emotions

http://www.proj-ex.net/article1033.html

excerpt from the above site:
The real highlight of the set was Living Colour's closing number, another cover song. The selection was Bruce Springsteen's controversial "American Skin (41 Shots)" and it caused complete silence in the crowd. The song was written about Amidou Dialo, who was shot 41 times by police when he went for his wallet and they thought he had a gun. Will Calhoun simulated gun shots with rapid-fire drum beats during the repeated singing of the line, "41 shots". Corey Glover was so overcome with emotion that he started sobbing towards the end of the song. Vernon Reid and Doug Wimbush stepped in to finish the remaining vocal parts. A very powerful ending to a very musically powerful set.

i saw a taped show of living colour on swiss television. the band played at the montreux jazz festival, a widely recognized and important festival taking place in the french part of switzerland.
although corey glover finished the vocal parts by himself he was sobbing again at the end of the song which was also the end of their set. i was so strongly held by emotions as seldomly before. the song was so athmospheric and corey glover put so much feelings into that song, i was simply overwhelmed. his open display of emotions that carried traces of desparation, mourning, sadness and centuries-old feelings of unequality were so honest!
i'm not going into arguing whether what happened was correct or not. i just want to point out how much of a difference feelings in music can make.
my respect for corey glover is bigger than ever and i can only remotely guess or try to feel how desperate and helpless black people or people of any colour must feel when they hear about something like that... i'm white and i can't help it but sometimes i'm really not proud of it.



these are the complete lyrics to that song: (source http://www.xs4all.nl/~maroen/engels/lyrics/american.htm)


American Skin / 41 Shots

41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots....
and we'll take that ride
'cross this bloody river
to the other side
41 shots... cut through the night
You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule
Praying for his life

Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin

41 shots
Lena gets her son ready for school
She says "on these streets, Charles
You've got to understand the rules
If an officer stops you
Promise you'll always be polite,
that you'll never ever run away
Promise Mama you'll keep your hands in sight"

Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin

Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it in your heart, is it in your eyes
It ain't no secret

41 shots... and we'll take that ride
'Cross this bloody river
To the other side
41 shots... got my boots caked in this mud
We're baptized in these waters and in each other's blood

Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin


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