Singing for climate action

July 25, 2019
Issue 
FridaysForFuture protest in Berlin.

In a July 12 statement, the group said: “We find it alarming and frightening that we could potentially be facing the end of the world, in our lifetime, or at least our children’s lifetime. It just blows [our minds] that our leaders continue to ignore the numerous scientific reports and evidence that this is the reality.

“Australia is not doing its part to combat climate change-and sadly we have just re-elected the same government.”

Inspired by Western Australian climate activism and initiatives such as Transition Town Western Suburbs and Extinction Rebellion WA, teachers, students and parents based in Perth’s northern suburbs have collaborated with local musicians to create a song titled “Climate Emergency” (adapted from lyrics the song “Bittersweet Life” by My Favourite Highway).

The song is currently being rehearsed by students planning to join the global student strike in Perth on September 20, and it is hoped the song will be sung at rallies across Australia by striking students that day.

Unnamed is calling on everyone, Australia-wide to participate in a national simultaneous singing session of Climate Emergency at 11.30am Perth time on September 20. The group is putting together a music video to advertise this event.

Among those collaborating with this effort is musician and activist Victor Hoisington, who said: “As an activist, musician, visual and audible forms of expression is a natural part of life. As is well proven and documented, music and particularly song is integral to protest and is the glue that will bind people to a cause.”

To get involved in Unnamed go its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pg/Unnamed.

Climate Emergency

(Adapted from “Bittersweet Life” by My Favourite Highway.)

Greedy, stubborn and ignorant
You have insisted on killing our world
Reading the same speech
That we have all heard

Heartless Conjunctions and phrases
Based on your need to condemn us with coal
I must have misread all the warnings
That you never sent

It’s a climate emergency
And it’s leaving me not ok
We must act now
Before we have lost our home
And all our friends

Maybe I can still change things
I know that I am young
But I have the desire
We must race the clock
Locating the answer to this travesty

And what about our children?
Who’ll never breathe clean air?
Or swim at the beach
How do I forget every beauty
in this world I have ever known?

It’s a climate emergency
And it’s leaving me not okay
We must act now 
Before we have lost our home

It’s a climate emergency
And it’s leaving me not okay
We must act now
Before we have lost our home
And all our friends

I’m calling your bluff
I can feel that this temperature
Is burning us up
This is so rough
And it’s as if destroying us isn’t enough

Well I’ve had enough
I’m calling your bluff

It’s a climate emergency
And it’s leaving me not Okay
We must act now
Before we have lost our home

It’s a climate emergency
And it’s leaving me not Okay
We must act now
Before we have lost our home
And all friends.

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