(Crossposted at the blog "Music For My Daughter," a future conversation with my daughter about our music collection. I post it here to share it, but also because I dig the unfolding conversations in the comments with the KOS community).
"Ship of Fools" by World Party (1986)
World Party, essentially, is Karl Wallinger, a former member of The Waterboys, among other musical projects. His music is very different, never bowing to the fads or styles of the day, which is what great artists do. It also imparts a timeless quality on his music. When I listen to this track, I can’t tell when it was recorded. Last week? In 1967? Maybe down the hall from a Bob Dylan session?
The beauty is that it doesn’t matter, at least not to me. It’s just good music. I’d recommend all of World Party’s records to you. I think we have all of them, few though they are.
In addition to his innovative music, Mr. Wallinger penned some stinging, prescient lyrics:
Traveling the world, you’re in search of no good
But I’m sure you’ll build your Sodom like you knew you would
Using all the good people for your galley slaves
As your little boat struggles through the warning waves
This is a song to people in power, our leadership, the quality of which can change drastically from one era to another. Since our leaders have such authority and impact on us (and the planet), we have a duty to question their motives. Why ARE we fighting this war? Why DID they pass that law? Do they really have our best interests at heart? Or is it their own interests, or those of their friends?
It can be a daunting task, especially if you always feel like David to their Goliath. But as Thomas Jefferson said, "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." And when you need a compadre as a "freedom vigilante," you can always count on tracks like this to keep you company.