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This song takes me back to my milieu, 70s folk, singer/songwriter music. It is also my first real “protest” song.
I started off writing about how lucky I am to live in, what is often referred to as, the Lucky Country, Australia. Many, many people are well off and live in comfort, although sections of the population, especially the indigenous population, would successfully argue against such a statement.
But then my introspectivity took over and I reflected on the current situation in Australia where both sides of politics seem to be trying to outdo each other in their endeavour to appear to be the “stronger” on border protection by dehumanising, and incarcerating for long periods, the small number of “boat people” who “illegally” sail to our shores in very dangerous circumstances to try and establish a new life for their families. They are fleeing oppression and conflict in countries such as Afghanistan and Iran but end up in isolated detention centres for upwards of two years, children included.
The incidences of self-harm and suicide amongst these detainees is very high as they struggle to cope with the length of their detention and their indeterminate status.
It is a national disgrace.
I tried to keep it folk club in style and deliberately kept it fairly simple.
Hope you can find something to like in it.
All comments welcome.
Regards,
Peter
I started off writing about how lucky I am to live in, what is often referred to as, the Lucky Country, Australia. Many, many people are well off and live in comfort, although sections of the population, especially the indigenous population, would successfully argue against such a statement.
But then my introspectivity took over and I reflected on the current situation in Australia where both sides of politics seem to be trying to outdo each other in their endeavour to appear to be the “stronger” on border protection by dehumanising, and incarcerating for long periods, the small number of “boat people” who “illegally” sail to our shores in very dangerous circumstances to try and establish a new life for their families. They are fleeing oppression and conflict in countries such as Afghanistan and Iran but end up in isolated detention centres for upwards of two years, children included.
The incidences of self-harm and suicide amongst these detainees is very high as they struggle to cope with the length of their detention and their indeterminate status.
It is a national disgrace.
I tried to keep it folk club in style and deliberately kept it fairly simple.
Hope you can find something to like in it.
All comments welcome.
Regards,
Peter
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Lyrics
A Lucky Man (Peter Bowen – 2011)
The hands of fate have been gentle of late
As they carry my heart through this life
Somehow the weeks have resolved into years
And allowed me to glide through the strife
A fortunate man, with a vague, half-formed plan
I kept my eyes to the sky
Oh, what a lucky man, am I
I’ve comforts a plenty, a wonderful family
And more than enough of what’s good
I live in a country that’s stable and wealthy
How come I have more than I should?
There’s many less well off, who struggle for freedom
And can’t find the means to survive
Still, I’m a lucky man, I cried
My family and friends and some sense of what’s fair
Have kept me from going awry
Oh, what a lucky man
I live in a lucky land
Too right, I’m a lucky man, am I
Lead over verse
I’ve been privileged to access a fine education
And honored to go on and teach
Working with kids as they rush to adulthood
Reminding them, all’s in their reach
In the land from down under
With all of its wonder
I hope they inspire and assure
And give thanks, cause they’re lucky, that’s for sure
Meanwhile in countries, not too far distant
Some don’t have the right to a vote
Lands of oppression, where guns are the law
They’re compelled to take flight in old boats
Seeking to better the lot of their families
They sail dangerous miles, ‘cross the sea
To live, in a lucky land, like me
But our politicians, continue to pander
To those who just see black and white
To them, it’s their lucky land
They’ve sole right to the lucky land
And they won’t share the lucky land, not tonight
Still there’re many who’d welcome these seekers of freedom
Their own fortune quick to recall
Cause we live in a lucky land
And it’s time that we take a stand
There’s plenty in the lucky land, for all
The hands of fate have been gentle of late
As they carry my heart through this life
Somehow the weeks have resolved into years
And allowed me to glide through the strife
A fortunate man, with a vague, half-formed plan
I kept my eyes to the sky
Oh, what a lucky man, am I
I’ve comforts a plenty, a wonderful family
And more than enough of what’s good
I live in a country that’s stable and wealthy
How come I have more than I should?
There’s many less well off, who struggle for freedom
And can’t find the means to survive
Still, I’m a lucky man, I cried
My family and friends and some sense of what’s fair
Have kept me from going awry
Oh, what a lucky man
I live in a lucky land
Too right, I’m a lucky man, am I
Lead over verse
I’ve been privileged to access a fine education
And honored to go on and teach
Working with kids as they rush to adulthood
Reminding them, all’s in their reach
In the land from down under
With all of its wonder
I hope they inspire and assure
And give thanks, cause they’re lucky, that’s for sure
Meanwhile in countries, not too far distant
Some don’t have the right to a vote
Lands of oppression, where guns are the law
They’re compelled to take flight in old boats
Seeking to better the lot of their families
They sail dangerous miles, ‘cross the sea
To live, in a lucky land, like me
But our politicians, continue to pander
To those who just see black and white
To them, it’s their lucky land
They’ve sole right to the lucky land
And they won’t share the lucky land, not tonight
Still there’re many who’d welcome these seekers of freedom
Their own fortune quick to recall
Cause we live in a lucky land
And it’s time that we take a stand
There’s plenty in the lucky land, for all
Soundhound
Great song well written done in a top shelf 70's style, but a song of
truth, honour and understanding, something we have very little of today...
We want them to do our work for us but yet they are invisible to most
their problems are not our problems.....
We've learned nothing from history, everyone was a boat person at one
point in time, and your country was nothing more then a gail house.....
They forget how they got there and why they got there.....
Very good song, very well done......Very well Played