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.
Foolish Notion
Holly Near Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To show that killing people is wrong
What a foolish notion
That war is called devotion
When the greatest warriors are the ones that stand for peace
War toys are growing stronger
The problems stay the same
While general what's-his-name
Is feeling full of pride
That the army will provide
But does he ask himself
Death row is growing longer
The problems stay the same
The poor ones get thrown in prison
While warden what's-his-name
Is feeling justified
But when will he be tried (when justice is denied)
For never asking why…
Children are so tender
They will cross the earth if they think they are saving a friend
They get drawn in by patriotic lies
Right before our eyes
They leave our home
And then they find out once they're all alone
They're asking the age old question
Why?
The lyrics to Holly Near's song "Foolish Notion" suggest that war is a misguided and counterproductive approach to solving conflicts because it perpetuates violence and fails to address the root causes of conflict. By pointing out the paradox of killing people to demonstrate that killing is wrong, the song challenges the hypocrisy of those who advocate for war as a means of achieving peace. The line "the greatest warriors are the ones that stand for peace" emphasizes the message that peace requires a different kind of strength and courage - one that is rooted in empathy and compassion for others.
The song also highlights the ways in which war and its aftermath harm individuals and communities. The lyrics draw parallels between the military-industrial complex and the prison-industrial complex, suggesting that both rely on the dehumanization and scapegoating of certain groups of people (soldiers and prisoners, respectively). The line "does he ask himself" and "when will he be tried" suggest that the leaders of these systems are accountable for their actions and should be held responsible for their failures to address the underlying causes of violence and injustice. Finally, the song highlights the tragedy of young people being drawn into war and the devastating toll it takes on them and their families.
Overall, "Foolish Notion" is a powerful and poignant critique of war and its cultural and societal effects. By challenging the assumptions and justifications for violence and offering a vision of justice and peace rooted in empathy and compassion, the lyrics stand as a call to action and a testament to human dignity and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do we kill people who are killing people
Why do we resort to violence to punish violence?
To show that killing people is wrong
To teach a lesson that killing is not the answer to conflict and violence.
What a foolish notion
It is a foolish and illogical thought to solve violence with more violence.
That war is called devotion
The term 'devotion' should not be associated with a war that leads to pain, destruction, and loss of innocent lives.
When the greatest warriors are the ones that stand for peace
A true warrior is someone who strives for peace rather than engage in war and confrontation.
War toys are growing stronger
Weapons of war are becoming more advanced and modern.
The problems stay the same
Despite technological advancements, the issues and complexities of conflict remains the same.
The young ones join the army
Youth are lured into the military to fight for their country.
While general what's-his-name
The higher-ups or leaders that command the military forces.
Is feeling full of pride
They feel proud that the army will serve their country and protect its people.
That the army will provide
The soldiers in the army will provide security and protection.
But does he ask himself
The military leaders should think deeply about the morality and implications of sending soldiers to war.
Death row is growing longer
The number of people waiting to be executed is increasing.
The problems stay the same
The problem of crime continues to persist despite the use of capital punishment.
The poor ones get thrown in prison
People from low-income backgrounds are more likely to end up in jail.
While warden what's-his-name
The head of the prison system.
Is feeling justified
The warden believes that he is doing his job by punishing criminals.
But when will he be tried (when justice is denied)
When the justice system is unjust and denies the rights of the prisoners, the warden should be held accountable.
For never asking why…
The warden never questioned the reasons why the prisoners ended up in jail or if there were any underlying issues that needed to be addressed.
Children are so tender
Children are innocent and easily influenced.
They will cross the earth if they think they are saving a friend
Children will do anything to help their friends, including joining wars that they do not fully understand.
They get drawn in by patriotic lies
They are misled by propaganda that glorifies war and nationalism.
Right before our eyes
This is happening right in front of us, yet we are not doing enough to stop it.
They leave our home
Children leave their homes and families to join the military.
And then they find out once they're all alone
Once they are in the midst of war, they realize the harsh realities of violence and destruction.
They're asking the age old question
They ask the timeless question of 'Why?' when faced with a reality they didn't expect.
Why?
Why do we, as human beings, engage in violence and conflict when peace is what we all really want?
Contributed by Charlotte D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.