Another song writing web site suggested this title "High School Safety Pin Parade"
Not knowing about the safety pin thing, I googles it and found out that it is a silent protest against the recent conservatism and racial hatred. I think it is supposed to show solidarity of the diverse peoples potentially affected such as immigrants, Muslims, Gays, Lesbians and others that are being bullied. Here is my rough take on the subject. Looking for feedback before I try to record and submit a song.
I’ll admit it, I play Pokémon Go
And I’m in the Robot Club, we build machines from Lego’s
My voice changed, I used to sing higher
It cracked, people laughed that’s why I’m not in the choir
I go to dances and stand by the wall
Imagine dancing with the prettiest girl in the hall
People call me a nerd, I’m ashamed and afraid
I’m going to march in the High School Safety Pin Parade
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we're caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
I’m not political, Not ROTC
Not a Democrat, NRA or young GOP
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we get caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
Hi John
I like the chorus a lot - and the second verse is a nice take on the ideas behind it. The first four couplets, though, take a long time to develop. You might be better off just using the last one (or pairing it with the first one) to get things going.
You could just lead off with the chorus and then chime in with different views from different groups and use the current second verse as a bridge:
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we're caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
People call me a nerd, I’m ashamed and afraid
I’m going to march in the High School Safety Pin Parade
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we're caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
TWO LINES FROM ANOTHER PARTY (Muslim, LBGT, whatever)
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we're caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
TWO LINES FROM ANOTHER PARTY (Muslim, LBGT, whatever)
I’m not political, Not ROTC
Not a Democrat, NRA or young GOP
TWO LINES FROM ANOTHER PARTY (Muslim, LBGT, whatever)
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we're caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
This reminds me very much of working with Music In Common, which did a lot of work in various high schools and community colleges. You can find their songs and videos here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4311DA672906C3A3
Very much looking forward to how it all turns out.
Peace
David,
Thanks for the odeas. Using multiple people might work well if I had the "Web are the World" singers. It's just me and I'm going to have to stretch my voice to sound like a pubescent boy.
Hi again
I think you can sing everyone in one voice. After all, no one faults John Prine for singing "I am an old woman" in "Angel from Montgomery."
Peace
I love that song, but he only sings from the one voice. The husband does not come in and sing his verse.
Sorry, but I won't be doing the multiple voices. Just the voice of one marginalized soul in the march.
I'll add a
I march for Mohammed, Rashaunda and Juan
I March for the gay straight and lesbian
We are marching in solidarity
I'm marching for them and the're marching for me
I'll think about this overnight
Overnight thoughts. I removed the couplets and went to 4 line verses. Just two. I reversed the chorus and bridge as well.
I go to dances and stand by the wall
I see the girl that I like out in the hall
I would ask her out but I think she has a guy
Anyways, I’m too shy
The bullies rob me and call me a nerd
I used to like it but now I hate that word
I’m just awkward, ashamed and afraid
I’m going to march in the High School Safety Pin Parade
Chorus
I’ll march with Mohammed, Rashaunda and Juan
I’ll march with the gay, straight and lesbian
We’ll march in solidarity
I’ll march for them and they’ll march for me
Bridge
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we get caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
Chorus
I’ll march with Mohammed, Rashaunda and Juan
I’ll march with the gay, straight and lesbian
We’ll march in solidarity
I’ll march for them and they’ll march for me
I just can't get the idea of the singer being a nerd to work in my mind. Here is pretty much a total change from the initial draft. New verses all together.
My friends and my neighbors are under attack
Muslims, Mexicans, the poor, white and black
They are marginalized and oppressed
With threats to detain, deport and arrest
They’ve been bullied, beaten, berated and robbed
They’ve been chased, surrounded and attacked by a mob
For the way that they dress or the way that they pray
Please join in the High School Safety Pin Parade
Chorus
We’ll march with Mohammed, Rashaunda and Juan
We’ll march with the gay, straight and lesbian
We’ll march in solidarity
I’ll march for them and they’ll march for me
Bridge
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we get caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
We’ve been bullied, beaten, berated and robbed
We’ve been chased, surrounded and attacked by a mob
For the way that we dress or the way that we pray
Please join in the High School Safety Pin Parade
Chorus
We’ll march with Mohammed, Rashaunda and Juan
We’ll march with the gay, straight and lesbian
We’ll march in solidarity
I’ll march for them and they’ll march for me
I actually don't like the line "High School Safety Pin Parade" but it is what the site has as the topic of the moment. After I present the song to them I'll probably rewrite and get rid of that line and title. As far as I can tell , it's about people that wear Safety Pins as a protest against the neo-conservative movement that has been sweeping the USA.
For the purposes of an anthem that I will use at open mics, I'll replace the line with something that won't need explanation. I have been debating "I" vs "We" and "Us" vs "Them" in terms of perspective. I'm not sure if the final draft will be in the first person, second or third.
I think that this my final draft before I try to record it. Musically, I got rid of the "bridge" and the repetition of the "berated and robbed" verse . I'm using it after the chorus or as part of the chorus depending on your perspective. The melody will probably sound derivative. That's the folk process at work.
My friends and my neighbors are under attack
Muslims, migrants, white and black
Marginalized and oppressed
With threats to detain, deport or arrest
They’ve been bullied, beaten, berated and robbed
They’ve been chased, surrounded and attacked by a mob
For the way that they dress or the way that they pray
Please join in the High School Safety Pin Parade
Chorus
We’ll march with Mohammed, Rashaunda and Juan
We’ll march with the gay, straight and lesbian
We’ll march in solidarity
I’ll march for them and they’ll march for me
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we’re caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
Chorus
We’ll march with Mohammed, Rashaunda and Juan
We’ll march with the gay, straight and lesbian
We’ll march in solidarity
I’ll march for them and they’ll march for me
We’re all different yet strangely the same
We all get wet when we’re caught in the rain
In any weather, we’re stronger together
We are marching in freedoms name
I put this to music and sang it at a sing around last night. To me it sounded like a generic protest song. No personality, no emotional buy in for me. Think I'll go back to the beginning and start with the High School kid again.
I've got another week to put something together.
Hi John
Thanks for posting this. Very nice.
Looking forward to more.
Peace
