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Description
For the week following the fall of the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, I worked at Ground Zero coordinating the relief effort from Chelsea Piers to the dock behind the WTC (until FEMA replaced us with professionals). Amidst unspeakable sadness, I felt as if I was living in Utopia. Within days, my volunteer staff grew from 1 to 200, we filled a gymnasium 3 times over with donated goods and stocked the WTC docks with everything from hard hats and gas masks to free pizza and antibiotics. None of us slept much, nor really wanted to shut our eyes. I tried to capture the swirling energy, doing a hundred things at once, days on end. This song is about that time, about walking home that last day, down the middle of the street lined with supportive New Yorkers. I looked up and wondered, amidst these still standing yet much smaller skyscrapers, if people knew what was really possible in this life... (For a complete story of that week, please see: Journal from the Streets to read a photographic journal about my 9/11 experiences.)
Other songs in my 9/11 series:
I Will Love
Last Call
Was There Once A Time
Other songs in my 9/11 series:
I Will Love
Last Call
Was There Once A Time
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Lyrics
NEW HOLY LAND
On the street,
20 hours on my feet.
I can't stand stay at home watching
all this need, so many here to feed,
so many volunteers bringing their small relief.
As the grey dust swirls everywhere,
DNA in the air,
no time for tears,
too much to bear.
Grim saviors in hard hats.
Bright angels in gas masks.
Everyone here's come to uncover a Holy Land.
Help to find it now, this new Holy Land.
Holy Land, come uncover it now, this sweet Holy Land.
From this, our darkest hour, wisdom shall rise,
and we, working shoulder to shoulder, revitalize.
Can't help but help.
Can't help but care.
Can't help feel in the air
3,000 souls, 10 million hands,
each one making this new Holy Land.
Tower above in courage.
Tower above in kindness.
Tower above in a new kind of fineness.
Tower above in daring.
Tower above, united.
Tower above, come build this Holy Land.
Starting on the street alone.
Slice some bagels, pour a little coffee.
Find some people with a phone.
Get some help for those who are too groggy...
Here's what we need, need to proceed:
acetylene torches and something caffeine,
shovels and pails, filters and masks,
antibiotics and more things caffeine.
Here's what we need, need to succeed:
thick gloves and goggles and something caffeine.
I've got some clothes, some food to share.
I've got some time to spare...
Give it your heart.
Give it everything you know.
Give it your hands,
that's how we build this Holy Land, you know.
When all the rubble's cleared
and all the heroes cheered,
who will be there, still in the streets?
Homeless, with graveyard eyes,
lost amid enterprise?
Or will they too find a new Holy Land?
A new Holy Land...
On the street,
20 hours on my feet.
I can't stand stay at home watching
all this need, so many here to feed,
so many volunteers bringing their small relief.
As the grey dust swirls everywhere,
DNA in the air,
no time for tears,
too much to bear.
Grim saviors in hard hats.
Bright angels in gas masks.
Everyone here's come to uncover a Holy Land.
Help to find it now, this new Holy Land.
Holy Land, come uncover it now, this sweet Holy Land.
From this, our darkest hour, wisdom shall rise,
and we, working shoulder to shoulder, revitalize.
Can't help but help.
Can't help but care.
Can't help feel in the air
3,000 souls, 10 million hands,
each one making this new Holy Land.
Tower above in courage.
Tower above in kindness.
Tower above in a new kind of fineness.
Tower above in daring.
Tower above, united.
Tower above, come build this Holy Land.
Starting on the street alone.
Slice some bagels, pour a little coffee.
Find some people with a phone.
Get some help for those who are too groggy...
Here's what we need, need to proceed:
acetylene torches and something caffeine,
shovels and pails, filters and masks,
antibiotics and more things caffeine.
Here's what we need, need to succeed:
thick gloves and goggles and something caffeine.
I've got some clothes, some food to share.
I've got some time to spare...
Give it your heart.
Give it everything you know.
Give it your hands,
that's how we build this Holy Land, you know.
When all the rubble's cleared
and all the heroes cheered,
who will be there, still in the streets?
Homeless, with graveyard eyes,
lost amid enterprise?
Or will they too find a new Holy Land?
A new Holy Land...
Very nice! This has a Billy Joel feel to it. Have you ever thought of an ensemble of guest singers to join in during the chorus? I think it would sound awesome!