Im not really happy with the way I look or sound in the video, but I decided Im going to go ahead and share it anyway because its a very personal song I wrote in 2008 after my hometown, Kirkwood, MO was the site of a horrible tragedy. After years of racial tension a local man that went by Cookie snapped and shot and killed 6 people and himself in a city hall meeting. The story was international news not only because of its violent nature but because of the racial and political tension it proved to be a very extreme example of. All eyes were on the suburbs of St. Louis as a central example of inequality and racism. Shortly after the shooting I went to study in The Netherlands and somehow everyone in around my campus had heard of my small suburban town.... Youre from Kirkwood Missouri? Wow that must be a really scary place to live. Well no, not for me, I couldnt afford to live there now a days if I wanted to but then again, Im white.... Of course. I wouldnt say that exactly to my new Dutch friends. Because how do you explain how when your hometown gets shot up, a very very very small part of you can actually understand why the person did it? Which isnt to say I think what Cookie did was right in any, way, shape, or form, because it wasnt.... But. How do you explain but? I read an article with Cookies mother. She said that her son had gone to war and lost, but she would honor him for standing up for his rights. What a strange war with only one gun. This song was my attempt at processing my life that summer, and I feel the need to post it and write this crazy long poorly written note about it because after Micheal Browns death the way things unraveled.... It almost seemed like I wrote this song back in 2008 about what is going on today, years later. And the suburbs of St. Louis are once again in international attention as a central example of racial inequality and racism in America. Lyrics: Come middle of summer I really start to miss the fall, Heats got me trapped in here like a wall.... and I cant remember remember November you know I must have seen these TV shows 500 times this week. And I just might explode. And I just might explode. So mothers keep your sons inside tonight. And fathers keep your doors like tight. Because tonight, Im starting a fire. Yeah tonight, Im starting a riot. And Im gonna burn these goddamn streets down and cleanse them of their sin and Im gonna storm the goddamn courthouse and lock everybody in... and Im gonna finally get some answers for this shit were dealing with. Oh havent you seen the things theyre puttin on TV? Oh havent you seen, seen what its doing to me? Its time, we explode, its time, we explode. So sisters come and join me in the night, and brother prepare yourselves to fight, Cuz tonight, were starting a fire. Yeah tonight, were starting a riot. And Im gonna burn these goddamn streets down and cleanse them of their sin and Im gonna storm the goddamn courthouse and lock everybody in.... and Im gonna finally get some answers for this this were dealin with. So if my mother calls you tell her that I went to war, and I wont be coming home anymore... because tonight Im starting a fire. Yeah tonight, Im starting a fire. and its gonna burn. and its gonna burn. and its gonna burn.... burn these sins away. Please note this post/song is PG-13 or so, for my friends reading at work or with children.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 21:28:29 +0000
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