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Behind the song:
This obviously isn’t a Pop song; I just didn’t know where to put it. It’s written as a theatre piece (think Les Misérables) . Do you remember some years back when terrorists entered the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris, leaving 12 dead? A slogan emerged – Je suis Charlie (I am Charlie) – that signified solidarity. Not long after that a new report emerged about immigrants capsizing off the coast of Europe. The body of a four year old was found when it washed ashore. We had a four year old of our own. It was only in the news a day or two and then was forgotten. I was moved by it. Here is my admittedly very dark and theatrical reply.
LYRICS:
I know they’ve walked 500 miles
I’ve seen their tiny son wash up on shore
I’ve never seen a people look so tired.
This is not the time to lock the door.
When they got here they were greeted with barbed wire
blocking all their dreams to a better life
Yet there are calls to make the walls still higher
We’re asking them to give up on their lives
They’ve heard the news about the crazy bombers
And know it has nothing to do with them
They stand outside the fence and stare with longing
They’re victims too, hoping to come in.
CHORUS:
How can we stand
And just do nothing?
How do we watch
A nation bleed?
I see you
In all your suffering
Je suis un réfugié.
Je suis un réfugié.
This is where politicians fail us
And beliefs are gently pushed aside.
But if we can stand and just do nothing
Then everything we’ve believed in is a lie.
CHORUS:
How can we stand
And just do nothing?
How do we watch
A nation bleed?
I see you
In all your suffering
Je suis un réfugié.
Je suis un réfugié.
Know that I am with you.
Je suis un réfugié.
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