Well I don't know if this qualifies as a protest song exactly, but it's something that many times goes unaddressed and sadly even unnoticed.
BOYS NAMED JOHN
©2005JKovak
IT WAS SECOND GRADE I REMEMBER NOW
THOUGH IT WAS YEARS SINCE I'D RECALLED
WHEN I SHARED MY LUNCH WITH A BOY NAMED JOHN
A LOUSY TUNA SANDWICH IS ALL
AND HE LIKED IT MUCH BETTER THAN I DID
I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF DRY
BUT YOU'D THOUGHT HE WAS EATING SOMETHING REALLY GREAT
LIKE CHOCOLATE CAKE OR CHERRY PIE
OH I'D HEARD ABOUT THE STARVING KIDS IN INDIA
IF I DIDN'T CLEAN MY PLATE
BUT I NEVER KNEW ABOUT BOYS NAMED JOHN
WHO THOUGHT MY LOUSY TUNA WAS GREAT
AFTER SCHOOL I'D INVITED JOHN
TO MY HOUSE TO WATCH TV
BUT HE WASN'T INTERESTED IN WHAT WAS ON
THERE WAS TOO MUCH ELSE TO SEE
AND I DIDN'T GET IT AT THE TIME
WHAT HE FOUND SO EXTRAORDINARY
OR WHAT IT MEANT TO A BOY NAMED JOHN
TO BE IN A HOUSE SO ORDINARY
OH I'D HEARD ABOUT THE STARVING KIDS IN INDIA
IF I DIDN'T CLEAN MY PLATE
BUT I NEVER KNEW ABOUT BOYS NAMED JOHN
WHO THOUGHT MY LOUSY TUNA WAS GREAT
THAT NIGHT JOHN STAYED OVER
I CALLED HIM LAME WHEN HE CHOSE THE BED
OVER THE SLEEPING BAG ON THE FLOOR THAT RULED
GOD, WHAT DID I KNOW THEN
AND I NEVER SAW JOHN AGAIN
BUT I WAS TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND WHY
HE DIED WITH HIS FAMILY TRYING TO STAY WARM
IN THEIR CAR ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT
OH I'D HEARD ABOUT THE STARVING KIDS IN INDIA
WHEN I DIDN'T CLEAN MY PLATE
BUT I NEVER KNEW ABOUT BOYS NAMED JOHN
WHO THOUGHT MY LOUSY TUNA WAS GREAT
NO I NEVER KNEW ABOUT BOYS NAMED JOHN
WHO THOUGHT MY LOUSY TUNA WAS GREAT
protest song or not, that was awesome. Good job.
Well done Joe, I loved it. You put hard work into that one!!
"Failure is the key to success" Lee Wen; Champ vs Champ
Joe,
I like the way you brought the subject home.
Sometimes it is easier to see the need elsewhere in the
world than it is to see it in our own back yards.
Celt
hey.
that was awesome ditto.
apart from the touching subject and the way you told the story I really like how you come up with 'boys named john'
great job!
cheers,
bluenightangel
"oh, eventually it will break your heart" - anders wendin
OK Maybe it doesn't totally fit the assignment by qualifying as a protest song, but it certainly addresses the subject of poverty...
The only part I had trouble with was the "chorus" (or repeated motif, if you like....)
OH I'D HEARD ABOUT THE STARVING KIDS IN INDIA
IF I DIDN'T CLEAN MY PLATE
BUT I NEVER KNEW ABOUT BOYS NAMED JOHN
WHO THOUGHT MY LOUSY TUNA WAS GREAT
doesn't seem to scan too well...I can fit a rhythm pattern to it in my head, sort of, but it doesn't seem to flow quite as well as the rest of the song... but you'll probably have a much better idea than me where you want to go with this....
All in all, very good work though....I like the different slant you put on this assignment....
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Thanks everyone. I'm not much on mixing politics with music...at least not in an obvious way. (No offense to anyone who is--just personal preference.) So this was my way of addressing the issue, I guess you could say on a more personal level. Glad you liked it. As for the chorus, I did already put music to it. The chord changes in the chorus are faster than in the verses, so maybe on the read it doesn't flow as well, but it does with the music. Thanks again for all your feedback. I'm amazed (and grateful) at how prolific I've been since I joined the group in May.
Joe
I love this one, Very well done.
You really made this, hit home.
I was going to ask you if you had music written for this, but I see you do. I'd love to hear an mp3 of this tune.
Good song Joe,
poverty is not really about nationalities or lack of resources, to me its about ignorance (thats not used in a derogatory sense either BTW) amongst other things, and I think you capture that here on a personal level. Good work :D .
pb
