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This is a song inspired by my friend Kyle and his family in Mozambique Africa. As I have reflected over this song in the past few months, I have thought also of Craig and Cindy, who seem to be defying the rich-man syndrome that plagues us. As an addendum, please see this video after listening to the song. Piper has a way with words that I will never have.
Lyrics:
There’s a faith deep in our pocket books
Pinstripe in our suits
There’s a jingle in each step of our shoes
We drive on streets of stone
Awash in Texas gold
We all rich men in a land of wealthy fools
We say grace before our next belly full
Let us thank us for our food
We profit on the poor man’s toil and blues
We devise a miserly portion
So to steal the widow’s mite
We all rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Chorus
We are rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Where the rich men and their money make the rules
With no thought of the narrow
Closing gates to walk on through
We are rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
There’s a love like a dirt floor
Grace like a thatched roof
There’s a faith the length of a soy bean root
There’s a blister bellied boy
With a hope to hold on to,
We all rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
Chorus
Wisdom is a strange man
With calloused feet and stretching skin
On a road hoed with migrant’s shoes
How beautiful the feet that bring,
The poor man’s simple news
We are rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Where the rich men and their money make the rules
With no thought of the narrow
Closing gates to walk on through
We are rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
We are rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
Where the rich men and their money break the rules;
We place our trust and spend our coin
On metal rust and passing joy
We are rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Seth's Previous Posts: 1. Train Wreck
This is a song inspired by my friend Kyle and his family in Mozambique Africa. As I have reflected over this song in the past few months, I have thought also of Craig and Cindy, who seem to be defying the rich-man syndrome that plagues us. As an addendum, please see this video after listening to the song. Piper has a way with words that I will never have.
Lyrics:
There’s a faith deep in our pocket books
Pinstripe in our suits
There’s a jingle in each step of our shoes
We drive on streets of stone
Awash in Texas gold
We all rich men in a land of wealthy fools
We say grace before our next belly full
Let us thank us for our food
We profit on the poor man’s toil and blues
We devise a miserly portion
So to steal the widow’s mite
We all rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Chorus
We are rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Where the rich men and their money make the rules
With no thought of the narrow
Closing gates to walk on through
We are rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
There’s a love like a dirt floor
Grace like a thatched roof
There’s a faith the length of a soy bean root
There’s a blister bellied boy
With a hope to hold on to,
We all rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
Chorus
Wisdom is a strange man
With calloused feet and stretching skin
On a road hoed with migrant’s shoes
How beautiful the feet that bring,
The poor man’s simple news
We are rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Where the rich men and their money make the rules
With no thought of the narrow
Closing gates to walk on through
We are rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
We are rich men, in a land of wealthy fools
Where the rich men and their money break the rules;
We place our trust and spend our coin
On metal rust and passing joy
We are rich men in a land of wealthy fools
Seth's Previous Posts: 1. Train Wreck
11 comments:
wow. i really like this one.
this song means one thing to a person who has seen suffering of those in other countries, and another to the person who has seen a boy half-naked with flies around his head in some place in Africa on a two thousand dollar flat screen TV with High def.
i wish the high def meant a damn, as if you could see the dirt on the flies as well and that it would really sink in that we are wealthy and perhaps we should do something about it.
i doubt that many people consider themselves a person who entirely ignores or especially exploits the poor and oppressed. But, what is the line? where do the companies that we give our money to do with it?
i like the song, but it makes me uncomfortable. maybe that's why i like it and hate it all at the same time. this song is a musical mirror, and there i am with my silver watch, sporty sunglasses, and polo shirt staring back at me.
this reminded me of derek webb simply telling it like it is. storytellers are hard to come by. you can't avoid the reality of Land of Fools. we all need a cold bucket of water on our heads while we stand taking our hot shower to shock our system.
i struggle with which i feel more...conviction for my full belly or sorrow for the little boy's empty one. i'm left with a sense of helplessness because i feel a lack of options when it comes to living where i do while pursuing the narrow door. how many decisions have i made that have oppressed the already downtrodden?
i have been to a part of the world similarly described as this one. it has profoundly affected me forever. i know that passing joy is no joy at all. rather, it is deep and unchangeable.
from a man who has spent the better part of two days cleaning out his garage, i must say, that i long to spend my money elsewhere. thank you for that reminder.
Seth,
First of all, musically, I love it. Such a talent you are. (now, go back and read that last sentence with a Yoda voice.)
Lyrically; fantastic! As I have grown older I feel as though I gain greater perspective on how the world works and how I fit into it. This song represents a lot of how I feel. It sure is easy to discuss third world problems of hunger and disease while sitting over our leftovers in our nice homes. Ethiopia is currently facing a famine that is certain to result in the deaths of thousands of innocent, hungry children. Meanwhile, we bitch about 4 dollar/gallon gas while pumping 30 gallons of it into our SUV that more often than not carries one driver and zero passengers (and certainly no cargo).
**Craig steps off of soapbox**
Love the song, Seth. Keep it up.
Seth,
Thank you for giving us a shout out and I am honored to have been in the back of your mind. I really dig this song and the lyrics are fantastic; so meaningful. It's inspiring when someone can articulate an important reality and sentiment with such great music.
Cindy
Craig,
Don't get off of your soapbox. Send me some information on the famine, and any organizations that are helping with relief. I'll post a link within the Land of Fools post.
(Thanks again for the gift!)
Love this song. It hits me where I'm at right now. My eyes have been opening lately to where our focus really should be.
I liked the direction you were going with the 'Wisdom' verse. Like there was hope despite our current state if only we paid attention. Wonder how it might play out if you ended the song on an 'up' note like that.
Maybe not. Just my first thought. Otherwise I'm very happy this is in my iTunes right now! :)
Please go to this blog...
Watch this video...
It is in lockstep with this post.
http://www.nikao.ws/2008/05/20/prosperity-gospel/#comment-1250
I hear you. Sometimes think I will, you know, get up and physically help. But, I know that's not in the realm of reality right now, although someday I think its possible. I look around and have met some people through this adoption process that really blow me away in their dedication to causes... I, myself, but scratch the very long and wide surface. I think being aware of what's going on is "half the battle" as so many people choose to ignore and be something of isolationists.... people like Bob Geldof and Bono and a gajillion others are inspiring...and you my friend, are inspiring with your thoughts and music on these issues. I wish more people used their power, star or otherwise, to help do great things around the world even if its just, oh I don't know, feed one tiny soul that is hungry or get someone to think about the reason for high food prices and then perhaps help think of a solution. We don't just have riches of fast food here, you know, we have an embarassment of riches of brain trusts and when someone like Dr. Farmer decides to work in Haiti instead of make a gajillion dollars in West Chester, NY tending to the very rich, well he's got my total admiration.
Cindy
Good post Seth. Musically it was easy on the ears and left you feeling a little melancholy even apart from the lyrics. I particularly liked the lines
"We place our trust and spend our coin on metal rust and passing joy"
When considering wealth and riches it is easy for us, as Americans, to compare ourselves to the other fabulously wealthy people around us and try to derive a benchmark from that vantage point. We might feel comfortable but not excessive, or we may even come away feeling "poor" (compared to other's extreme wealth) without realizing that we live in Disney Land compared to the rest of the world, and what we consider "normal" is in fact Disney Land (ht: John Piper). We don't see that we ARE the rich man of whom Jesus says how difficult it is for the rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Changing gears a bit, has anyone seen Dane Cook's "Rough Around the Edges"? Wanting to be sensitive to some of the readers here, I must warn you that it is drenched in profanity and there are multiple parts that should probably be fast forwarded. That being said, he has a bit of commentary on why people don't tend to give money to the Feed the Children, Compassion Intl, The Red Cross, or �Fill in the blank relief organization� etc...
If you care to you watch it, the first 3.5 minutes of the attached clip address what I am referring to. Again, pleas be aware that there is a LOT of language:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gzhudzVlpA4&feature=related
To tell the truth I have thought about doing a similar rant at church someday about various topics (somewhat edited to be sure) and wondered how that would go over.
-The Jackal
After checking out the Dane Cook video, I am thinking that he was actually giving it to the crowd. I'm not sure he was trying to be comedic.
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