Seven years ago -- we were still living in our little Red House in the old village of Cambria, California. Ray would soon be moving to her own place 30 minutes down the road, and I'd soon be starting a new life of my own, farther south in the Ojai Valley. But, as 2015 began, we still had the studio set up in our place -- and so, when the news came from Paris about the killings at the offices of the satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, we had the means at hand to respond quickly. Ray had been given an old accordion for Christmas, and she'd already cooked up this lovely set of chord changes and melody lines. It sounded "French" to me -- like sweet street music. I asked her if I could use it to hang a song on, and she said Yes, of course. So, a few days later, this thing went up.
It's still hard to grasp what happened that day, and why. And the world has moved on to many more horrors of one kind or another since. Still, today, as then -- and maybe more than ever -- it's important to stop and consider what these things *mean,* and how they feel, and how they challenge us -- or don't -- to remember what's important. We are all in "this" together -- whatever you may think "this" is. And justice for one is justice for all -- and vice versa. And therefore, "Je suis Charlie."
Peace be with you -- Happy New Year, one and all. -- C. Duncan
lyrics
ON SEVEN JANUARY
(Chas. Duncan/Ray Duncan)
Where were you on seven January
When the guns came to the magazine?
Before we knew it would be necessary
For us to stand and say, “Je suis Charlie”
Now we’re here, beyond the killing zone
And with new images of gay Paris
But have no fear: we do not stand alone now
When we stand and say, “Je suis Charlie”
You can shoot a man down –
that’s the truth
But ideas are still
Bullet-proof
So come what may, whatever Gods you pray to,
They’ll know why we say, “Je suis Charlie”
Paint your pictures, friend
And sing your song
Because you have the right to –
Right or wrong,
and:
Where were you on seven January
When the guns came to the magazine?
Before we knew it would be necessary
Sometimes to stand and say, “Je suis Charlie”
credits
from On Seven January,
track released January 12, 2015
(c) 2015 Chas. Duncan/Ray Duncan "Polemical Weapons"/BMI
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