SAC Challenge Week 1

I'm trying to find a picture that will capture what I want to say, but nothing seems to capture the hurt, sadness and anger that I feel from reading the news lately. I remember when Malaysian Airline Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine, I read about every single passenger on that flight. When 3 year old Alan Kurdi washed up on shore after a perilous voyage, I read about him and cried for his family. When 49 people were murdered in an Orlando nightclub or more than 200 lost their lives at a market in Baghdad, I spent hours looking at the pictures of the people whose lives were cut short. I'm not sure why I do this, as I don't think you can ever make sense of these senseless deaths. One thing is sure, is that these victims shouldn't be forgotten. 

This song is my first song as part of this year's SAC songwriting challenge. This week's challenge was to write a song using only two chords. I started strumming in Open D and had a few ideas. Then I slowed it down and these words just came out "Mary, lost her baby." I kept going... "to the water, to the sea." It was so dark. Where were these words coming from? I had no idea, but decided to keep going. What came out felt dark and haunting, but beautiful at the same time. A kind of release. That's when I realized that perhaps this song is the haunting soundtrack to the tragedies happening all around us. At the very least, those we have lost are now free of the anger of this world. 

I would like to dedicate this song to all those whose lives have been cut short by senseless acts of violence. 




Lyrics:

Free by Kristine St-Pierre

Mary lost her baby, to the water, to the sea
Mary lost her child, to the fires, flames burning high

Fly away little baby
Fly away little one
Fly away little baby
Cause you are finally free

Mary lost her mind, to the darkness building inside
Mary lost her soul, back to earth, there she goes

Fly away little baby 
Fly away little one 
Fly away little baby 
Cause you are finally free

ohhh
ohhh

Cause you are finally free
You are finally free

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