Larry Norman; 1947- Feb.24/2008

http://purgatorio1.com/?p=641

I have many of this mans songs burned permanently into my internal hard drive. I'll do this one out of memory, in honor of a man who inspired me to make music.

The Great American Novel

I was born and raised an orphan in a land that once was free
In a land that poured its love out on the moon
And I grew up in the shadows of your silos filled with grain
But you never helped to fill my empty spoon

When I was ten you murdered law with courtroom politics
And learned to make a lie sound just like truth
But I know you better now, and I don't fall for all your tricks
And you lost the one advantage of my youth

You kill a black at midnight just for talking to your daughter
And you make his wife your mistress, and you leave her without water
And the sheet you wear upon your face is the sheet your children sleep on
At every meal you say a prayer, you don't beleive, but still you keep on

And your money says "In God We Trust!"
But it's against the law to pray in school
You say we beat the Russians to the moon
But I say you starved your children to do it

You were far across the ocean but the war was not your own
While you were winning theirs you almost lost the one at home
Did you really think the only way to bring about real peace
Was to sacrifice your children to kill all your enemies?

Your politician, they all make speeches, and the newsmen all take notes
And they exaggerate false issues as they try to shove it down our throats
Is it really up to them whether our country sinks or floats?
Well, I wonder who would lead us if none of us would vote...

My phone is tapped, my lips are chapped from whispering thru the fence
you know every move I make, or is that just coincidence?
Well you try to make my way of life a little less like jail
If I promise to send you tapes and slides and send them thru the mail

And your money says "In God We Trust!"
But it's against the law to pray in school
You say we beat the Russians to the moon
But I say you starved your children to do it
You say all men are equal, all men are brothers
Then why are the rich more equal than others?
Don't ask me for the answers, I've only found one
That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son


Larry is now In Another Land, and I hope to meet him there one day.