anti-war video

[soup]

Felt like I needed to do something constructive, so I made a video from a collection of pictures gathered from the internetS, using the song 'Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)' by Melanie.

I need to give credit and thanks to everyone who kindly shared their pics from Crawford and their beautiful vigil pictures this week. Hope I didn't step on anyone's toes by using them.

This is the first time I've tried anything like this, so please be gentle. Hours and hours poured into this little 3min. 55sec. piece. Unfortunately, the darn file is HUGE (11.54mb), and I'm not sure how to make it smaller, or format it to anything other than a WMV (Windows Movie something or other).

Anyway, for what it's worth - it's here for downloading:
http://savefile.com/projects.php?pid=281090

[orleans]

1. OMG! it's wonderful!

i watched it with tears in my eyes.

you did a great job. thank you so much!

[soup]

2. You're so welcome, orleans.

Thank you for taking the time to view it.

Part of the reason it took me so long to make (besides the fact I'm a complete computer idiot) is because I kept breaking down.

Cry, edit, cry, edit - repeat.

[baldingrockwarlord]

3. looking for critique and a possible outlet...

Although it's been a long time since I posted here in DU, I am here every day. I had lost my password for my username and never bothered with it again until now.

I have wrote an anti war song, and over the last 24 hours have recorded it here at home. I have a "rough" first draft finished in mp3 format and want to find out from a fellow DU'er if this dog will hunt or not. I am currently unemployed, and as such, not able to subscribe and have enhanced features or access here. Anyone interested in giving it a listen, let me know , give me an email addy I can send a zipfile of the mp3.



MAGNETIC RIBBONS

Some wave the flag around and wear it on their sleeve
Never question anything and always believe what’s been said
Call me a skeptic but it doesn’t seem right
To send our loved ones over there to fight for lies we’ve been fed

“We’re fighting for our freedom” that one just don’t hold true
The people we invaded weren’t a threat to either me or you
A liberating force is what we’re told we’re supposed to be
But the people over there never asked for any help from you or me

(Chorus):
Magnetic Ribbons on your SUV,
don’t mean you’re more patriotic than me
It’s fair to question, who we have in charge.
How many more will have to die for his cause,
He claims it’s noble but it gives me pause,
I really wonder which one’s the terrorist at large


He vowed to catch them when those towers came down,
Now 4 years later and they’re still not found
He changed directions, and left the bad guys at large

What kind of lie is more harmful to you?
The kind about A soldier’s life or a stained dress that was blue?
How many more will have to die Before you ask yourself, Did I trust the wrong man?

Magnetic Ribbons on your SUV,
don’t mean you’re more patriotic than me
It’s fair to question, who we have in charge.
How many more will have to die for his cause,
He claims it’s noble but it gives me pause,
I really wonder which one’s the terrorist at large

Pay close attention and open your eyes
Before he lets another patriot die for his lies
Why call it freedom when you have to invade
It’s not liberation, if they don’t ask for our aid, now we’ve paid…….in blood (but he don’t care,….)

Goldstar Mama come to see him face to face….
Secret service won’t let her near his place
Say she’s a threat, to his security
Her son was Marine, who put his life on the line
Compassionate conservative ain’t got enough time to show he cared (or is he scared?)

What kind of lie is more harmful to you?
The kind about A soldier’s life or a stained dress that was blue?
How many more will have to die Before you ask yourself, Did I trust the wrong man?

Magnetic Ribbons on your SUV,
don’t mean you’re more patriotic than me
It’s fair to question, who we have in charge.
How many more will have to die for his cause,
He claims it’s noble but it gives me pause,
I really wonder which one’s the terrorist at large

“Have you forgotten?” How dare you say that to me?
Don’t try to trivialize, patronize or patriotize, me.
Osama’s still around last time I checked the lost n found
Let’s fight the real enemy who struck us on our ground


Created, written and recorded on 8/19/05 and 8/20/05 by the DU'er known as baldingrockwarlord.

[soup]

4. Hi, baldingrockwarlord.

I'd love to hear your song.

Try uploading it to http://www.savefile.com (it's free)
Post a link here so we can download it.

Peace,
soup

[baldingrockwarlord]

9. any easier way, soup?

I uploaded the file after registering, but now I have no way to access the file, only the info and fact that I did upload a file. What gives?

[baldingrockwarlord]

11. Okay, I got it!!!

http://savefile.com/files/4193440


Here is my anti war song. It is a rough draft. I'm not a recording engineer. More interested in the non technical critique of the song idea...

[soup]

15. Good for you!

Glad you figured it out - not sure how much my instructions would have helped. :crazy:

I'm downloading now. Thank you for sharing it.

[hiley]

26. baldinrockwarlord

I just listened to your song, thank you so much for this song..
Loved it and will share this with everyone I can.
Thank you for caring
hiley:applause:

[wovenpaint]

53. Great!

Although I've enjoyed all the songs that are coming out- absolutely NO offense to anyone else- but I'm more partial to rock/pop rather than folk music, I really like this song. IMHO, you may have something here...:applause: :thumbsup:

[soup]

13. It should be right there for downloading.

After you uploaded the file, it should have shown a url for direct linking. This is the first time I've used the service, so I'm not very familiar with it at all.

Darn it, wish I could help in some way.

WAIT! got it.. Go to my account > projects and files >
and where it says Files : Statistics : Info : Tools : Edit Project,
click on Info

That will give you the url your song (project) can be downloaded from.

copy and paste the url into a post here, and we'll see if we can get it.

[Mnemosyne]

14. I truly enjoyed your song brw!

Anymore to share?

Thanks, the song has great feeling and speaks the truth.
V

[soup]

18. baldingrockwarlord,

I listened to it twice. It's very very good. Thank you.

Wish I knew a way to help you get it 'out there'.

[baldingrockwarlord]

20. Much thanks

Thank you very much for the kind words, both Soup and Vickkiss.

The song seemed to be writing itself over the last 48 hours and I was on absolute fire just trying to get a somwheat workable demo done. I know it's rough, and there are several other layer tracks for it, but at this point in time I just wanted to keep it simple. Thanks once again.

[hippywife]

32. I like it, baldingrock!

When it first started, it reminded me of John Gorka a little.

Sending you a PM here is a little bit.

[Daphne08]

33. Very good, baldingrockwarlord!

The chorus has a great hook. Very catchy, and the words are heartfelt.

[orleans]

5. i decided to recommend this thread for greatest page

not only is it moving--there is something extremely empowering about it. again, great job soup! i hope everyone sees it.

here's the song lyrics in case some people have a problem understanding them:

"LAY DOWN (CANDLES IN THE RAIN)
(Written by Melanie Safka)
Melanie (with The Edwin Hawkins Singers)

Lay down lay down
Lay it all down
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown
Lay down lay down
Lay it all down
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown

We were so close there was no room
We bled inside each others' wounds
We all had caught the same disease
And we all sang the songs of peace

Chorus:
Lay down lay down
Lay it all down
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown
Lay down lay down
Lay it all down
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown

We were so close there was no room
We bled inside each others' wounds
We all had caught the same disease
And we all sang the songs of peace

Some came to sing
Some came to pray
Some came to keep the dark away
So raise the candles high
'Cause if you don't we could stay
Black against the night
So raise them higher again
And if you do we could stay dry against the rain

Chorus (repeat)"
http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/l/laydowncandlesintherain.shtml

[soup]

7. Thank you again, orleans.

Got so wrapped up in the song and how I 'saw' it, just reading the lyrics brings the tears to the surface again.

So much pain, so much hope.

Every mother's child deserves more than to die for a lie.

[hiley]

6. Very moving, thank you

:hi:

[soup]

10. thank you, hiley.

I was afraid I was too deeply into it and wasn't sure how it would 'travel'.

Really appreciate you taking the time. :hi: backatchya.

[hiley]

24. soup

I will be sharing your video with my family and friends.
Soup, you did an excellent job on this video and know it means so much to me and I am very sure many others.
Thank you again,
hiley:yourock:

[Mnemosyne]

8. soup, this is so amazing!

Thank you for this. I am crying now. No wonder you kept crying while you made it. Unforgettable. :hug:

Funny, those anti-war protest pics weren't on the corp. media before * went to Iraq.

I will show this to all I can.

Thank you.
V

[soup]

17. Darn it, vickiss,

see what you've done? I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy. :)

Again, thought I might have been too wrapped up in it to see it clearly and was making a complete idiot of myself for posting it.

Thank you. :hug:

and those worldwide pre-invasion anti-war protesters? 'just a handful' - 'a few hundred' - give or take a million or 2 or so.

[Mnemosyne]

47. I watched your film with my best friend several times.

And he cried too. Just excellent work.

It hit me even harder earlier this evening when my only child, my daughter, casually mentioned she is considering joining the Guard.

I was floored. Afraid I got rather stern about that ever happening. She's 26, awful job and few prospects for even making a living wage. She has a 4 year old son.

I am still floored, hours later. I just never thought she would consider the military.

She refuses to watch anything to do with the war. Knows too many kids over there.

Thanks again for your kind heart.
V

:hug:

[MelissaB]

12. Powerful and moving! This needs to be seen.

Thank you. :hi:

4 down and 1 to go. Somebody please recommend. This is amazing.

[MelissaB]

16. kickety kick!

:kick:

[soup]

19. Oh, great. Now I'm crying again.

thank you Melissa, truly. :hug:

[TexasLady]

23. me too

so powerful, and so meaningful. thank you so very very much.

[MelissaB]

21. You made the "greatest"! Now, watch this take off like wildfire.

It is amazing! :yourock:

[Booster]

22. Wow, Soup - just Wow. That is really awesome and very well

done. Now, I'm once again sitting here crying and feeling so ashamed of our once wonderful country. Send this to Al Gore's TV network, to moveon.org, and all most of all Cindy needs to see this. I'm remembering the Viet Nam era, and we've come full circle. I'm sending this to everyone I know, Dem & Rep. It's really beautiful. On edit: Also nominating.

[knowbody0]

25. soup

what a beautiful contribution to the peace movement. sharing this for sure. thank you

[annabanana]

27. Thank you Soup...

So many people have been hurt. And so many people KNEW it was going to be horrible. There is no option. We have to keep fighting tko put an end to this.

[hippywife]

28. Nice work, soup!

It got me tearing up, too. It's a good thing. I've started feeling so jaded against the onslaught. People putting together these types of things keeps the emotions as they should be where this atrocity is concerned...raw and on the surface, lest we become numb.

Thanx for you time and creativity.

[baldingrockwarlord]

29. bravo!

Great work. Powerful images.

[DanCa]

30. Thumbs up (nt)

[Tinoire]

31. Really really... REALLY excellent!

Wow.

Just wow!

[baldingrockwarlord]

34. Kick....

Because this is a great video that should not be lost several pages back in the forum......And also, to solicit Soup, the author, to feel free to use my original piece, if desired, and create another masterpiece.

[kster]

35. Great work thumbs up !

[lynettebro440]

36. Wow

That was powerful. Thank you very much for taking the time out to make it and let us see it. I cried throughout it. Once again thanks. And I think this needs to be kicked and nominated.

:kick: :kick:

[desi]

37. That is AWESOME...

...don't stop with this one soup....keep up the excellent work...

[IndyOp]

38. The video is really lovely --

It works on so many levels: Communicating to people the strength of anti-war sentiment before the war began, the devastation in Iraq, the sameness of Iraq and US mothers who have lost children, the power of grief and anger and coming together at sunset with candles. And so much more...

Beautiful music - this was the first time I had heard it.

I suggest that you put the link to the video in your signature line - people will click and watch for weeks/months to come.

[Helga Scow Stern]

39. Thank you for doing this....

resurrecting that beautiful old song in a time that it seems written for.

[phusion]

40. Very nice...

Thanks so much. Recommended. :hug:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

41. WOW thank you and I love melanie...very sad and very nastalagic

[kliljedahl]

42. DAMN!! There's some seriously talented people at DU

Thanks for doing this, nominated

[MelissaB]

44. I've been amazed today.

What some talented people. Did you listen to the song in posted by baldingrockwarlord here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4407888

[kliljedahl]

45. No, been gone all day judging a BBQ championship

Thanks for the link.

[ClayZ]

43. Thank You....

Would that the whole world could see it!

BRILLIANT WORK!

:cry:


:kick:

[Corgigal]

46. Beautiful video

Would I have your permission to add that video to the SC for Democracy homepage? I would paste it inside the web page in streaming format.

You can either answer me here or PM. How would we credit you?

[mia]

48. Thank you!

It's well done. Love the song too.

[Whoa_Nelly]

49. Heart and soul

most evident in every moment.

Thank you, soup.:loveya:

[Eric J in MN]

50. I thought it was great until the last frame.

The last frame made me laugh, and I doubt the intention was to leave the audience laughing.

The
"Come out of hiding you Crawford Coward Weasel" (paraphrase) frame.

[lynettebro440]

51. This needs another Kick

Everyone should see this.

:kick:

[wovenpaint]

52. Wow, Soup!

This is just amazing! Add my voice to the ones that say this is so powerful! I hadn't heard that song by Melanie for sooooo long(and it was my favorite) such a great choice! I've got this saved to my hard drive and I've got the kleenex out......you done yourself proud-thanks!
:hi: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[lynettebro440]

54. Kick this back up for all to see

:kick: