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.
If It Were Up To Me
Holly Near Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe it's the bullets, maybe it's the real crooks
Maybe it's the drugs, maybe it's the parents
Maybe it's the colors everybody's wearin
Maybe it's the President, maybe it's the last one
Maybe it's the one before that, what he done
Maybe it's the high schools, maybe it's the teachers
Maybe it's the tattooed children in the bleachers
Maybe it's the music, maybe it's the crack
Maybe it's the hairdos, maybe it's the TV
Maybe it's the cigarettes, maybe it's the family
Maybe it's the fast food, maybe it's the news
Maybe it's divorce, maybe it's abuse
Maybe it's the lawyers, maybe it's the prisons
Maybe it's the Senators, maybe it's the system
Maybe it's the fathers, maybe it's the sons
Maybe it's the sisters, maybe it's the moms
Maybe it's the radio, maybe it's road rage
Maybe El Nino, or UV rays
Maybe it's the army, maybe it's the liquor
Maybe it's the papers, maybe the militia
Maybe it's the athletes, maybe it's the ads
Maybe it's the sports fans, maybe it's a fad
Maybe it's the magazines, maybe it's the internet
Maybe it's the lottery, maybe it's the immigrants
Maybe it's taxes, big business
Maybe it's the KKK and the skinheads
Maybe it's the communists, maybe it's the Catholics
Maybe it's the hippies, maybe it's the addicts
Maybe it's the art, maybe it's the sex
Maybe it's the homeless, maybe it's the banks
Maybe it's the clearcut, maybe it's the ozone
Maybe it's the chemicals, maybe it's the car phones
Maybe it's the fertilizer, maybe it's the nose rings
Maybe it's the end, but I know one thing.
If it were up to me, I'd take away the guns.
The lyrics of Holly Near's song "If It Were Up to Me" reflect her commentary on the societal factors that she feels contribute to gun violence in the United States. The verses of the song present a long list of possible culprits - from movies and books to political systems and environmental factors. In each case, Near seems to suggest that there is some element of these people, institutions, or cultural phenomena that could be responsible for the prevalence of gun violence in American society.
The song's refrain, "If it were up to me, I'd take away the guns," points to Near's belief that the problem of gun violence cannot be solved by placing blame on any one particular factor. Instead, she argues that a fundamental shift in our relationship to guns - and the availability of guns - is needed in order to reduce the number of gun-related deaths that occur in America.
In many ways, "If It Were Up to Me" can be read as a powerful commentary on the state of public discourse around gun control in the United States. Through her lyrics, Near questions the tendency to scapegoat certain individuals or communities in the wake of mass shootings, instead emphasizing the need for a more holistic and nuanced approach to the problem of gun violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe it's the movies, maybe it's the books
Perhaps the glorification of violence and crime in popular culture is to blame, or maybe it's literature that influences aggressive behavior.
Maybe it's the bullets, maybe it's the real crooks
There could be a connection between the availability of firearms and the criminal element in society.
Maybe it's the drugs, maybe it's the parents
Drug addiction could play a role, or perhaps parenting practices contribute to a society where violence is viewed as acceptable.
Maybe it's the colors everybody's wearin
The clothing that people wear could be causing aggressive or violent behavior.
Maybe it's the President, maybe it's the last one
The actions or policies of national leaders, past or present, could be contributing factors that lead to violence.
Maybe it's the one before that, what he done
The previous administration, and the actions taken or not taken, could be contributing to the issue at hand.
Maybe it's the high schools, maybe it's the teachers
Perhaps the system of education itself could be at fault, with high schools and teachers creating an environment where violence is normalized.
Maybe it's the tattooed children in the bleachers
The appearance or personal style of youth, like tattoos, could be influencing behavior.
Maybe it's the Bible, maybe it's the lack
Perhaps the religious or moral values in society could help or hinder violent behavior.
Maybe it's the music, maybe it's the crack
Music's lyrics, messages and culture could use violent or aggressive themes, or addiction to drugs and substances could lead to violent behavior.
Maybe it's the hairdos, maybe it's the TV
Perhaps fashion or hairstyle choices, or the content shown on television, could be contributing factors to violent behavior.
Maybe it's the cigarettes, maybe it's the family
Cigarettes and related health problems could be causing stress which leads to violent behavior, or possibly violent behavior is the result of poor family upbringing.
Maybe it's the fast food, maybe it's the news
Fast food and poor diets could cause physical or emotional stress leading to violent behavior, while negative news stories could influence the public's perception of crime.
Maybe it's divorce, maybe it's abuse
Family troubles like divorce or abuse could be causing emotional stress that leads to violent behavior.
Maybe it's the lawyers, maybe it's the prisons
Legal and incarceration systems, inadequacies or flaws in it, could be contributing factors to the problem of violence in society.
Maybe it's the Senators, maybe it's the system
The power structure, such as the Senate, government or decision-making processes, as well as the overall structure of society could contribute to violence.
Maybe it's the fathers, maybe it's the sons
Issues with fathers and sons, how they treat or are treated, are possibly causing violence and aggression in society.
Maybe it's the sisters, maybe it's the moms
Women's relationships and roles, in families and society at large, could possibly lead to or mitigate violence.
Maybe it's the radio, maybe it's road rage
Radio airplay, listenership or advertising could be influencing the culture surrounding violence or aggression, and possibly lead to road rage.
Maybe El Nino, or UV rays
Unpredictable factors such as natural events or radiation could be causing violence and aggression.
Maybe it's the army, maybe it's the liquor
The army or other military forces, and the presence of alcohol and the culture around it, could contribute to violence.
Maybe it's the papers, maybe the militia
The media or newspapers, as well as militias and other right-wing groups could be contributing factors to the issue at hand.
Maybe it's the athletes, maybe it's the ads
Athletes and related advertisements could be contributing to the normalization of violent behavior.
Maybe it's the sports fans, maybe it's a fad
Sports culture, and its fans or fads could be a contributing factor to violent incidents.
Maybe it's the magazines, maybe it's the internet
Magazines or the Internet could perpetuate violent behavior through various forms of media and communication.
Maybe it's the lottery, maybe it's the immigrants
The lottery or other forms of gambling, as well as immigration and the cultural diversity it brings, could possibly play a role in violent behavior.
Maybe it's taxes, big business
Issues with taxes or large corporations could contribute to the root of the problem of violence in society.
Maybe it's the KKK and the skinheads
Hate groups such as the KKK or Skinheads could be perpetuating violent culture in society.
Maybe it's the communists, maybe it's the Catholics
Political affiliations and religious or moral values could be playing a role in the issue of violence in society.
Maybe it's the hippies, maybe it's the addicts
Counter-culture movements like the hippie counterculture, recreational drug use or addiction, could be contributing to violence in society.
Maybe it's the art, maybe it's the sex
Artistic expression or the representation of sex could possibly influence the culture surrounding violence in society.
Maybe it's the homeless, maybe it's the banks
Issues related to homelessness, as well as banks and economic circumstances, could be possible causes of violence and aggression.
Maybe it's the clearcut, maybe it's the ozone
Environmental factors like deforestation, as well as pollution, could possibly contribute to the problem of violence in society.
Maybe it's the chemicals, maybe it's the car phones
Chemicals or pesticides, as well as issues with cell phone use while driving, could be contributing to the issue of violence in society.
Maybe it's the fertilizer, maybe it's the nose rings
Issues with fertilizer or farm practices, as well as personal choices like nose rings, could be linked to incidents of violence and aggression.
Maybe it's the end, but I know one thing.
Although there are countless factors that could contribute to the problem, the artist knows one solution for sure.
If it were up to me, I'd take away the guns.
To prevent further incidents of violence, the singer's one solution would be to remove all firearms from society.
Writer(s): Cheryl Wheeler
Contributed by Isabella Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.