Sound-pit-ch

too sentimental, too emotional, too naïve?

this video confronts us with the things going wrong in our world. it contains some emotional scenes, like the elephant mother with its baby, the father who sees the bicycle belonging to his girl who was killed during bombings in kosovo and remembering better times (did the video not appear during the time of the war in kosovo?).

the video then shows everything (well, almost everything) turning allright again. cut down trees that stand back up, tanks and soldiers being blown away by the wind, even someone who was shot and killed returning to live. isn’t that overdone? naïve? not in touch with our harsh reality? didn’t this fairytale go well with the world michael jackson created for himself and lived in?

maybe, maybe not.

the song shows that there is an awareness of reality. the lyrics themselves don’t even go further than asking questions and expressing disbelief. the video shows change, fairytale-style.

but the moment the change starts in the video is very striking and remarkable. it’s when michael jackson and many voices with him start asking questions! then the change comes. the wind starts to blow and turns everything allright. biblical stories speak about the wind as a symbol for the holy spirit of god that renews and heals the world. doesn’t this video give these words visual form? does it not speak of a better world where we all dream about?

if we start asking questions, if we realize that we can’t go on in our old ways, if we notice that there’s an alternative, then change is possible, then change has begun. so michael jackson – even after his death – shows us his dream, show us how beautiful the world can be. and if we focus our attention on all that is good, we won’t have time left to spend on bad things!

lyrics

What about sunrise?
What about rain?
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain?
What about killing fields?
Is there a time?
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine…?
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we’ve shed before?
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying earth, this weeping shore?
.
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh
.
What have we done to the world
Look what we’ve done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son…?
What about flowering fields?
Is there a time?
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine…?
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war?
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying earth, this weeping shore?
.
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh…
.
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don’t know where we are
Although I know we’ve drifted far
.
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh…
.
Hey, what about yesterday? (what about us?)
What about the seas? (what about us?)
The heavens are falling down (what about us?)
I can’t even breathe (what about us?)
What about Africans? (what about us?)
I ain’t even you (what about us?)
What about nature’s worth? (ooh ooh)
It’s our planet’s womb! (what about us?)
.
What about animals? (what about it?)
We’ve turned kingdoms to dust (what about us?)
What about elephants? (what about us?)
Have we lost their trust? (what about us?)
What about crying whales? (what about us?)
We’re ravaging the seas! (what about us?)
What about forest trails? (ooh ooh)
Burnt despite our pleas! (what about us?)
.
What about the holy land? (what about it?)
Torn apart by creed? (what about us?)
What about the common man? (what about us?)
Can’t we set him free? (what about us?)
What about children dying? (what about us?)
Can’t you hear them cry? (what about us?)
Where did we go wrong? (ooh ooh)
Someone tell me why! (what about us?)
.
What about babies born? (what about it?)
What about the days? (what about us?)
What about all their joy? (what about us?)
What about the man? (what about us?)
What about the crying man? (what about us?)
What about Abraham? (what about us?)
What about death again (ooh ooh)
Do we give a damn?
.
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh…