Why can't you and I?

[Sapphire Blue]

We Shall Overcome: An Hour With Legendary Folk Singer & Activist Pete Seeger

(excerpt)

PETE SEEGER: Yip and Harold Arlen, the musician, work out this plum of a job to write songs for a musical version of The Wizard of Oz, and they got this song, and then the producer was going to cut it from the show, says it slows up the opening. And they fought like tigers: "This movie is not going to be made unless this song is in it." Finally, it took Louis B. Mayer, himself, who says, "We're wasting a lot of money sitting around here arguing. Let's get started. Let the boys have their song." And, of course, it's that song that brings back a revival of the movie all the time. It's a great song.

I sang it last Feb 15th, a year ago. Wow! I was on First Avenue. There must have been hundreds of thousands of people stretched out. And I said, "You know this song. I'll give you the words." And I gave, just like I did with "Turn, Turn, Turn." I said, "Somewhere over the rainbow." And they sang, "Somewhere over the rainbow." "Way up high." "Way up high." "There's a land I heard of once in a lullaby." "There's a --" So through the whole song, the hundreds of thousands of people sung it.

But near the end -- I do this whenever I sing the song -- I say, "There's two more short lines to this song, but I have to change two words." And I look heavenward and say, "Somewhere up there I can hear Yip saying, 'Pete, you can fool around with your old folk songs, but don't you touch "Over the Rainbow," please.' Yip, wherever you are, I got to change two words 'cause if I'd been there when little Dorothy said, 'Why can't I?' I'd tell her, 'You know why you can't, Dorothy? Because you only ask for yourself. You've got to ask for everybody, because either we're all going to make it over that rainbow, or nobody's going to make it.' And so, sing it, 'If plucky little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why can't you and I?'" And the whole crowd sings these slightly different words. It's beautiful. And, of course, that's the story of Noah's Ark and the rainbow. I'm sure Yip was thinking of that.

This world will survive when we learn how to coexist. Okay, we disagree. You like to eat this way, and I like to eat that way. You like to dance that way. I like to dance this way. You think of this word meaning such and such. I use the same word, but I'm thinking of something different. But if we learn the lesson of the rainbow, we will be here a hundred years from now.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/03/1443245#transcript

"And so, sing it, 'If plucky little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why can't you and I?'"

:grouphug:

[goclark]

1. As always Sapphire Blue ~ you are the heart and soul of Du!

K and Nominated

[Sapphire Blue]

2. ...

:hug:

[goclark]

3. Oops, I forgot to do that well deserved Recommend

:hug:

[bobbolink]

4. Now I know why we ALL love that song!

What a wonderful story, and what a wonderful lesson for us all!

This is precisely what's missing in the U.S., and, in large degree, what is missing with the Dems.

I can only hope that others will take this to heart.

Here's to you, IZ-- Mahalo for your uke and "Rainbow" humming!

And for you, Sapphire...

:hug: :pals: :loveya:

[Sapphire Blue]

6. If it's missing, then we've gotta put it back in... simple as that.

Yes, it's a wonderful lesson, and I too, hope others will take this to heart... but then I'm just a foolish person who thinks that we're all going to make it over that rainbow... together ;)

:hug: :pals: :loveya:

[Straight Shooter]

5. Thank you, Sapphire Blue

goclark is right, you are the heart and soul of DU. You are, in a very real sense, the light which shines through to help us see the rainbow after the storm.

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

7. ...

:hug:

[ismnotwasm]

8. I HAD to take a peak at this thead

And I've very glad I did. Beautiful.

[Sapphire Blue]

9. Glad you did :)

:hi:

[Eric J in MN]

10. Pete Seeger singing "Bring Them Home."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK1g69iHu1Q

[Sapphire Blue]

12. Great video... thanks for posting!

:hi:

[Eric J in MN]

15. You're welcome.

I originally found it when another DUer posted a link (I don't remember who.)

[BigBearJohn]

11. What a beautiful posting. Thanks for sharing.

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

13. ...

:hug:

[kskiska]

14. Yip Harburg was asked how he could write "April in Paris"

without ever having been there. His reply was, "I also wrote 'Over the Rainbow," and I've never been there, either."

[Sapphire Blue]

16. Ha! Good reply!

[goclark]

18. Kick for the night crew Sapphire! nt

[NMDemDist2]

17. that was a great interview! we are moving and DH was talking about

changing our satellite provider and maybe going to cable

I told him as long as there was FSTV or Link I'd be fine but I couldn't live without Amy Goodman and Democracy Now!

[lonestarnot]

19. repukes have rainbows toooooo? damn.

[InternalDialogue]

20. Sapphire Blue, I always get a warm feeling when I see your screen name.

Whatever the subject, your posts revolve around a vibrant, positive core.

And even better, this time, it's a great story too. I caught that interview on TV by chance, and Pete was magnetic. His life stories and experiences will inspire people long after all of us are gone.

Thanks for the post.

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

23. He's wonderful, isn't he?

:hug:

[goclark]

26. I agree, when I see a Sapphire Post it makes my day

and I always bookmark it.

[intheflow]

21. Believe it or not,

I'm working on a sermon about the song Over The Rainbow for a UU church. Pete Seeger is a UU! This fits into my sermon perfectly.

That you SO MUCH for posting this. It really is a divine intervention for me! O8)

[Sapphire Blue]

24. Sounds like a wonderful theme for a sermon.

Will you be singing the song after the sermon? If so, sing Seeger's version! :hug:

[intheflow]

27. Actually,

I was going to use the Judy Garland, Eric Clapton, and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole versions, but was looking for a fourth to use in the service. I think the Seeger version sounds perfect because it is a sermon about how we have to work togther to find the pot of gold. :)

[Sapphire Blue]

28. I like that idea

I have this visual after reading your post...

We're all working together to get over the rainbow... helping each another when someone stumbles or just can't walk on their own anymore... until we finally all make it there... over the rainbow. We find the pot of gold... someone starts a fire, puts the pot of gold over the fire until it becomes bouillon... but it's no longer gold bouillon... it has transformed into soup... enough soup to feed all of us.

:grouphug:

[intheflow]

29. Say, that's good!

Do you want to write this sermon for me? :rofl:

Seriously, thanks for the good food for thought. :hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

30. Thanks

... but, no, thanks :rofl: ... no sermon writing for me; I'm not a writer, just a foolish dreamer.

You're welcome :hug:

[bobbolink]

32. A beautiful visual -- would make a great short animation!

It reminds me of the saying I heard the other day:

Republicans say, "You're on your own." Democrats say "We're all in this together."

Obviously, we're all also a product of our society, and the toughness and rugged individualism permeates us all, but it's certainly a great thought to keep in mind and strive for.

The scene you created works great to help us sustain that ideal!

:loveya:

[Sapphire Blue]

33. Ah, yes, "We're all in this together."

:loveya:

[bobbolink]

31. Aloha, IZ!

Thanks for using his version -- more fond memories.

I did a double take the other day, when I heard it at the beginning of a Rice Krispies commercial. :) That famous uke.....

[bobbolink]

34. If I wasn't afraid of the roof caving in, I'd sure like to attend to hear

your sermon! :) That is such a great idea.

I'm reminded of something an Episcopal priest said during a sermon many years ago. He was asked what his idea of pornography was, and he replied, "I see pornography as the concept of 'Us' and 'Them'." Not the same thing as we're all in this together, but in the same tone.

So, a "You And I" sermon in a "YouYou" church...:hide:

~~chortle~~

[Sapphire Blue]

35. Was your sermon for today? How was it? I'd love to hear it!

:hi:

[undergroundpanther]

22. Singing

"And so, sing it, 'If plucky little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why can't Me and Youuuuuu go tooooo?'"


Yeah, I just had to be a horses ass of a different color didn't I :)

[Sapphire Blue]

25. Singing with you...

'If plucky little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why can't Me and Youuuuuu go tooooo?'

Nice thing about rainbows... they have many colors... yours is beautiful :) :hug: