Gorka was born in Edison, New Jersey. He received his first guitar as a Christmas gift, though Gorka alleges that his older brother stole it from him shortly thereafter. He eventually learned, instead, to play the banjo, and began performing in a folk music group at his church.
Gorka attended Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and joined the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band which would also include guitarist Richard Shindell. He later began performing solo at the Godfrey Daniels coffee house as the opening act for various musicians that toured there. These included Nanci Griffith, Bill Morrissey, Claudia Schmidt and Jack Hardy.
In 1984, Gorka took first place at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Since then he has toured with artists such as Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Michael Manring, Christine Lavin, Dave Van Ronk, Cliff Eberhardt, David Massengill, Frank Christian and Lucy Kaplansky.
As of 2005, he was residing in the St. Croix Valley area near Saint Paul, Minnesota.
In 2008, Gorka decided to return to Europe for the first time in fourteen years. In October that year, he played four times in the Netherlands, he played live on VPRO radio and he did a session for the John Gorka video site.
In 2009, Gorka toured in the USA and also in Ireland and the Netherlands. In October that year, Red House Records released the CD "So Dark You See". This is considered a more intimate, vocal and guitar-centered record than the last two albums.
If Not Now
John Gorka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If not now, then when?
If not here, nor there
If not this world
Then where?
If not us, not them
If not now, then when?
If not this world
Then where?
If not us, not them
If not now, then when?
If not here, nor there
If not this world
Then where?
John Gorka's song "If Not Now" is a powerful call to action that urges the listener to recognize their agency and responsibility to create change. The repetition of the lines "If not us, not them / If not now, then when? / If not here, nor there / If not this world / Then where?" creates a sense of urgency and insistence on the importance of taking action.
The first line "If not us, not them" speaks to the idea that it is up to individuals to stand up for what is right and just, rather than relying on others to do so. The second line, "If not now, then when?" suggests that the time to act is now, not to delay or wait for someone else to take the lead. The third line, "If not here, nor there" emphasizes that this call to action is not limited by geographic boundaries. The fourth line, "If not this world / Then where?" suggests that the responsibility to create change extends beyond one's immediate surroundings and into the broader world.
The repetition of these lines throughout the song creates a sense of commitment and determination to take action. It is a reminder that change is only possible through the actions of individuals who are willing to take responsibility for their role in creating a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
If not us, not them
If we don't take action ourselves, neither will anyone else.
If not now, then when?
If we don't take action now, then when will we?
If not here, nor there
If we don't take action in this place or that place, where else could we?
If not this world
If we don't take action in this world, where else are we going to do it?
Then where?
If not in any of these places or in this world, then where else?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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