“Sing about it until it can be realised” is a quote from Ched at the Kinsler Institute earlier this year… a call to write, play and sing the songs of freedom until freedom is won.  During Love Makes A Way (LMAW) actions some supporters stay outside to bear witness to the action – singing, praying and advocating for those within.  So far this draws heavily on the freedom songs of the Negro Spirituals, changing the lyrics to familiar tunes but what are the songs for and from our own context?

Started brainstorming how these songs are effective/communicate… says without saying, not religious language but accessible, short, call and repeat/memorable/simple/easy to pick up, capture sadness/grief…

Here’s a couple of goes at playing around:

Let me in

There is room at the table x3

Let me in, let me in

There is room at the borders x3

Let me in, let me in

There is room in our hearts x3

Let me in, let me in

There is hope for a new tomorrow x3

Let me in, let me in

[can make up your own variations: there is room for… the children, in the playground, in the classroom, etc.]

And who is already speaking for these issues? who are our own voices in the wilderness calling for a world that is different?  Michael Leunig is an Australian cartoonist, poet and cultural commentator, I’ve appropriated some of his words from a cartoon and arranged them so this can be sung as a round which is beautiful because when you’re looping “love is born” rings out through and over the “dark and troubled” and “when hope is dead”.

101

And because I write words not music the best I can offer is a basic recording to give a gist with my blessings and my apologies!

LMAW songs