Rising Above the Tragedy
Tragedy seems to bring the best and worst out in people. It's easy to sit
back and pass judgment on other countries when terrorists decide to employ their
gangland mentality and wreak havoc on innocent people. I should rephrase that and
say it was easy to sit back.
On September 11th that all changed.
After the World Trade Center and The Pentagon were subjected to what amounted to
senseless suicide terrorist attacks the citizens of New York, Washington, DC and
the rest of the United States were put on notice. What was once considered unthinkable
became reality. Terrorist attacks on United States cities took the lives of over 5,000
innocent people and the counting isn't over yet.
But through it all, the two biggest traits in Americans rose from the ashes to
show the terrorists and the world that the United States will not be beaten and
driven to its knees...Tenacity and Pride.
And in the music industry that pride is self evident with the re-release of Whitney
Houston's rendition of 'The Star Spangled Banner' and Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the
U.S.A.'. Just a side note to radio programmers...Stop playing Springsteen's 'Born In
the U.S.A.'. Listen to the words and then tell me if it's a patriotic song.
I would rather hear Charlie Daniel's song 'In America'...It's more in keeping with
the mood of the nation and expresses a sentiment that has been missing for quite a while.
We will come through this tragedy with our heads held high and our pride intact...
And the flag will fly proudly over this great country for a long time to come.
God Bless America...
In America
Well the eagle's been flying slow and the flag's been flying low
And a lot of people are saying that America's fixing to fall
But speaking just for me and some people from Tennessee
We got a thing or two to tell you all
This lady may have stumbled but she ain't never fell
And if the Russians don't believe that they can all go straight to hell
We're gonna put her feet back on the path of righteousness
And then God bless America again
And you never did think that it ever would happen again
In America, did you?
You never did think that we'd ever get together again
Well we damn sure fooled you
We're walking real proud and we're talking real loud again in America
You never did think that it ever would happen again
From the sound up in Long Island out to San Francisco Bay
And ev'ry thing that's in between them is our home
And we may have done a little bit of fighting amongst ourselves
But you outside people best leave us alone
Cause we'll all stick together and you can take that to the bank
That's the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks
You just go and lay your head on a Pittsburgh Steeler fan
And I think you're gonna finally understand
And you never did think that it ever would happen again
In America, did you?
You never did think that we'd ever get together again
Well we damn sure fooled you
We're walking real proud and we're talking real loud again in America
You never did think that it ever would happen again
- Richard Blaine
* Richard Blaine's views and opinions do not necessarily
reflect the views and opinions of the staff at Twin-Music.