Story Behind The Song: Everybody Heals
Posted on July 1, 2010 with 0 comments
This song came about just by messing around with the main finger picking groove. It gave me a somewhat unsettled lonely feeling, as I played it over I began to get pictures of a little boy pitching a fit at the sandbox. You know the two year old kicking sand, stomping feet and continually telling mama “no!” in that belligerent crying voice? We often take for granted the intelligence of kids in light of their immaturity. They are immature but as intelligent as you or I and perhaps even more, just not developed yet, and it doesn’t take long for them to recognize when they are being brushed off with platitudes and in attempts to dissuade or pacify their attention.
I began to think of how his tantrum is just his frustrations at the moment and way of dealing with the things he encounters in life right now, and one of the big instigators of such behavior is sibling jealousy when the new baby comes along.
I began to think how that little boy isn’t much different than the rest of us really. We all pitch a fit in our own way. For some it might be more escaping reality by getting lost in a video game, watching movies, or worse… playing guitar and writing songs about it. And some such as the guy in verse two, dealt with his losses in life by turning to the drink.
About the only thing this poor soul has authority over in his life is kicking the pigeons and squirrels off his park bench which he earned by squatters rights. As puzzled as he is about his life’s loss, I get the feeling he’ll pull out of it though I didn’t complicate the song with that. That is another song itself there.
I also began to think of how we tend to disregard our service folks. Oh sure we suddenly become patriotic when a platoon is deployed and there is a public send off, or when they return and there is a public reception. But what about the guy who didn’t come back with a flag draped over his military issue coffin? What about the guy who came back and had to deal with a disability in life?
Living with a disability no doubt influenced this verse. That and a few service people I’ve met over the years. I can easily see a decorated service man who lost vision strolling through a park or sidewalk going unseen by others. The uniform makes them want to look but the guide dog makes them look away uncomfortably as he approaches. What’s worse is they ignorantly ignore him because they assume his blindness precludes him from knowing they are there and in fact decided to not acknowledge him with a “good morning” or the like… one begins to wonder which one is blind. He walks with pride and yet the Purple Heart medal grows even deeper in its hue from the bruise of being ignored or somehow seen as less than deserving of other’s friendship or sociability.
Some time ago at my work I use to see a fella in a wheel chair. I got to talking with him one day and found out he had served a couple combat tours, one of which was in Vietnam. I was so mesmerized by his story of all he went through and all the health issues he was yet battling trying to get straight, I totally forgot to tell him thank you for his service and sacrifice… thanks Edward, I so apreciate you. I believe he is out in California now finishing up his PhD. Every time I saw this man he was by himself, as others with
a disability I’ve seen at my workplace.
I tend to lose respect and patience with folks that have trouble being real in life the more I live on this earth. I don’t mean I’m cantankerous towards them, but I just lose respect for them. People are people and before we judge them for what they might appear to be, let’s maybe give them the benefit of the doubt? You might be pleasantly surprised at what friends you’ll find in life. Where they are in life, dealing with whatever they are dealing with does not mean that is all they are about or all they’ll be, just like you are not even at this reading.
So next time you see someone you might think is different and you have an initial response of avoiding them? Try approaching them striking up a conversation and don’t be afraid of offending or breaking them. Just be yourself, be real.
The chorus of the song is simply sometimes it isn’t easy to express or explain the things we go through. The little boy can’t say “Hey mom? Umm. How about some attention here? I mean just because you got that new kid, doesn’t mean I’m chopped liver here… come on… let’s do something just you and I for old times sake.” Instead he knows all he learned previous, crying gets what he wants.
The homeless fella doesn’t know how to explain that maybe he lost his house, his job, and because of that maybe his family? He doesn’t have the energy to explain himself yet again and so quietly climbs in his bottle to forget while he contemplates it on a park bench. Of course we all hope he gets passed it in life and I’ve a feeling he will.
The soldier doesn’t know how to explain that just because he’s a little different physically than he was before, he’s still the same guy. He decides to walk with chin up and chest out despite his daily hurt from people assuming he’s less than worthy of conversation, a job, joining in everyday life by invitation of others.
All in all we can’t take judgmental aim at them, instead come along side them, hear them out just like folks hear you at times, and just be real.
You can stream a dirt roads version of the current month's Story Behind The Song With Your Media Player By Clicking Here
A question or something to say? E Mail Me Here
Everybody Heals
©2009 Brad Dunse
There's an angry little boy throwin' sand around the box
Stompin' feet and kickin' at his mom
She's spendin' too much time with the baby these days
And he'll recognize her pacified clichés
And it's hard today
With the world as it is
And it's hard to explain
About the casualties we live
And it's hard to take aim
Everybody heals in their own time and way
There's a homeless fela beddin' down on the park bench
Crumpled liquor bag for his head
Sternly pullin' rank on the sparrows and the squirrels
Still puzzled by life's twists and turns
Repeat chorus
One look at me and you'll see I'm no different
I'll just hang all my troubles on a song
There's an Army uniform walkin' down the street with pride
Four legged friend for his guide
It'll go unnoticed but there's purple on his heart
Colored by the bruise of disregard
Repeat chorus
…Everybody heals in their own time and way
I began to think of how his tantrum is just his frustrations at the moment and way of dealing with the things he encounters in life right now, and one of the big instigators of such behavior is sibling jealousy when the new baby comes along.
I began to think how that little boy isn’t much different than the rest of us really. We all pitch a fit in our own way. For some it might be more escaping reality by getting lost in a video game, watching movies, or worse… playing guitar and writing songs about it. And some such as the guy in verse two, dealt with his losses in life by turning to the drink.
About the only thing this poor soul has authority over in his life is kicking the pigeons and squirrels off his park bench which he earned by squatters rights. As puzzled as he is about his life’s loss, I get the feeling he’ll pull out of it though I didn’t complicate the song with that. That is another song itself there.
I also began to think of how we tend to disregard our service folks. Oh sure we suddenly become patriotic when a platoon is deployed and there is a public send off, or when they return and there is a public reception. But what about the guy who didn’t come back with a flag draped over his military issue coffin? What about the guy who came back and had to deal with a disability in life?
Living with a disability no doubt influenced this verse. That and a few service people I’ve met over the years. I can easily see a decorated service man who lost vision strolling through a park or sidewalk going unseen by others. The uniform makes them want to look but the guide dog makes them look away uncomfortably as he approaches. What’s worse is they ignorantly ignore him because they assume his blindness precludes him from knowing they are there and in fact decided to not acknowledge him with a “good morning” or the like… one begins to wonder which one is blind. He walks with pride and yet the Purple Heart medal grows even deeper in its hue from the bruise of being ignored or somehow seen as less than deserving of other’s friendship or sociability.
Some time ago at my work I use to see a fella in a wheel chair. I got to talking with him one day and found out he had served a couple combat tours, one of which was in Vietnam. I was so mesmerized by his story of all he went through and all the health issues he was yet battling trying to get straight, I totally forgot to tell him thank you for his service and sacrifice… thanks Edward, I so apreciate you. I believe he is out in California now finishing up his PhD. Every time I saw this man he was by himself, as others with
a disability I’ve seen at my workplace.
I tend to lose respect and patience with folks that have trouble being real in life the more I live on this earth. I don’t mean I’m cantankerous towards them, but I just lose respect for them. People are people and before we judge them for what they might appear to be, let’s maybe give them the benefit of the doubt? You might be pleasantly surprised at what friends you’ll find in life. Where they are in life, dealing with whatever they are dealing with does not mean that is all they are about or all they’ll be, just like you are not even at this reading.
So next time you see someone you might think is different and you have an initial response of avoiding them? Try approaching them striking up a conversation and don’t be afraid of offending or breaking them. Just be yourself, be real.
The chorus of the song is simply sometimes it isn’t easy to express or explain the things we go through. The little boy can’t say “Hey mom? Umm. How about some attention here? I mean just because you got that new kid, doesn’t mean I’m chopped liver here… come on… let’s do something just you and I for old times sake.” Instead he knows all he learned previous, crying gets what he wants.
The homeless fella doesn’t know how to explain that maybe he lost his house, his job, and because of that maybe his family? He doesn’t have the energy to explain himself yet again and so quietly climbs in his bottle to forget while he contemplates it on a park bench. Of course we all hope he gets passed it in life and I’ve a feeling he will.
The soldier doesn’t know how to explain that just because he’s a little different physically than he was before, he’s still the same guy. He decides to walk with chin up and chest out despite his daily hurt from people assuming he’s less than worthy of conversation, a job, joining in everyday life by invitation of others.
All in all we can’t take judgmental aim at them, instead come along side them, hear them out just like folks hear you at times, and just be real.
You can stream a dirt roads version of the current month's Story Behind The Song With Your Media Player By Clicking Here
A question or something to say? E Mail Me Here
Everybody Heals
©2009 Brad Dunse
There's an angry little boy throwin' sand around the box
Stompin' feet and kickin' at his mom
She's spendin' too much time with the baby these days
And he'll recognize her pacified clichés
And it's hard today
With the world as it is
And it's hard to explain
About the casualties we live
And it's hard to take aim
Everybody heals in their own time and way
There's a homeless fela beddin' down on the park bench
Crumpled liquor bag for his head
Sternly pullin' rank on the sparrows and the squirrels
Still puzzled by life's twists and turns
Repeat chorus
One look at me and you'll see I'm no different
I'll just hang all my troubles on a song
There's an Army uniform walkin' down the street with pride
Four legged friend for his guide
It'll go unnoticed but there's purple on his heart
Colored by the bruise of disregard
Repeat chorus
…Everybody heals in their own time and way