Drowning Trouble with the world is way too busy to think about it all night. Why is the rebel flag hanging from the state-house walls? Tired of hearing this s--- `bout . . . . Time won't make the world a better place. Why must we hate on another? Well it don't matter, we gotta live together. Just `cause you don't look like me; Tell me, what do you say when we pass on the street? What do you want to say? Peace, come in. All I gotta' say, I wanna turn and run away. They just tell you how they see it. Right or wrong. . . Drowning in a sea of tears. Hatred trying to hide your fears. Living only for yourself. Hating everybody else `Cause they don't look like you. Nancy's singing it's a hard life wherever you go. `Bout some bad races living in Chicago. Tryin' to get these kids. . .. Tell me, is that someone you want to be your son? Why must we hate one another? When the people at the church tell me, "You're my brother. You don't walk like me; You don't talk like me; Why don't you go back to Africa?" I just don't understand. Drowning Him tryin' to be someone else, Eager to look like. . . . When I walk down the street, tell me, What do you see? I'm a man, I'm a man, I'm a man. Hating Everybody else `cause they don't look like you. Hootie and the Blowfish Cracked Rear View ************************** "Drowning" OK, so Hootie is pretty mainstream. I read a review in Newsweek previous to their latest release which raked them over the coals for being a "feel good" band. Does this look "feel good-ish?" The lyrics are truly powerful in their exploration of racism in modern society. I always get hung up on the lines referencing the hypocricy of his fellow churchmembers. The students' reactions vary. Most, much to my surprise, were very receptive to listening to the lyrics and talking about them as opposed to just "vegging out" to the music. I have had a very dificult time figuring out the rest of the words to this one. If anyone has some insight, please let me know. With about three or four days' warning, I have the kids bring in their favorite songs, with lyrics if possible. I have them present their song to the class and tell them the following: Group Album Song Title What it's about or what it means to them. Why it is so powerful in their opinion. I've gotten everything from Country & Western to Headbanger music. Either way, it's a lot of fun. P.S. I've also used the intro to Hootie's "Look Away" from the same album as above to introduce "Romeo and Juliet"so the kids can see the timelessness of the parents-in-the-way teen-love story. Saw her standin' there, Tears upon her cheek told me something was wrong. I asked her what it was. She looked away and said, "My daddy's home." I knew what that meant. Meant that I would never see her again.