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Crime
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Politically charged anti-war song motivated by the events of 9/11 and the subsequent US invasion of Afghanistan
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Progressive with hints of classic rock - songs replete with political and psalmist lyrics.
This 'band' comprises only two individuals. Steve Garton is the music wiz, concert pianist, lead guitarist, and equipment source. I (Mike Swogger) am the vocalist and drummer, organist, prog-head, and writer of lyrics and much of the music. I certainly push the prog-approach and Steve somehow turns a lot of the messes I write into something playable. We'll also occasionally have jam sessions we'll record and later I'll find something that really works well. Since Steve is the guitar player and I only play piano by ear, those sessions are so necessary to keep things fresh. Either that or I'll come up with something weird and keyboard-playable in my head and immediately have to get it recorded so I won't forget. Then Steve will make it feasible on guitar, somehow. While the lyrics sometimes show Christian themes, I see them to be more spiritual and introspective. A friend of mine said much of what I write seems like it belongs in the book of Psalms. I have a faith, but it is constantly being challenged by the world's realities and the people who claim to also profess strong religious beliefs. I also write from a political standpoint and an anti-war world view. Whether spiritual or political, my lyrics are very much autobiographical and come from the heart. Steve and I go way back to when I was in high school and Steve was my assistant band director! After graduation, I asked Steve to help record his first song in 1993. Some sporadic collaboration happened throughout the 1990s and early 2000s until I decided we needed to do a full album together. That piece of work (indeed, it is a piece of work) was "Mind Over Chatter," finished in 2004. Our newest work, "In Circles," is done, mastered, and packaged. I hope to soon upload the entire album for download.
Song Info
Charts
Peak #1,267
Peak in subgenre #152
Author
Swogger/Garton, Swogger
Rights
2004
Uploaded
August 03, 2006
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.9 MB 128 kbps 4:13
Story behind the song
After the terrible murders on 9/11 the people of New York City put up memorials of the dead throughout the streets. The New York Times printed photographs of the maimed and gave some biographical information so we could more properly mourn the innocent victims of this terrorist atrocity. This was proper, certainly. I wonder what would happen if we did the same thing for the innocent victims of American bombs in Afghanistan. Some 3,000 civilians were killed between October 2001 and March 2002 as a result of the American invasion. If we placed their photos, their biographies in the New York Times as well, we might be less inclined to favor their killing in our name. Innocent people die in war. You can't avoid it but by avoiding war itself. That's basically the meaning behind the song. If we let the victims define terrorism, the worldview is much different from what it is now.
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