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Humanitarian Songs (most songs can be heard online by going to the yahoo search engine, typing in the name of the song followed by the word "lyrics" and name of the artist or group; , e.g.,"Alfie lyrics-Dionne Warwick".

Normally you can choose youtube, or songlyrics. com. If you choose song lyrics .com, click onto "Listen while you read", and the music will be available.

This section will keep songs that uplifts the spirit of humanity;

1. Blessed- artist(s) or songwriter(s) - sung by The Emotions

... "My soul feels good about the ties that bind, me and you, and all mankind together "...

2. A Change Is Gonna Come- written by and sung by Sam Cooke

     ... "Oh there been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
         But now I think I'm able to carry on
         It's been a long time coming
         But I know a change is gonna come , oh yes it will "

3. Bridge Over Troubled Water- sung by Simon and Garfunkle ( I interpret
the song to mean that, I'm there for you when things get rough).

         " When you're weary, feeling small
            When tears are in your eyes
            I will dry them all
            I'm on your side"....

           Oh when times get rough
            And friends just can't be found
            Like a bridge over troubled water
             I will lay me down..."
4. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother- sung by The Hollies ( I interpret the song to mean in essence, it shouldn't be bothersome to want to help others.

             "I'm laden with sadness
             That everyone's heart
             Isn't filled with gladness
             Of love for one another
          ... and the load
             Doesn't weigh me down at all
             He ain't heavy, he's my brother"...

5. Spanish Harlem- numerous renditions; I like Aretha Franklin's rendtion. Words by Jerry Lieber and Phil Specter. ( I interpret the song to mean in essence, that the human spirit is resilient in spite of obstacles).

" There is a rose in Spanish Harlem

              A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
              It is a special one, its never seen the sun
              It only comes out when the moon is on the run
              And all the stars are gleaming
              It's growing in the street right up through the concrete
              But soft and sweat and dreamin'"...

6. If I Had A Hammer- Words by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays; Sam Cooke does a good job with this song. Peter, Paul, and Mary also did well with this song.

         " If I had a hammer
            I'd hammer in the morning
            I'd hammer in the evening
            I'd hammer out danger

            I'd hammer out a warning
            I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters
            All over this land...

7. We Shall Overcome-title derived from a song,"I'll Overcome Someday", by Charles Albert Tindley ( Source: Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia)

" We shall overcome
We shall overcome

         We shall overcome someday
         Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
         We shall overcome someday...
8. Be Grateful-performed live; by the Walter Hawkins Family; to listen, go to the yahoo search engine, type in "be grateful lyrics-walter hawkins"-then select the link, "songlyrics.com " about 3rd from the top. Click on to , "Listen while you read". Walter Hawkins may appear in a tuxedo with outstretched arms, and if so, just click in the box for music. (I'm listening as I type ). ( I interpret the song to mean that GOD wants to know what our spiritural character is made out of).
       " God has not promised me sunshine
          That's not the way it's goin' to be
           but a little rain
           mixed with God's sunshine
           A little pain,

           Makes me appreciate the good times
           Be grateful
           Be grateful...

GOD desires to feel your longings

Every pain that you feel, HE feels them too

Just like you

But HE can't afford to make you feel only good

Then you can't appreciate the good times"...

9. Kumbayah ( pronounced, koom bye yah). Will have to comment on the song tommorrow 5/23/13, as claims on the authorship is disputed. ( Source; Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia). Is a spiritural song from the 1930's. Was song around campfires. Means "Come by here".

" Somebody need you Lord, come by here"

                                 Somebody need you Lord, come by here
                         Somebody need you Lord, come by here
                         O Lord, come by here".  Transcribed by Jennifer Cutting

from the singing of H. Wylie 1926. ( Source: Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia). The word "kumbayah" is normally substituted for "come by here " when sung around many campfires, as was done when I went camping at Pleasant Valley Farm- we sang " kumbayah ", circa 1960.

10.What You Gonna Do About Me- written by Richie Havens.

This song could be considered to be one of the protest songs of the late 60's-early 70's. Richie Havens is an excellent musician, singer, and well known artist. I had no trouble being able to listen to the song by searching the Yahoo or Google search engines.

" You poisoned my sweet waters You chopped down my green trees

And the the food you gave my children Is the cause of their ill disease

My world slowly falling down and the air is not fit to breathe

And those of us who care enough we have do something,

Oh, what you gonna do about me

Oh, what you gonna do about me...."

11.Alfie, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, 1965

What's it all about, alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
What's it all about when you sort it out, alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, alfie,
Then I guess it's wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, alfie,
What will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe there's a heaven above, alfie,
I know there's something much more,
Something even non-believers can believe in.
I believe in love, alfie.
Without true love we just exist, alfie.
Until you find the love you've missed you're nothing, alfie.
When you walk let your heart lead the way
And you'll find love any day, alfie, alfie.

12. Promises, Promises; (thought you might enjoy, I'm typing to this song).
You can easily access by going to Promises, Promises lyrics, Dionne Warwick to listen). written by Burt Bacharah and Hal David, songstress Dionne Warwick.

"...Oh promises. promises

This is where those promises, promises end

I don't pretend that what was wrong can be right

Every night I sleep now, no more lies

Things that I promised myself fell apart

But I found my heart..."

13.Only The Strong, Only The Brave ; songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David, songstress Dionne Warwick.

"... Only the strong, only the brave

Can survive all the heartaches that tear most people apart

Can survive all the heartaches and still keep love alive ..."

14. Wanting Things; songstress, Astrud Gilberto ( source;songlyrics.com)

" Tell me , how long must I keep

Wanting things, needing things

When I have so much?

There are many men

Who have much more than me

Day by day, they walk their way

And they find more in life, than I can see..."

15. 7/01/13- I want to highlight, or pay a small tribute to our senior citizens. I come down here to the Anchorage Senior Activity Center all the time. Real nice location. Looks like the facility was cut out of woods, with nice housing within the complex area. Huge spruce trees and some woods close by. Quilting, painting (art), physical exercise, computer room, performing musicians at times, free tax preparation assistance, etc. Great place for our elders.

I chose Memory Lane, and "Old Folks", ( in reference to an elderly man known as " Old Folks"), but really, the song can embrace many a million of elderly men we all can remember who could be ( or could have been ) "Old Folks". For me, it was Mr. Sam, I think was his name. I was 5-6 years old, and Mr. Sam would take his walking cane, and one at a time, place it on our heads, then recite, " One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, All the little chillen' go to heaven, A bushel of wheat, a bushel of rye, all the little chillen holla'"- then we in chorus would with one voice shout, " Hi!" Yesterday, I took a long, early walk and sang these songs, i. e., Memory Lane, and Old Folks.

I also met a gentleman in my later years, Jasper Ross who was my "Old Folks". He is in my Video Gallery in video #12. I think of him when Lou Rawls sings " But some day there won't be no more Old Folks, what a lonesome old town this is gonna' be"... If you listen to Old Folks on you.tube, there is a slide picture show that works in conjunction with the lyrics. In the search engine, I went to, "Old Folks lyrics-Lou Rawls". Lou Rawls was a consummate professional, having a singing career in gospel, R&B, and jazz. I chose Memory Lane to preceed Old Folks, because "Old Folks" had an urging to take a walk one day, and reminisce about "Lana Lou".

It might have been shortly afterwards that Old Folks saddened all of us with his passing ( I'm just being creative here). Old Folks, being the typical fisherman, stretched the truth once in a while, so Lou sings, " ... Every Friday, he would go fishing, down by the lake . But he would only catch a perch or two, a great big whale got away..." ( ha, ha).

15. Memory Lane; singer, Lou Rawls, songwriters, J. Alexander, S. Cooke

Boy, hand me down my walking cane

Hand me down my walking cane

I'm gonna take me a stroll down memory lane

Many a girl I've chanced to love and woo

But not one quite like my Lana Lou

She had eyes that shined like stars above

And a face as sweet as a mother's love

I said now boy you hand, hand me down my walking cane

I want you to hand me down my walking cane

Oh, hand me down my walking cane

I'm gon' take me a stroll down memory lane

16. "Old Folks", singer Lou Rawls ( words as sung on recording),

songwriter Etta Jones.

Everyone knows him as Old Folks

Like the seasons he comes and he'll go

Free as a bird and as good as as his word

That's why we all love him so

Always leaving his spoon in his coffee

Tucks his napkin under his chin

He's got an old corn cob pipe, so mellow, hits right

You needn't be afraid of him

Every Friday he would go fishing down by the lake

But he would only catch a perch or two,

A great big whale got away

Well I guess I'll warm up his stay

Oh but some day there won't be no more Old Folks

What a lonesome old town this is gonna be

Children's voices at play, they all will be silent one day

The day that they take Old, They're gonna take Old Folks away

Old folks.

17. Days Of Wine and Roses, singer Andy Williams,music by Henry Mancini, words by Johnny Mercer, starring Lee Remick and Jack Lemmon. Great old school movie! My cousin, a friend, and myself went to see this movie in 1963-I was twelve years old. Old schoolers who lived in Lawndale during this era may remember the Marshall Square theatre. This movie is highlighted with a tip of the hat, to those who have successfully recovered from alcohol and drug addiction, whose lives were torn and ripped with the nightmares of this experience.

This movie is also dedicated to those who have yet to overcome this great challenge, and a return to normal livelihood. At twelve years old, I couldn't really understand the plot. What I do remember is the sound track, which is timeless, and has been performed by many well-known artists. Any time a song becomes elevator music, you know it is timeless. ( Can be heard on songlyrics.com Click on ' Listen While You Read!)

I don't know, but it seems that the lyrics seem to be satirical, in that the movie is about the hardness and pity of alcohol addiction, experienced by both Jack and Lee, but it was Jack who was responsible for Lee's addiction:

" ... The lonely night discloses, just a passing breeze

filled with memories, of the golden smile

that introduced me to, the days of wines and roses, and you."

(sallysally@ausa.net)

18. Over The Moon and Over The Sky; songstress, Angela Bofill, lyrics by Barbara Sfraga.

" ... the universe is waiting for you

live a life happy and free

so go out and reach for the sun

happiness and love can be for everyone if we just try..."

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