Story Behind the Song
The song was first written in 1992. My twin brother, Jim, a poet, had just written the words "join hands without guns." We knew of more than enough stories in the newspapers on tragic drive by shootings and the like. It seemed so often somebody was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The senselessness of it all. Creating two stories of young lives filled with the expectations of youth, I began writing on the piano in G major. Along with the hook line, I turned to my brother's poetry. The lines that struck me so strong became the lines spoken by each parent. Though brief, each line is a beautiful image of life, hope and determination. This lament version became the starting point for me to begin shaping an arrangement along the lines of a "We Are the World." But in the end, it wasn't about stars, it was about bringing the community together, community by community. Now in D minor to D major, and a guitar song, the guitar uses a "dropped D" tuning I learned from Stephen Stills songs, such as "Find The Cost of Freedom." Also, for me, the feeling of D minor to D major recalls Beethoven's Ninth, the great choral symphony he wrote for his community, which now is, literally, the world. We recorded the song at NPR's Studio 4A over the course of a week. One of the greatest experiences of my life. I have heard several performances so far, I hope to hear many, many versions of this song in the future.
Lyrics
Join Hands
I was screaming at the Lord at the top of my lungs
How could you take him away, how could you take him away
You said the Children would be watching, the Children would lead
But God how many must fall and how many will bleed?
Michael was a young man, oh, just about seventeen
he had a smile a mile across his face
he had a heart you wouldn’t want to waste.
His Mama always told him
“Child, in your hands the world is working”
So Michael had a vision, he was gonna be somebody
He was gonna fly away, on the wings of his dream.
and then it happened, somebody said
“don’t do it, don’t do it”,
shot him dead, shot him dead.
He was somebody’s brother, he was somebody’s friend
He was loved by his Mother, his life didn’t have to end.
Join hands without guns, join hands without guns
the children are watching, the children will lead
how many must fall and how many will bleed
one life is enough to rise up
and join hands.
It was written that the wolf shall dwell with the lamb
and a child shall lead them, a child shall lead them
Blessed are the meek for they’ll inherit this earth
Just remember their death as you remember their birth!
Do you remember Mary, the way she rode up over the hill
she had that bike she liked more than dolls
and a spirit to break her falls.
Her Daddy told her
“life is a path and on the path there is light.”
So Mary kept on moving, she was gonna glow in her life
she was gonna ride all the way, past the cars to the stars.
and then it happened, somebody said
“don’t do it, don’t do it”,
shot her dead, shot her dead.
She was somebody’s daughter, she was somebody’s friend
She was loved by her Father, her life didn’t have to end.
Join hands without guns, join hands without guns
the children are watching, the children will lead
how many must fall and how many will bleed
one life is enough to rise up
and join hands, hand in hand, join hands.
One life is enough to rise up (x3 ) 10 total
We’re all somebody’s brother, we’re all somebody’s friend (x4 )7 total
Everybody join hands,
hand in hand, (x3)
join hands.
Peace
©1993-97 2 PM Heirloom Lane Music BMI The italicized lines are from the poetry of James Michael Wine, used by permission.
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