DISSIDENT ARTS: Listen
September's Divide
(The Flames Of Discontent)
March 10, 2007
John Pietaro/Laurie Towers
John Pietaro wrote this song almost immediately after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Residing at that time in Brooklyn NY, the sites, sounds, smells and feelings were overwhelming. The song has been performed often since then but only came into itself when Laurie Towers' contrapuntal bassline completed it. The goal of the piece was and is to offer an image of life in NYC just after the attacks---and ini terrible anticipation of the right-wing's opportinistic response to create the war-without-end we are now living with.
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This recording. from REVENGE OF THE ATOM SPIES, is a duet between John and Laurie, featuring acoustic 5-string banjo and lead electric bass as an intertwined string section.
Each night I watch the evening news/it shapes my mind/feeds on my blues/
Reports to me/with charm and grace/the need for pride and tears and faith.
The headline screams/the crawl reports/while talking heads speak/double talk.
And graphic flags'/red, white and blue/reach from the side/obscure my view.
(chorus) What guides me through times like these?
The City quakes west to east/No "us" no "them" and we'll survive.
And so we close September's Divide
What guides me through times like these?
The nation quakes west to east/No "us" no "them" and we'll survive.
And so we close September's Divide
Broadway still shines through darkened stage/and black smke refines the fits of rage/
While the protestors call out for peace/they march proudly down 14th Street.
New York Labor speaks union of race/we can't seek blame on the foreigner's face.
"America First!" is the angry man cry/But war only calls for workers to die.
-instrumental verse-
(chorus)
The war to end wars/led to the next/
And the one against Reds/they called the best.
The fight for our rights continues still/but how do we march while refusing to kill?
Avenging the deaths of friends once here/Amending the reign of coporate sneer.
Rebuild the skies/our hearts decide/but what's left to fix when the soul divides?
(chorus)