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folk, roots, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela - You Should Have Been There

from A Carousel for Fools by The Mather Robinson Band

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about

War, murder, death, tragedy and unrequited love. That probably covers about ninety nine percent of folk music worldwide. And there’s nothing wrong with that (we write a fair few of those ourselves). But in writing this song we wanted to celebrate some of the great things that have happened in our lifetimes (or thereabouts) and, whilst we’re at it, poke a gentle finger of reproach at the hedonists, the cynics and the pessimists; the ‘one life – live it’ brigade who tell us to live only for yourself and only in the here and now because you can’t make a difference anyway. Sorry lads - yes you can!

lyrics

I well remember Martin Luther King
Damn you who say he didn’t change a thing
You should have been there
You should have been there
When Rosa Parks sat down to make her stand
When Rosa changed the history of her land
You should have been there
You should have been there
Oh how it raised my soul to be there

When men of violence rose to have their say
The Mahatma Ghandi found a peaceful way
You should have been there
You should have been there
Oh how it raised my soul to be there

Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
You should have been there
You should have been there
Oh how it raised my soul to be there

For twenty-seven years he was confined
No bribe nor threat would change Madiba’s mind
You should have been there
You should have been there
On Robben Isle they hoped his dreams would drown
But he smiled and brought Apartheid crashing down
You should have been there
You should have been there
Oh how it raised my soul to be there

Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
You should have been there
You should have been there
Oh how it raised my soul to be there

Who stood before the tanks at Tiananmen?
Who’ll stand defending freedom once again?
We have to be there
I hope you’ll be there
For what are our tomorrows like to be?
Our future is to write our history
What will we see there?
I hope you’ll be there
Oh it would raise my soul if you’re there

Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
You should have been there
You should have been there

Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
You should have been there
You should have been there

Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
Sing aloud sing aloud sing aloud and bellow - Freedom
You should have been there
You should have been there

Oh how it raised my soul to be there
Oh how it raised my soul to be there

credits

from A Carousel for Fools, released June 21, 2015
written by Mather & Robinson

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about

The Mather Robinson Band Salford, UK

Dave Mather and Pete Robinson grew up together in the north of England in the nineteen sixties and have been writing and performing music individually and as a team ever since. From Opera to rock to pop and now back to their roots in folk music. Mather & Robinson entertain audiences in the north west of England but if you ask them - they will hummmm. ... more

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