Fortunate One
"Who'll stop the rain?"
Whenever I hear those words I want to stand up and protest something, I want to scream for change, I want to lay down and simply stop the atrocities, the heinousnesses of the world. Of course, it is quite possible that kids today, listening to this ole song, really think only of a super weather man dressed up and able to leap tall storm clouds in a single bounce, but we who lived through the sixties know much better. We know agent oranges.
Almost forty years ago, John Fogerty, the main songwriter for Creedence Clearwater Revival, wrote the everlasting songs: "Proud Mary", "Who'll Stop The Rain", and of course "Fortunate Son". These songs have been the focus of years of legal battles wherein Fogerty was ripped off from his royalties by Fantasy Records.
Today, John is finally getting back at the record company and Fantasy Records is sold to Concord Music Group, a company who has invited Fogerty back with an upcoming live DVD and new studio songs. For Fogerty things are turning around, this new company is even extending some of his old rightful royalties back in his name.
However, I wonder if today's society is ready for a Fogerty return, or rather a return to hearing protest songs.
Today, we get to listen to rappers instructing our young kids on the street, how to kill cops and that rape is a good thing and that bucking societies rules and regulations is a good thing.
Today's society has become extremely passive, unlike back in the sixties where we protested with music and peaceful demonstrations against the Vietnam War and human rights. Oh yes, we hear soft declamations out there decrying human rights and stopping Bush and his great wars, but are we really immune to the devestations we see each day?
We watch the news and hear that 10,000 were killed in an earthquake in India, we actually see car bombings killing bus loads of civilians and then the station quickly turns to a tampex or viagara ad and we take another bite of our creamy chocolate dessert and sip our designer coffee - no feelings, only a brief discussion about how great the drug viagara is for those old folk, no mention or discussion about world crisis, especially ones a million miles away.
So who will stop the rain? You?
Almost forty years ago, John Fogerty, the main songwriter for Creedence Clearwater Revival, wrote the everlasting songs: "Proud Mary", "Who'll Stop The Rain", and of course "Fortunate Son". These songs have been the focus of years of legal battles wherein Fogerty was ripped off from his royalties by Fantasy Records.
Today, John is finally getting back at the record company and Fantasy Records is sold to Concord Music Group, a company who has invited Fogerty back with an upcoming live DVD and new studio songs. For Fogerty things are turning around, this new company is even extending some of his old rightful royalties back in his name.
However, I wonder if today's society is ready for a Fogerty return, or rather a return to hearing protest songs.
Today, we get to listen to rappers instructing our young kids on the street, how to kill cops and that rape is a good thing and that bucking societies rules and regulations is a good thing.
Today's society has become extremely passive, unlike back in the sixties where we protested with music and peaceful demonstrations against the Vietnam War and human rights. Oh yes, we hear soft declamations out there decrying human rights and stopping Bush and his great wars, but are we really immune to the devestations we see each day?
We watch the news and hear that 10,000 were killed in an earthquake in India, we actually see car bombings killing bus loads of civilians and then the station quickly turns to a tampex or viagara ad and we take another bite of our creamy chocolate dessert and sip our designer coffee - no feelings, only a brief discussion about how great the drug viagara is for those old folk, no mention or discussion about world crisis, especially ones a million miles away.
So who will stop the rain? You?
posted by Gregory West - Computer Instructor & Freelance Writer @ 11:32
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