Songs to Save Us
Well-written and memorably performed songs have the power to change us, motivate us, and perhaps even cause us to think about things in the world in a brand new way. In the 1700s and 1800s, slaves in the United States used music to preserve their heritage and get through treacherous times. In the 1960s, folk singers used songs to voice frustrations of the anti-war and civil rights generations.
These days, some artists have taken on an even broader subject with their music — saving the Earth itself.
Here is a collection of four very special songs with strong views about how we think about the Earth, what we have done to the Earth, what some are doing to save the Earth, and the unthinkable future that awaits us if we let things get out of control.
VIDEO – Oscar Paradise: ‘Da Da Dam’
First up is ‘Da Da Dam’ by Paradise Oscar, a young singer from Finland who was his country’s entry in last spring’s Eurovision Song Contest (sort of an American Idol for the entire European continent). Oscar spins a musical fairy tale that cleverly pokes fun at those who deny our Earth is in danger. My favorite verse from this song:
I’m going out in the world to save our planet
And I ain’t comin back until she’s saved
I’ll walk my way to see the King and parliament
If they don’t help I’ll do it by myself
Next is ‘Earth Song’ by the legendary Michael Jackson. You can see the video and my other choices here:
