Sound Of Sirens

These song-lyrics are quite contemporary in my book, although they tell a story from 1649. They tell you about the beginnings of privatization, they tell you ‘what went wrong’ and make you think about what today is being considered normal: ‘buying and selling the earth for private gain’. They also tell you about a different way, about resistence and community.

The World Turned Upside Down
Lyrics and Music originally by Leon Rosselson
(Billy Bragg performing ‘The World Turned Upside Down’)

In sixteen forty nine, to St George’s Hill
a ragged band they called the Diggers came to show the peoples’ will
they defied the Landlords, they defied the laws
they were the dispossessed, reclaiming what was theirs

“We come in peace” they said, to dig and sow
we come to work the lands in common and to make the wastegrounds grow
this earth divided, we will make whole
so it will be a common treasury for all

The sin of property, we do disdain
no man has any right to buy and sell the earth for private gain
by theft and murder, they took the land
now everywhere the walls spring up at their command

They make the laws, to chain us well
the clergy dazzle us with heaven or they damn us into hell
we will not worship, the god they serve
the god of greed who feeds the rich while poor man starve

We work, we eat together, we need no swords
we will not bow to the masters or pay rent to the lords
we are free men, though we are poor
you diggers all stand up for glory stand up now

From the men of property, the orders came
they sent the hired men and troopers to wipe out the Diggers’ claim
tear down their cottages, destroy their corn
they were dispersed, but still the vision lingers on

You poor take courage, you rich take care
this earth was made a common treasury for everyone to share
all things in common, all people one
we come in peace, the orders came to cut them down

Find more information on the original ‘Diggers’ and a group that named themselves after them in the late 60s in San Francisco.

I would argue that a sustainable community culture would need to integrate ingredients as subtle and diverse as the ones to be found in afro-cuban rumba.
Complexity of rhythm, interdependance, improvisation and spontaneity, creative expression…all of that stuff is being lived in performing an afro-cuban rumba.

And how did Ravi Shankar say: ‘The highest aim of music is to reveal the nature of the universe.’ Eso es!

Enjoy!

If you want more info on Afro-Cuban Rumba you’ll find it here (a beautiful blog).
More info on Afro-Cuban Culture you will find here (Afro Cuba Web).