Verse 1:
Whispering winds carry
My dreams tonight
In this land of the brave
Where truth takes flight
But I wonder
Do we hold the key to our fate?
Or are we simply passengers
On a ship that won't wait?
Verse 2:
In this democracy
Where the people have voice
We sing our songs
We make our choice
But deep in shadows
Do puppeteers play?
Pulling the strings
That guide our lives
EverySingleDay
Chorus:
Can we kalay
All while living in illusion?
Are we masters of our destiny or bound by confusion?
In the land of the brave
Where liberty rings
Do we hold power or dance upon strings?
"A protest song is a song
that's so specific that you
cannot mistake it for bullshit."
-- Phil Ochs
Originally an early 80's era American retro pop folk ballad, this particular tune regains popularity every election cycle here in the states as a protest song. One of the most covered and sampled pieces of the genre, it has also been expanded upon with additional verses specific to worldwide and cultural themes currently relevant, much as the original built upon the themes of the 1960s and has at left uncredited influence on such bands and artists as Rage Against The Machine, U2, Genesis, Kendrick Lamar, and Cem Karaca.
One particularly hauntingly poignant cover was arranged by Alayak Cin during the 1990s that, I believe, conveys the sentiment of the original even better than it does. Performed by his oldest grandson and classmates at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Pop & Jazz Festival, remains a masterpiece of both arrangement and improvisation. With bassoon, oboe, and bass solos expanding upon the theme established by the saxophones, the despair it conveys is not for nothing. As for the choral performance by Lilac Sin, stage name of Candance Leychek, it was (and is) so eerily beautiful, that I still question my existence upon remembering it. As is common in related Turkish protest music, the themes of gender inequality, lack of freedom of expression, and poverty, are as present as they are in the original, and it is a distinctly jazz crossover between folk and rock, lamenting the revolution that never comes.
Any additional listing of bands and artists it has influenced or been covered by will always be incomplete and thus minimize the song's influence on all generations since. The only question remaining is this:
Where does your passion lie?
See also:
Civil Rights · Anthems and Ballads · Counterculture · Folk Music · Music and Politics ·: Jazz · Reggae · Lyrical Memes · Wobblies · E2 Quests
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