Music is a wealthy supply of inspiration for these of us who need to finish inhabitants progress and enhance environmental situations. TOP seems to be at some basic hits and new songs just lately despatched to us and asks for extra.
By The Overpopulation Challenge
Just a few weeks in the past, two readers contacted us concerning their very own songs. Kelvin Thomson, long-time inhabitants advocate and contributor to TOP, despatched us 4 songs, a number of with environmental themes. You may hearken to Kelvin and his band, together with the tune ‘Break Away’.
The subsequent day we obtained an e mail from Colin Macpherson, a singer-songwriter, who despatched us his tune ‘Too Many Folks’. Whereas we at TOP are likely to go for charts and graphs, we’ve got to confess that snappy lyrics may be simply as efficient! Due to each Colin and Kelvin for sending over some inspiring songs.
Traditionally, one well-known population-related tune is The Tablet, by American nation singer Loretta Lynn (1932-2022). It was written in 1975, because the contraceptive tablet was revolutionizing the sexual lives of many ladies around the globe. No extra fear about an additional little one. As Loretta sang:
All these years I’ve stayed at house
When you had all of your enjoyable
And yearly that’s passed by
One other child’s come
There’s a gonna be some adjustments made
Proper right here on nursery hill
You’ve set this hen your final time
‘Trigger now I’ve obtained the tablet
In fact, the inhabitants situation made it into rock music too. Right here is an early point out from 1971, the Kinks’ tune ‘The Apeman’ , that swings effectively. Frontman Ray Davies was the seventh of eight youngsters! Listed here are some considerate lyrics from the tune:
I believe I’m so educated and I’m so civilized
‘Trigger I’m a strict vegetarian
However with the over-population and inflation and hunger
And the loopy politicians
I don’t really feel protected on this world no extra
I don’t need to die in a nuclear warfare
I need to sail away to a distant shore and make like an apeman
Elvis additionally highlighted the tragedy of undesirable births resulting in a vicious cycle of poverty, lawlessness and violence in ‘Within the Ghetto’:
Because the snow flies
On a chilly and grey Chicago mornin’
A poor little child little one is born
Within the ghettoAnd his mama cries
‘Trigger if there’s one factor that she don’t want
It’s one other hungry mouth to feed
Within the ghetto …
Marvin Gaye’s ‘Mercy Me’ expresses the ecological grief many people really feel:
Woah, ah, mercy, mercy me
Ah, issues ain’t what they was once
The place did all of the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north and south and east
…
Hey, mercy, mercy me, oh
Hey, issues ain’t what they was once
What about this overcrowded land?
How way more abuse from man can she stand?
There have additionally been population-related songs from exterior the Western world. As an example ‘Overpopulated’ by Alaa Wardi, born to Iranian dad and mom and residing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. You may learn extra about Alaa right here.
We’re curious, what’s your favourite tune on inhabitants and the surroundings?
Malvina Reynolds’ ‘Little Containers’?
Michael Bayliss’ latest variation on the identical theme, ‘In a Field’?
Or if it’s ‘Huge Yellow Taxi,’ do you like the Counting Crows model, or Joni’s authentic?
Tell us within the remark part beneath – and if doable, embody an Web hyperlink to your favorites (observe: just one hyperlink is feasible per remark, however you possibly can put up a number of feedback).
