"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

~ Dolly Parton

Long Way To Go

“Long Way to Go” was written by Gwen Stefani and Andre Benjamin, or as most people know him Andre 3000. The song was supposed to be released on Andre 3000’s album The Love Below but was cut from the album by producers. This song addresses interracial relationships and ends with out-takes from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

Long Way To Go

performed by Gwen Stefani and Andre 3000

We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. When snow hits the asphalt, cold looks and bad talk come. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. It’s beyond Martin Luther, upgrade computer. Her/His skin wasn’t the same color as mine but she/he was fine, she/he was fine. If all men are made equal then she/he was fine, she/he was fine. Up until the time we went out on a date, I was fine, I was fine. Now I’m getting dirty looks I wonder what they’d say if we were blind, we were blind people. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. When snow hits the asphalt, cold looks and bad talk come. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. It’s beyond Martin Luther, upgrade computer. We‘ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. When snow hits the asphalt, cold looks and bad talk come. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. It’s beyond Martin Luther, upgrade computer.

Beauty is beauty, whether it’s black or white. Yellow or green baby, you know what I mean. What if Picasso only used one color? There shouldn’t be a rule how to choose your lover. Lovers in love is such a wonderful thing. Maybe in time we’ll get together and sing. I really hope so, there’s nothing wrong with this picture. We got a LONG WAY TO GO, we gotta get there quicker. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. When snow hits the asphalt, cold looks and bad talk come. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. It’s beyond Martin Luther, upgrade computer. We‘ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. When snow hits the asphalt, cold looks and bad talk come. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. It’s beyond Martin Luther, upgrade computer. What color is love?

We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. When snow hits the asphalt, cold looks and bad talk come. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. It’s beyond Martin Luther, upgrade computer.  We‘ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. When snow hits the asphalt, cold looks and bad talk come. We’ve got a LONG WAY TO GO. It’s beyond Martin Luther, upgrade computer.

…that all men are created equal…children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by…the color of their skin…but by the content of their character…this will be the day when all of God's children…will be able to sing with a new meaning…not only that…Martin Luther King, Jr. August 28, 1963. Washington, DC.

"Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict."

~ William Ellery Channing

Where Is The Love?

“Where Is The Love?” is a song that was released in 2003 and was written by William Adams, or as most of you know him, will.i.am. “Where Is The Love?” was the first hit by The Black Eyed Peas. Although this song addresses many social injustices, it is clear the song also addresses racial discrimination.

Where Is The Love?

by The Black Eyed Peas

What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin' in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead in spreading love we spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)

"I am bigger than anything that can happen to me. All these things, sorrow, misfortune, and suffering are outside my door. I am in the house and I have the key."

~ Charles Fletcher Lummis

Black and White

A man named David Arkin wrote a song in 1956 called Black & White. This song was written just a year after the Civil Rights Movement began. The song was written as a celebration of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. This was United States Supreme Court ruling that declared racial segregation of schools unconstitutional. Sammy Davis, Jr. first recorded “Black & White” in 1957. When Sammy Davis, Jr. recorded the song, the opening lyrics were:

“Their robes were black, Their heads were white,
The schoolhouse doors were closed so tight,
Nine judges all set down their names,
To end the years and years of shame.” – David Arkin

The song was re-recorded in 1971 by a reggae band named Greyhound. Just a year later, Three Dog Night, a popular band of their era, picked up the song and recorded it on their 1972 album Seven Separate Fools. We are going to listen to Three Dog Night’s recording of the song because it is the most popular recording.

Black And White

Band – Three Dog Night / words by David Arkin © 1956

The ink is black, the page is white
Together we learn to read and write
A child is black, a child is white
The whole world looks upon the sight, a beautiful sight

And now a child can understand
That this is the law of all the land, all the land

The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night
A child is black, a child is white
Together they grow to see the light, to see the light

And now at last we plainly see
We'll have a dance of Liberty, Liberty!

The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night
A child is black, a child is white
The whole world looks upon the sight, a beautiful sight

The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night
A child is black, a child is white
Together they grow to see the light, to see the light

The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night
A child is black, a child is white
The whole world looks upon the sight, a beautiful sight

The world is black, the world is white
It turns by day and then by night
A child is black, a child is white
Together they grow to see the light, to see the light

C'mon, get it, get it
Ohh-ohhhh, yeah, yeah
Keep it up now, around the world
Little boys and little girls
Yeah, yeah-eah, oh-ohhh

"Fall seven times, stand up eight!" 

~ Japanese Proverbs