A few weeks ago, I posted a poem and several readers commented that it read as if it would make a good song. I am happy to share the recording below, which is a collaboration between
and me.My daddy taught me how to shoot
My uncle how to kill
Led to a sniper’s nest, on a rocky crag
Staring down this hill.
I'm waiting for a stranger
Walking up the slope
Unaware of the danger
In the crosshairs of my scope.
Stand and fight, cut and run,
Bring a knife, bring a gun.
The sun was shining brightly
As the man came into view
But for the difference in the clothes he wore
He looked like me or you.
I chambered a bullet
Squeeze the trigger, bring him down
Staring through my rifle scope
This is what I found:
I saw Jesus in his face,
I saw Buddha in his eyes.
I saw the Prophet and the Virgin Mary
Walking side by side
I heard a choir singing
As the heavens opened wide
...I couldn’t take the shot
As I broke down and cried.
Stand and fight, cut and run
Bring a knife, bring a gun
Stand and fight, cut and run
Bring a knife, bring a gun
The bullet hit and knocked me down
And then a wave of pain
Lying on my back there was a line of sight
To another rocky crag.
I could see his head and then his gun
Something was really wrong
As my eyes grew hazy
I thought I heard this song:
I saw Jesus in his face
I saw Buddha in his eyes
I saw the Prophet and the Virgin Mary
Walking side by side
And I heard a choir singing
As the heavens opened wide
Hanging between life and death
With no tears left to cry.
Stand and fight, cut and run
Bring a knife, bring a gun
What makes this right?
What was this for?
Damn your politics
Damn your war
Stand and fight, cut and run
Bring a knife, bring a gun
Poisoned slogans
Hide what this was for
Damn your politics
Corruption and cruelty
And damn your war.
Based on the poem "Stand and Fight" by Paul Wittenberger
Joshua Nearly: music, guitars, vocal
Joachim Nordensson: recording & mixing
All Rights Reserved
To Paul and You all...
First, thanks for listening. The amazing thing about this is that all the dynamics for the song were already embedded in the poem... so the hard work was already done before I got there. And I'd like to say thanks to Paul for being open and generous enough to let a complete stranger come in and take something of his and turn it into something of ours. I'm a huge fan of his writing and feel deeply honored to have been able to do this.
Joshua Nearly
Woah... This is so freaking good! I love how Joshua found the absolute perfect style to accompany this song, and how his voice in the lower register sounds so much like your own, Paul.
This is so very cool and inspiriting. Congrats to you both!