Cassie - Flyleaf

The song "Cassie" was written by the Christian band "Flyleaf" in response to a shooting that occurred in the Columbine High School, Colorado, on April 20, 1999. Amon many other people a 17-year old girl called Cassie Bernall was killed in the Columbine High School massacre that day. The lead singer Lacey Moseley dedicated this song to Cassie Bernall's honor.   

So here's what happend and what eventually inspired Lacey Moseley to write this song:
The massacre was executed by two senior students, Erica Harris and Dylan Klebold, who murdered a total of twelve students and one teacher and injured 24 students. In addition to shootings, a fire bomb placed in the cafeteria, explosive devices and car bombs were involved. After the attack that had carefully been planned ahead according to the media, the pair committed suicide. "The Columbine High School massacre is the deadliest mass murder committed on an American high school campus, and is noted as one of the first and most serious of a series of high profile spree shootings which have since occurred. " (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre#cite_note-4) 

Right after the shooting it was revealed that one of the gunmen asked Bernall if she believed in God only a few seconds before he shot her. She was reported to have answered "Yes" which was consequently seen as the reason for her being shot. The story spread very fast and led to many Christians seeing Cassie Bernall as some kind of a martyr. Flyleaf's lead singer, Lacey Moseley, obviously felt the same way and thus wrote her song "Cassie" in honor of the 17-year old victim of the same name. However, according to some statements Cassie was never questioned about her beliefs, while others stated that another girl, Rachel Scott (who actually survived the shooting) was asked whether she believed in God, or that the shooters said "peek-a-boo" before shooting Cassie while she continued to pray silently.

Lacey Moseley as the lead singer of the Christian band Flyleaf put her focus on Cassie because she supposedely answered the question "Do you believe in God?" with "Yes" although she knew what would happen. For Lacey Moseley this is a perfect example of standing up for your beliefs even though it might put your life in danger. She criticizes that nowadays society turns its back to its beliefs in order to stay alive and not cause any problems. 

I have to admit that I don't agree with Lacey Moseleys statement. I think it's rather the other way round - today people stand up for their beliefs and fight for their rights instead of accepting everything as it is. The grand majority of people seems very courageous to me and expresses their feelings freely and publicly. 

The question asked in order
To save her life or take it
The answer "No" to avoid death
The answer "Yes" would make it
Make it
"Do you believe in God?"
Written on the bullet
Say "Yes" to pull the trigger
"Do you believe in God?"
Written on the bullet
And Cassie pulled the trigger
All heads are bowed in silence
To remember her last sentence
She answered him knowing what would happen
Her last words still hanging in the air
In the air
"Do you believe in God?"
Written on the bullet
Say "Yes" to pull the trigger
"Do you believe in God?"
Written on the bullet
And Cassie pulled the trigger
How many will die
I will die
I, I will say "Yes"
"Do you believe in God?"
Written on the bullet
Say "Yes" to pull the trigger
"Do you believe in God?"
Written on the bullet
And Cassie pulled the trigger
(Do you believe?)
"Do you believe in God?"
(Do you believe?)
"Do you believe in God?"
(Do you believe?)
"Do you believe in God?"
And I will pull the trigger

My name is Luka - Suzanne Vega

I would like to tell you about yet another famous song with an interesting background story. This time I chose “My name is Luka” by Suzanne Vega, a catchy tune that seems to spread joy and happiness, but by taking a closer look at the lyrics you realize that it is actually a very sad song about a big issue.

Suzanne Vega released her highest-charting hit “Luka” in 1987. It was one of the earliest songs that dealt with child abuse and domestic violence. Contrary to the sad topic, the music is quite lively and joyful and revokes feelings of happiness. This was made on purpose and is supposed to be a metaphor for all the victims of child abuse and domestic violence, who often tend to deny their abuse.

Suzanne Vega once said about her song: “A few years ago, I used to see this group of children playing in front of my building, and there was one of them, whose name was Luka, who seemed a little bit distinctive from the other children. I always remembered his name, and I always remembered his face, and I didn't know much about him, but he just seemed set apart from these other children that I would see playing. And his character is what I based the song Luka on. In the song, the boy Luka is an abused child—in real life I don't think he was. I think he was just different.”

My favorite line of the lyrics is “I think it’s because I’m clumsy”. Not only do these words describe how too many victims of child abuse and domestic violence handle their situation (namely by lying about it or even worse - denying it), but they also emphasize how the victims feel about their mistreatment. They often think that it is their fault that they are being mistreated and they come up with various reasons for justifying the actions of their abusers. In fact, it is not at all their fault though. All in all, child abuse and domestic violence is a very complex topic that preoccupies an uncountable number of people all over the world and unfortunately many people are still afflicted by it. Susanne Vega surely succeeded in touching hundreds and thousands of people with her song, which is (according to me) the most powerful tool of a song.

My name is Luka
I live on the second floor
I live upstairs from you
Yes I think you've seen me before
If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was 

I think it's because I'm clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it's because I'm crazy
I try not to act too proud
They only hit until you cry
And after that you don't ask why
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore 

Yes I think I'm okay
I walked into the door again
Well, if you ask that's what I'll say
And it's not your business anyway
I guess I'd like to be alone
With nothing broken, nothing thrown
Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am

My name is Luka
I live on the second floor
I live upstairs from you
Yes I think you've seen me before
If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was 

I think it's because I'm clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it's because I'm crazy
I try not to act too proud
They only hit until you cry
And after that you don't ask why
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore

Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton

I love finding out more about the background of songs, especially if I can relate to the lyrics in any kind of way or if the lyrics move me personally.

In an earlier post I have already revealed some facts about the Boomtown Rats' song I Don't Like Mondays. In this post I would like to tell you about Eric Clapton and what kind of tragic event inspired him to compose one of his most successful songs - Tears in Heaven.

Eric Clapton, born 30 March 1945, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. On 20 March 1991, Eric Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of his mother's friend's apartment in New York City. Shortly afterwards Eric Clapton wrote the song Tears in Heaven, which was co-written by Will Jennings. By means of this song, Eric Clapton expressed his grief and mourned over the sudden loss of his son.

The song was initially featured on the soundtrack to the film Rush (a movie about two cops who go after an elusive drug dealer and eventually become drug addicts themselves) and it won three Grammy Awards.
In 2004 Eric Clapton stopped playing the song due to personal reasons. He explained to the press that he could not perform it anymore because his emotions had changed over the years. He did not feel the same kind of loss anymore as he did right after the mortal accident of his four-year-old son, which is such an essential part of performing the song according to him. In an interview Eric Clapton stated: " I almost subconsciously used music for myself as a healing agent, and lo and behold, it worked...I have got a great deal of happiness and a great deal of healing from music."

I think the number of people all over the world who know this song is completely amazing, even though the majority probably does not even know about the meaning of the song and what Eric Clapton tried to express with it. All in all, it is a song written about the pain and loss Eric Clapton felt following the death of his little boy who died at a terribly young age.

I added the video for you to listen to it once more - if you feel like it.

Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays

You probably all know the song "I Don't Like Mondays" by the Boomtown Rats. But do you also know the story behind it? No? Well, don't worry, I'll solve that mystery for you right now.

The song was written in the summer of 1979 by Bob Geldorf in response to the shooting spree of the 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer, who who killed two adults (including the principal) and injured eight children and a police officer with her father's gun. The shooting took place in a school playground at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego, California, on Monday, the 29th of January in 1979. Brenda Ann Spencer showed absolutely no remorse about her killing and injuring of several people. In her confession she offered the following explanation for her actions: "I just started shooting, that's it. I just did it for the fun of it. I just don't like Mondays. I just did it because it's a way to cheer the day up. Nobody likes Mondays."

These words really got to Bob Geldorf, who performed his number one hit song only a few weeks later. He couldn't stop thinking about Brenda Ann Spencer's statement and reason for killing people, which is why he finally put pen to paper to let go of his emotions. The words "silicon chip inside her head had switched to overload" popped into his head and as he couldn't get rid of them they finally became an essential part of his lyrics. Hearing the phrase "Tell me why?" over and over again during the numerous interviews of the shooter, made him inlcude these words in his lyrics as well.

Ever since I heard the story behind this song, I see Mondays in a different way. I have stopped whining about the end of the weekend and the beginning of a new stressful week and started accepting Mondays just the way they are. Maybe the same thing will happen to you. So, just listen to the song once more and take a closer look at the lyrics. Afterwards, you may even be cured of the "Mondayphobia".