose who gets the health care
Health care is a basic human right and should be accessible to everyone
Take an honest look at the great divide
We need to acknowledge and address the inequalities that exist in our society
Looks dangerously similar to genocide
The disparities and injustices faced by marginalized communities are reminiscent of acts of genocide
Contributed by Aubrey E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.