On April 5th I was asked to be part of a choir that would sing backup vocals for Neil Young's new album. I was excited, thrilled, wondered about the money I would make and whether it would help pay my rent for the coming month.
I had no idea what I was about to experience.
April 6th was the day of the recording. 100 of the finest singers in Los Angeles gathered at the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. Studio A. We began a 12 hour recording session that would change me in many ways.
Neil walked around the studio, singing harmonies that he wanted us to try...as new lyrics popped up on the screen people cheered, laughed, clapped...he had written the words that we all wanted to say. The album is political, provocative. He held nothing back. And the fact that he is Neil Young insured that these words would at least have the chance of being heard.
On our way out of the studio Neil said to me and my friend Franne, "What we did in here today will create a ripple."
I was overwhelmed, emotional, angry, scared, optimistic - and that night words flooded my head almost faster than I could write them down on paper. I laid in bed in the dark with my notebook on the pillow next to me and scribbled phrases, words, ideas. The following morning I sat at the piano and wrote this song.
Neil Young and the people who were there that day ignited something in me. I felt like a vessel blessed to carry these words.
Let me say something very important -
This song is pro-humanity, not anti-government and especially NOT anti-soldier. The young men and women being used as pawns in a war we can't win are not at fault in any way and I have the highest respect for them. I feel that America has been hijacked by a government with a very specific agenda. We have been beaten into submission by a campaign of fear. We are looking with apathy at the rest of the world and we have completely lost sight of the fact the we are all one. I cannot even say that I hate the President. He is merely a manifestation of all of us. We created him, we put him in power.
We have the ability to change the course we seem to be on. We have the ability to make a difference in the world. We are not beyond hope. We are not beyond help.
Soon WWW.SOMETHINGGOODTOSHOWYOU.COM will be online. I am partnering with other like-minded individuals, companies and foundations who share the same vision - uniting people across the globe through self-expression and creativity. Uniting to affect change. The website will pull it all together with multimedia user-generated content. That means remixes and videos for the song from anyone and everyone. I encourage people to create and share what we have created.
It is not too late. It is only just beginning...
THINK THOUGHTS OF PEACE, SPEAK WORDS OF PEACE, CREATE ACTIONS OF PEACE. WE CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE. WE CAN BE THE CHANGE. WE ARE THE FUTURE.
with love and faith,
terra naomi
