Songs! Like, with lyrics!

Here is a song I wrote in about 1974, commemorating a pilgrimage some friends and I took to Los Alamos, NM on August 6-9 to call attention to (and address and bemoan) the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We were a rag-tag group, walking from Taos to Los Alamos through Santa Fe, sleeping in fields, and carrying signs. The inspiration was from Saint Francis, who walked about similarly, calling people to join the “new madness.” We met with the director of the Los Alamos laboratory, who assured us of the necessity of building earth-destroying bombs that he hoped we’d never have to use again. After I recorded this, a friend sent it to Joan Baez, who, I hope, had a chuckle.

Santa Fe

And, a while later, after hiking and camping along the Conejos River in southern Colorado, I wrote this peaceful song. I recorded it recently, and I can’t sing so well anymore, so…

The River Conejos

More soon. Thanks for listening!

Author: Samuel A. Johnson

This blog is about hiking, thinking, and writing.

2 thoughts on “Songs! Like, with lyrics!”

  1. Listened to Sante Fe today. Clever, and of course the context/backstory makes it even more enjoyable. I’ve always enjoyed your ability to tell a story and your activism inspires 🙂

    Like

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