retroblog.net

“Power to Change” by the Austin, Texas band The Black & White Years has been on repeat on my music player for the last day and a half. I can’t get the song out of my head!! It’s got a cool Talking Heads feel to it and it turns out that ex-Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison produced the record. The lyrics are pretty thought-provoking, stating that even though our culture has destroyed for years and years, we still have the power to undo all of that.

Needless to say, I won’t go
I will be dead in the ground before the show, terrified and strange
Still I will believe in the power to change
Say what you will, what you’ll say probably won’t change my feelings anyway
Things will feel the same, still I will believe in the power to change
I remember now the why and how – the idea and the firebrand
from sludge of sea to scourge of land
You see, we once were the same as the beasts and the rain
and the earth and the cane and the ocean sleeping
and life was as strange as the wet on the rain
and the sweet on the cane and the creatures creeping
till along one day someone found a way to keep famine at bay, they stored and hoarded
The idea grew and their numbers, too, till none really knew how they lived before it
and the idea spread till the others were dead and philosophers said we need a savior
But the answer was there in the snake and the bear
in the animal stare, in our own behavior
We are alone and estranged, I hope we have the power to change
Must I admit, must I say everything that must be done to turn away?
Admit you are insane, then you might believe in the power to change
People, it’s done, let’s let go
We have been striving too long to die so, it’s well within our range
Still, we must believe in the power to change…
Power to Change by The Black and White Years
—

—
Download Power to Change [for a limited time via mediafire]

—
The Black and White Years are:
Scott Butler, Landon Thompson, John Aldridge and Billy Potts

The band won five awards at this year’s South by Southwest festival including Best New Band and Best Performing Band (Rock).

find out more by checking out their myspace page

Be sure to catch them live:
10 June 2009 – 101x & KGSR Present: Solar Powered Concert Series @ Republic Square, Austin, TX
11 June 2009 – House of Blues – Pontiac Garage Dallas, TX
04 July 2009 – Wireless Festival, London, UK
05 July 2009 – Wireless Festival, London, UK

For more information on the band’s UK live shows, check out this press release by Noble PR.

Related posts:

1. Black Country Communion to release debut album September 2010
2. black friday tragedy
3. Joel and Victoria Osteen – The Power of Money
4. Asia: the lost years
5. Glastonbury footage on McCartney Years

Filed under:
music by retroDan