Song picture
Keep Your Motor Runnin'
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Folk history, a story from the Colrain action
acoustic folk social commentary political satire western massachusetts oil coal climate change fracking incineration music for social change nuclear energy
Folk singer, social commentary, satire, people's stories, children's music
Hi Folks, The Bard Insurgent here. My comrade D.O. (the Poet Roofer) and I got that handle (The Bard Insurgents) from traveling town to town performing songs and poetry about people's lives. I've been performing since I was 3 years old, cutting my vocal chords on liturgical and classical music. I was a concert soloist as a child, when I wasn't herding cows, throwing hay and shoveling manure. During the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam war, I began writing songs about social change. I left the country in 1970 and my dozen years in other countries, mostly in Africa & South America, have provided a global perspective to my music. My travels helped me realize that people all around the world are essentially the same in their basic life needs and their desires to live peacefully in their communities. These experiences have informed my commitment to working for international understanding as I organize at home. A powerful way to educate and inspire is with music. I tell people's stories, do social commentary with a touch of satire that I hope you enjoy and share with your friends, as well as sing together in the streets and in your living rooms. I also have children's music written for the children in my life with Jacob and Kayla as primary muses. Looking forward to seeing you on the road, Tom
Song Info
Charts
Peak #17
Peak in subgenre #4
Author
Tom Neilson
Rights
Tom Neilson 1992
Uploaded
November 23, 2018
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.1 MB 128 kbps 4:31
Story behind the song
At the Colrain vigil in the winter of 1992 some of us were in the barn while others from the affinity group were in the house. Some of the acts of violence were done with cars so when I heard a motor running at 2 AM I jumped off the futon where I was sleeping to respond to whomever was outside. I looked in the driveway and up and down the road and saw no vehicle. I then realized that the “motor” was the most sustained snore that I had ever heard, emanating from Jim Perkins who had been sharing the futon with me.
Lyrics
Joe had made his peanut butter sauce with noodles for us all 10 plates gathered round the table; giving Asaph one last call Beth was serving me my portion; Luke was chewin on his bone. Everyone had gathered hear to keep this house a home. At 2 in the mornin I woke to a car with its engine runnin outside I looked in the driveway, up and down the road, But not a thing I could see in sight Then I realized the motor runnin was on the futon next to me Jim Perkins was idling away with no emissions that I could see. Keep your motor runnin all night long. Keep your motor runnin like a song Runnin so a family knows that they are not alone, Keep your motor runnin till Betsy and Randy & Lillian come back home When the Daniel Shays Non Violent, Bioregional Liberation Frente came The captain read his proclamation sayin no killin in our name The Sergeant without arms rolled his drum and 7 Generations there, Extended their arms to welcome us home, the guardianship to share.
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