Born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, Havens moved to Greenwich Village in 1961 in time to get in on the folk boom then taking place. Havens had a distinctive style as a folksinger, appearing in such clubs as the Cafe Wha? His guitar set to an open tuning, he would strum while barring chords with his thumb, using it essentially as percussion while singing rhythmically in a gruff voice for a mesmerizing effect. Havens was signed to Douglas Records in 1965 and recorded two albums that gained him a local following. In 1967, the Verve division of MGM Records formed a folk section (Verve Forecast) and signed Havens and other folk-based performers. The result was Havens's third album, Mixed Bag. It wasn't until 1968 and the Something Else Again album, however, that Havens began to hit the charts -- actually, Havens's fourth, third, and second albums charted that year, in that order. In 1969 came the double album Richard P. Havens 1983. Havens' career benefited enormously from his appearance at the Woodstock festival in 1969 and his subsequent featured role in the movie and album made from the concert in 1970. His first album after that exposure, Alarm Clock, made the Top 30 and produced a Top 20 single in "Here Comes the Sun." These recordings were Havens's commercial high-water mark, but by this time he had become an international touring success. By the end of the '70s, he had abandoned recording and turned entirely to live work.
Havens came back to records with a flurry of releases in 1987: a new album, Simple Things; an album of Bob Dylan and Beatles covers; and a compilation. In 1991, Havens signed his first major-label deal in 15 years when he moved to Sony Music and released Now.
On April 22, 2013, Havens died of a heart attack at home in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was 72.
Discography
* A Richie Havens Record (1965)
* Electric Havens (1966)
* Mixed Bag (February 1967)
* Something Else Again (1968)
* Richard P. Havens, 1983 (1969)
* Stonehenge (1970)
* Alarm Clock (1971)
* The Great Blind Degree (1971)
* Richie Havens On Stage (1972)
* Portfolio (1973)
* Mixed Bag II (January 1975)
* The End of the Beginning (1976)
* Mirage (1977)
* Connections (1980)
* Common Ground (1983)
* Simple Things (1987)
* Sings Beatles and Dylan (1987)
* Live at the Cellar Door (1990)
* Now (1991)
* Cuts to the Chase (1994)
* Time (1999)
* Wishing Well (April 2002)
* Grace of the Sun (2004)
Guest appearances
* Please Don't Touch by Steve Hackett (1978)
* Starlight Express Music and Songs from (1987)
* OVO by Peter Gabriel (2000) (Soundtrack to the Millennium Dome Show)
* "Freedom" on The Best of The Jammy's Volume One w/ The Mutaytor
* "The Long Road" (Duet with Cliff Eberhardt) on Cliff's 1990 album "The Long Road")
Lives In The Balance
Richie Havens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a week or a month or a year
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
You might ask what it takes to remember
When you think that you've heard it before
How governments lie to their people
There are shadows on the faces
Of the men who fan the flames
To those wars that are fought in places
Where we cant even pronounce their names
On the radio, talk shows and TV
You hear one thing again and again
How the USA stands for freedom
And how we come to the aid of a friend
But who are the ones that we call our friends
These governments killing their own?
Or is it the ones who can't take any more?
So they pick up a brick, or a gun, or a stone
[Chorus]
There are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
There is blood on the wire
Shadows on the faces
Of the men who send the guns
To those wars that are fought in places
Where their business interest runs
I want to know who these men in the shadows are
I want to hear somebody asking them why
They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
But they are never around to fight or to die
[Chorus]
There is blood on the wire
The song "Lives In The Balance" by Richie Havens reveals an outcry against the injustice, struggles, and corruption of politics and wars around the world. The opening line indicates a sense of longing and anticipation for change and transformation. The media has drawn the singer's attention with the bloodshed stories covered in the newspapers, and the screams from the crowds' protest rallies have fueled the singer's passion for social change.
The second verse sheds light on the government's deceitful ways and propaganda orchestrated by media outlets to win public approval. The pattern is the US government, coming to the aid of a friend, precisely when there is business interest to serve. Havens' highlights the puppet master's shadowy side in the next verse and the human cost of war. Understanding these costs, Havens admonishes governments globally to account for the citizens placed in mortal danger due to their political maneuvers.
The chorus repeats the message loud and clear that Lives are in the Balance, and there are People under Fire. Finally, the last verse challenges the so-called men-in-the-shadows who send men to war for their gain without ever shouldering the burden themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been waiting for something to happen
I have been eagerly waiting for a significant event to occur that would bring about change.
For a week or a month or a year
I have been waiting for this event for an indeterminate amount of time.
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
With the news reports filled with violent stories and images.
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
And the noise of those around me expressing their anger and frustration.
You might ask what it takes to remember
One might question what needs to happen for people to recall past events or injustices.
When you think that you've heard it before
Especially when you believe that you have already been made aware of the situation at hand in the past.
How governments lie to their people
How those in power regularly deceive and mislead their citizens.
And a country is drifting to war
And how this is often a precursor to or a sign of a nation becoming involved in a military conflict.
There are shadows on the faces
There is often a lack of clarity or transparency surrounding the motives of those involved in making decisions that can have global impact.
Of the men who fan the flames
Of those individuals who encourage and intensify hostile and abrasive situations.
To those wars that are fought in places
Multitudes of battles that are fought in remote and perhaps unknown regions.
Where we cant even pronounce their names
Where these locations are so far removed from our daily experiences that they even have unfamiliar or unrecognizable names.
On the radio, talk shows and TV
The constant repetition of a particular version or viewpoint of events on various media outlets.
You hear one thing again and again
You repeatedly receive the same narrow narrative or account of events.
How the USA stands for freedom
The argument that the United States is synonymous with the values of liberty and justice.
And how we come to the aid of a friend
And how the nation always rushes in to help a trusted ally.
But who are the ones that we call our friends
But who, in reality, do we truly see as our partners or friends?
These governments killing their own?
And is it possible that these same governments are also guilty of committing violence and oppression against their own citizens?
Or is it the ones who can't take any more?
Or is it the people who have reached their breaking point and are forced to rebel or act out in desperation?
So they pick up a brick, or a gun, or a stone
So, rather than living in fear and oppression, they are motivated to take up arms or employ other forms of protest or resistance.
There are lives in the balance
Significant and valuable lives are being treated with utter disregard in the midst of these conflicts.
There are people under fire
People are being actively targeted and subjected to violence.
There are children at the cannons
Even innocent children are caught in the crossfire and become victims of the brutality.
There is blood on the wire
The wire, representing the interconnectedness and influence of media and communication, is also marred and tainted by the brutality and corruption that is being perpetuated.
To those wars that are fought in places where their business interest runs
The conflicts being waged are often fueled and perpetuated by a country's economic interests rather than the welfare or concerns of the people involved.
I want to know who these men in the shadows are
The identities of the numerous individuals who remain hidden or unknown despite being responsible for significant decisions are of great interest and concern.
I want to hear somebody asking them why
I hope someone will step up and challenge these individuals to provide an explanation for their actions or choices.
They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
Those in power are quick to assign blame and designate certain individuals or groups as adversaries or opponents.
But they are never around to fight or to die
However, these same decision-makers are rarely seen on the frontlines confronting the dangers and challenges that they have set in motion.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JACKSON BROWNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind