Saturday, May 30, 2015

Mama, take these guns away from here



Wyclef Jean's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"

I remember playing my guitar in the projects
Playing in the PJ's
A product of the environment
Pour some liquor for those who passed away
I told my mom I'm gonna get up out of the hood
Mama
My dad taught me the American dream, baby
You can be anything that you wanna be
If I did it y'all could do it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Mama, take these guns away from here
Mama, I can't shoot them anymore
Cease fire
I feel a dark cloud coming over
So poor, so dark
It feels like I'm knocking on the heaven's door

To Biggie Smalls and Tupac
Knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
Hip-Hop
To Freaky Tah and Big Heavy
Lost boy
Knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
Yeah
And to the Princess Aaliyah
We're knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
To my brother Big Pun
Terror Squad
We're knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
Oh Lord, Oh Lord

Would someone take these guns away from here
Take these guns from the street, Lord
I can't shoot my brothers anymore
I seen a thug cry
I feel a dark cloud coming over me
Over me
It feels like
It feels like I'm knocking on the heaven's door
So sing along street children

We're knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
And to my daddy that passed away
Rest in peace
Knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
To the God, Fred Jordan, we're
And put the Fugees on
Knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
To my people doing time
We're
Locked up
Knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door

Crips and Bloods, Latin Kings
Please just chill wit the violence
Though even though I know that the bad boy move in silence
I'm asking y'all please chill wit the violence
Said even though I know that the gangsters move in silence
Whoa
We're knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
To my people in the Twin Tower
We're knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
And to my soldiers in the Pentagon
We're knock, knock, knocking on the heaven's door
New York
New York
New York
New York
New York
Mama
To my people in the streets
I'm talking to you now
Please put down your heat
Oh Lord
To my brothers that's on the corner
Oh God
Ay get out quick or you too will be knocking on heaven's door

Thursday, May 07, 2015

Recruiting for War

Click any image to enlarge

For the 20th Century's large wars young men and women were recruited to go to war with stark and aggressive messages. During the winding down of the Cold War, and the peace that followed it, martial recruiting posters became a relic. "Join the Navy and See the World" replaced warnings about the savagery of the Japs and Huns.

On this page, and after the jump, are samples of that old style of recruitment. Sadly, I suspect we'll see its return.