"Occupy"

[Hook]

A few times each week I drive through downtown Tampa right past Curtis Hixon Park where the rather small collection of ragtag occupiers are. I can't say I really understand the Occupy Movement and I don't have any hard feelings toward them, I just don't get it. I mean I don't want wall street screwing me, or any other street for that matter, but are they helping? I don't know and I don't really care this song came to me this morning and I just recorded it LITLR with my old Takamine.

Occupy
music and lyrics by Hook
performed live by Hook

You are, I am, we
but I must ask why
we seem to stand together
or is it all the I's just multiplied

I've occupied...congratulate me

I speak for all the people
and I speak with this sign
it's my simple social ism
but to other ism's I can't comply

I've occupied...now help create me

I can't stay where I lay
they make me move after dark
the pepper spray hurts my eyes
this used to be a lovely park

To what end are we going
because I don't really see a plan
just spinning round in circles
like the girl I saw dancing to my friends jam band

I've occupied...now motivate me

I'm capable to do great things
I feel ready to cut these strings
but I don't want the work load it brings

You are where you are
and I feel so entitled
and I want the life I've been denied
it seems to me someone should provide

I've occupied...now compensate me
I've occupied...
I don't know if you know i have occupied
excuse me do you see that I have occupied
here we are together we are all occupying   

[Ted]

This is really beautiful.

Although you say you don't get the "Occupy" movement, you don't know and don't care, the lyrics belie that you have formed some opinions about the movement, and some judgements about the people involved. I'm not going to tell you that you are right or wrong about your conclusions. I'll just say that you seem to concur with the narrative and stereotypes about the movement that has been spun by it's powerful opponents.

Political discussions on Songcrafters can get pretty toxic, so it's not my intention to turn this thread into a discussion on the Occupy movement. I run a small songwriters circle where I live, and we have a rule: Keep your politics in your songs. If you don't like someone's politics, respond in a song. If you had performed this song at our song circle, I would have loved to watch some of our members biting their tongues, and planning their responses -- in song -- for the following month.

Again: Beautifully performed and recorded. I mean it.

[Hook]

Hey Ted, I think your right that the song does come across rather negative. The implied sarcasm is based upon any shallow first impressions of the occupiers here (completely unwarranted), from my car at a stop light. It's really  a fictional story I had in my head of someone lost and wandering and finding this perhaps very inaccurate description of the gathering. It came onto the paper very quickly and I didn't think much while I wrote. I really don't feel entirely like the song, once I started heading down that direction I laid it on pretty thick. I certainly don't mean to offend but if I do, ooops! I certainly believe in the right to assemble and I really don't care except I like the park better without the protest. Oh and I know I don't have any free time to go and play drums in the park.

[Ted]

No offensive taken here. I don't have time to participate in the protests either, because I have a job.

Keep in mind that there are two different ways of looking at the OWS protesters:

• They're a bunch of people without jobs, or
• They're a bunch of people without jobs.

[andy casson]

very cool Hook, certainly in terms of the quality of the vocal and playing..again it's just oustanding! For my humble UK's 2 penny's worth (1.5 cents?), sounds alot to me like role play, and that's something I can certainly identify with, and I suspect many songwriters can.. and completely understand when the words are flowing. My son broke up with his lady in the summer, and he was desperate to write a song about it, and asked for my help, he gave me a chord he liked (kids!), and a line, then sat there mute....meanwhile I had 2 verses and a chorus down on paper within minutes....roleplay! Sometimes it's like that

it's alway a good listen..
andy 

[Redler]

I love this kind of "real music". Man and guitar, it is enough when it has done with heart! Sounds a classic to me! I like the way you play guitar!

Kari

[steelguitar]

Pretty finger picking...
As Redler said very well, a kind of "real music", a man and a guitar that I like.
It reminds me a singer like Neil Young ;-)
A very good song!

[Speed Demon]

Sounds like Neil Young? Ick! Way much better, in my opinion.

Crosby, Stills and Nash sounded much better without him. His music always sounded better when someone else performed it.

After listening to the instrumental mistakes left in some of his songs, I gave up on him.
A good songwriter, though.

[dobrodaddy]

Nice vox and guitar work. It's a shame to see politics rear it's head in this forum.  There is more than enough idiocy to go around on both/all sides of the economic argument.  But hey, it's just a song.  

Speaking of responding in song, remember that Woody wrote 'This Land Is Your Land' in response to Kate Smith's hit "America the Beautiful'.

Every society has to draw a line between "If you don't work, you don't eat" and "No one left behind".  We all  think we deserve a better deal and a bigger slice of pie.  The rich exercise their power and defend their interests; the poor, working poor, and middle class have lost significant numbers of jobs and purchasing power in the last decades and are losing hope.  Both are understandable positions.  We need to struggle our way to balance, not edge our way to the extremes.  

Time to drink some decaf and walk a mile in each others' moccasins.  My father used to tell me, "Pay attention, don't be confused - most folks are just working their own agenda and don't give a damn about you".  We are actively destroying our future.  Divided we fall.  Happy Thanksgiving.  Geo

[Farrell Jackson]

Great song Hook! Both your writing and performances are excellent! As far as lyrical content and without getting political, as songwriters.....we write what we write. Whether it's of the moment or with deep thought.....we write what we write. Just like the Occupiers......you have that right. Amen brother!

Farrell