"Concrete Jungle" by The Wailers, album: Catch a Fire (1973)

No sun will shine in my day today; (no sun will shine)
The high yellow moon won't come out to play:
(that high yellow moon won't come out to play)
I said (darkness) darkness has covered my light,
(and the stage) And has changed my day into night, yeah.
Where is the love to be found? (oo-ooh-ooh)
Won't someone tell me?
'Cause my (sweet life) life must be somewhere to be found -
(must be somewhere for me)
Instead of concrete jungle (jungle!)
Where the living is harder (concrete, jungle!).

Concrete jungle (jungle!):
Man you got to do your (concrete, jungle!) best. Wo-ooh, yeah.

No chains around my feet,
But I'm not free, oh-ooh!
I know I am bound here in captivity;
G'yeah, now - (never, know) I've never known happiness;
(never, know) I've never known what sweet caress is -
Still, I'll be always laughing like a clown;
Won't someone help me? 'Cause I (sweet life) -
I've got to pick myself from off the ground
(must be somewhere for me), he-yeah! -
In this a concrete jungle (jungle!):
I said, what do you got for me (concrete, jungle!) now, o-oh!
Concrete jungle (la la-la!), ah, won't you let me be (concrete, jungle!), now.
Hey! Oh, now!

I said that life (sweet life) - it must be somewhere to be found
(must be somewhere for me)
Oh, instead of concrete jungle (jungle!) - illusion (concrete, jungle!) -
confusion (confusion). (concrete, jungle!) Eh!

Concrete jungle (jungle!): baby, you've got it in.
Concrete jungle (concrete,jungle!), now. Eh!
Concrete jungle (jungle!).

What do you got for me (concrete,jungle!), now?

Life, love and human relations are difficult to be expressed in the allienated conctrete jungkes of heavily urbanized cities.

you can hear this song on youtube

"Little Fighter" by White Lion, album: Big Game (1989)

are you cryin' tonight, are you
feelin' alright
i'll tell the world that you are,
down on yourluck, you were
one of the kind
one who'd never give in
even when they put a price on your head

has anyone heard the tales you tell
or seen the scars you wear
did anyone speak up when you fell
does anybody care

rise again little fighter
and let the world know the reason why
shine again little fighter
and don't let 'em end the things you do

and you were one with a cause,
and a reason to be
you were a fighter for peace
on this earth
and you were never afraid
you put your life on the line
and you were always alone
out on the sea

without a weapon in your hand
you came to fight a war
they took your life, but didn't know
that you would never die

rise again little fighter
and let the world know the reason why
shine again little fighter
and don't let 'em end the things you do

are you feelin' alright
cause i care

rise again little fighter
and let the world know the reason why
shine again little fighter
and don't let 'em end the things you do

rise again little fighter
and let the world know the reason why
shine again little fighter
and don't let 'em end the things you do

We read in wikipedia:

The song is about a Greenpeace boat named "Rainbow Warrior" which was illegally destroyed by the French. Inside the Big Game album booklet, where the Little Fighter lyrics are it says "In Memory of Rainbow Warrior" in brackets next to the name.

Unlike most bands of their genre, White Lion recorded occasional songs that addressed social or political issues such as apartheid ("Cry for Freedom") and the effect of divorce on children ("Broken Home"). The song "Little Fighter" was about the Rainbow Warrior, a ship owned by the environmental group Greenpeace that was destroyed by operatives of the French intelligence service. This concern for political and social
issues was also hinted at in the cover art to their album Big Game, which featured a lion's head hidden in tall grass with the White House in the background.

. You can hear this song in youtube

"Rain" by Fauna (2006)

Before the stars fled our sky
When we spoke the old tongue
When our mouths were filled with dirt
Our tongues danced as trees

As owl flies to cedar bough...

Shadow unto shadow falls
The wrung earth stills
Smoke rises from an empty face
Inkstain from the heart spreads

Hot tears spill
From the sky's open seam
An ash breeze pours
From our pure mouths
Partake of this dying fruit

Footprints fill with poison water
Footprints toward the forest fade

As animals we gather
Around the womb-hole in the ground
Shed this flimsy skin
Ignite our eyes again

Shadow opens
Nature's hands enfold
Listen: wind inside
Wind, harbinger

Under a raged cloth of sky
And the moon's blazing eye
Burrow deep in blackest earth
And break further

Hands blackened with my own blood
Piece me back together
Unburden the gutted beast
Fill the abyssal chest with leaves
I, great wound the wind whips,
Disappear.

[Those who love will forget they loved]

The ugly past curls in the fire
Shadows cast their figures
Into the swallowing mist.

An one hour ambient-black metal song from the so called "Cascadian scene" a branch of this extreme metal that has left the evil and dark thematology in favour of a more noble, natutalistic and environmental attitude.

You can hear this song in youtube in five parts

"Ka-ching" by Shania Twain, album" Up (2002)

We live in a greedy little world--
that teaches every little boy and girl
To earn as much as they can possibly--
then turn around and
Spend it foolishly
We've created us a credit card mess
We spend the money that we don't possess
Our religion is to go and blow it all
So it's shoppin' every Sunday at the mall

All we ever want is more
A lot more than we had before
So take me to the nearest store

Can you hear it ring
It makes you wanna sing
It's such a beautiful thing--Ka-ching!
Lots of diamond rings
The happiness it brings
You'll live like a king
With lots of money and things

When you're broke go and get a loan
Take out another mortgage on your home
Consolidate so you can afford
To go and spend some more when
you get bored

All we ever want is more
A lot more than we had before
So take me to the nearest store

Let's swing
Dig deeper in your pocket
Oh, yeah, ha
Come on I know you've got it
Dig deeper in your wallet
Oh

All we ever want is more
A lot more than we had before
So take me to the nearest store

Can you hear it ring
It makes you wanna sing
You'll live like a king
With lots of money and things
Ka-ching!

A distinctive song from a famous pop singer, usually singing about love and men. Its about the disease of our societies, the consumerism, and the feeling of internal emptiness we feel, trying in vain to fill it with shopping therapy. We read in wikipedia:

The song deals with America's consumer culture through boom years of 1990s and early 2000s....Lyrically, the song talk about the greed in the world....The video depicts a city consumed with greed, Twain finds the streets empty and cars left abandoned while everyone is in a casino, sticking with the theme of the song. Scenes of Twain sporting a silver outfit and a dress (red in the pop version, green in the country version, and blue in the world version) are intercut throughout the video. The pop version with the red dress was the one typically used. "Ka-Ching!" is one of only two Shania videos to remain commercially unavailable.

You can hear and see this song-video in youtube

Brimful Of Asha by CORNERSHOP, album: When I Was Born For The 7th Time (1997)

There's dancing
Behind movie scenes
Behind the movie scenes
Sadi Rani
She's the one that keeps the dream alive
from the morning
past the evening
to the end of the light
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45

And dancing
Behind movie scenes
Behind those movie screens
Asha Bhosle
She's the one that keeps the dream alive
from the morning
past the evening
to the end of the light
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45

And singing
illuminate the main streets
And the cinema aisles
We don't care bout no
Government warnings,
'bout their promotion of the simple life
And the dams they're building
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of Asha on the 45

Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Mine's on the 45

Mohamed Rafi -45
Lata Mangeshkar -45
Solid state radio -45
Fer-guh-son mono -45
Bancs publics -45
Jacques Dutronc and the Bolan Boogie, the Heavy
Hitters and the Chichi music
All India Radio-45
Two in ones -45
Argo Records -45
Trojan Records -45

Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45

Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Mine's on the 45

seven seven thousand piece
Orchestra set
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Mine's on the RPM!!

Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45
Brimful of Asha on the 45
Well it's a brimful of asha on the 45

Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow
Everybody needs a bosom
Mine's on the 45

a happy hour song taht has nothing to do with political, social or ecological awareness. It calls us to have a good time singing and watching movies promoting escapism from our great concerns. Yes, but some verses seems to act reversely ans keep us in mind of some serious issues that destroy societies, environment and lives far from us. Lets make the thing clearer by reading the following lyrics analysis, taken from HERE:

To understand the song, one must understand the Indian movie industry. Ever since cinema was introduced to India, most commercial movies have been heavy, sweet, musical productions. The song-and-dance interludes are not incidentals, but staples, and often are what make or break a movie. An American friend of mine was under the impression that singing was a necessary skill for Indian actors and actresses! Actually, the singing is almost always done by background singers. The background singers, of course, are not required to possess charisma or looks, and in fact in early times, care was taken to not expose them in the media, to preserve the romantic association with their voices in the minds of the moviegoing public.

Why is all this so important? Right from the beginning, movies took over the hearts and lives of common Indians in a manner that nothing has done before or since. The happiness, the tragedy, the passionate and tender love, and the conflict are all designed to speak to the melodrama-loving Indian heart. As Hindi grew more popular, Hindi movies took over the whole country. The heart of the Hindi film industry in Bombay, whimsically nicknamed Bollywood, eventually became a force larger than the one it was named after. The songs are no exception, and over the last sixty years or so filmi music, as it is called, has become by far the most popular kind in India.

Two female background singers perhaps distinguish themselves from the rest in sheer prolificness and popularity: Asha Bhonsle and Lata Mangeshkar. The two, as it happens, are sisters, and recently there has been much focus on their professional and sibling rivalry. At any rate, their singing formed the emotional soundtrack of India, as it were, for many years.

And now lets go to the part of the verses of the song that concen us:

The movies and songs are an escape: they are what allow people to forget important concerns, at least for a while. The reference to dams might need a bit of explanation. In India, these often are unnecessarily huge and costly projects that are designed that way with the aim of being points of prestige, and besides, for lining the pockets of politicians and contractors. They displace thousands of people and impact the environment in massive ways. The project currently approved on the Narmada is one present-day example. So these are issues that people should be worried about.

But this escapism is not presented as being bad. The spirit of the song is that movie fantasy is a lovely and comfortable thing.

you can hear this song in youtube

"Ark of Suffering" by Tourniquet, album: Stop the Bleeding (1990)

You think it's alright to destroy God's creation
They don't have a voice so who cares how we're treating them here
If you read His word you should know that he blessed them
I know your defense is to say "God said dominate them"

Do you think dominate means to kill just for sport
Wear the fur from their backs
Train them for circus acts
Take our pets to be gassed once their "cute" age is passed

Don't you see in their eyes how they trust us
But man in his sin turns that trust into horrible pain
When God says to man give account of your life's work
We must be prepared to reply "Your creation I loved"

Locked behind steel cage
Forced to take drugs we've made
Cut them up just to show
What we already know

Before they die...
Who will hear them cry

We read in wikipedia about this song:

"Ark of Suffering" is a song, widely known for its stance on animal abuse and the music video which contained graphic material on the subject.

"Ark of Suffering" is about man's responsibility for taking care of animals. The song takes a Biblical point of view on the subject, implying how God has given man the right to dominate the creatures in the world, but has to answer for his wrongings for God. The lyrics point out several examples of animal abuse such as canned hunts, raising them to only to be made for fur and leather coats, circus training, taking animals as pets and abandoning them once they are no longer young, laboratory tests, locking in cages in meat houses, and cutting them for educational purposes.

According to the liner notes of the album, Ted Kirkpatrick felt strongly about the subject, and has written: "How could I convey my anger and sadness over the horrific world of animal abuse? writing "Ark of Suffering" was a very cathartic experience for me. I know it has opened many people's eyes to a part of our world that very few people get to see, much less want to see."

You can hear and see it in youtube

"Save the Planet" by White Skull, Album: I won't burn alone (1995)

Look at the sky now can your richness buy it all ?
There's no price you can state or politicians to pay
No million dollars spent
And I raise my head and
Look for happiness but

I can't start I can't stop
I can't go I can't walk
War is all around.

You see you're living in wellness and freedom now
But you think at once it will change
All around leaving you astray
And you raise your head and
Look for happiness but

I can't start I can't stop
I can't go I can't walk
War is all around.

"planet earth is calling all of us
Have you ever heard her pray ?
We will be living through ruins
We won't survive ".

You think it's all dirty and nothing means
So you cry something and try to find a new reality
I know I know your fears
You got you got your tears
But i've got an illusion 'cause i wanna
Reach the sky and
Get real high.

Time slowly pass by and it's all the same
The rich get rich the poor get poor and that's the way
I know iknow your fears
You got you got your tears
But i've got an illusion 'cause i wanna
Reach that blue sky
And get real high
Whatcha feel today

First it appeared in their demo "Save the planet" in 1994. Its about the awareness that we must not feel safe in our today wealth, because it is based on nature's exploitation, and quickly we'll face poverty and devastation.

You can hear this song in youtube

"Verlorenes Paradies" by Vicky Leandros, from the same titled album (1982)

Sagt mir, wo ist das Paradies.
Sagt, wer die Welt zerstoeren ließ.
Sagt mir, warum der Fisch im Fluß
und auch die Blume sterben muß.
Wer bringt den Wald in Gefahr?
Wer baut Mauern und Straßen,
wo ein Maerchenland war?

Sagt wer zerstört ein altes Haus,
wer schüttet Gift auf Felder aus,
sagt mir wer hat die letzte Spur,
den Baum, den Strauch, das Stück Natur
in unserer Stadt betoniert?
Sagt mir, waren das nicht wir?

Verlor'nes Paradies -
wie schoen und wie bunt und wie friedlich
koennt' diese Welt sein.
Doch wir steh'n vor dem Ende.
Seht das endlich mal ein.
Verlor'nes Paradies -
wir schau'n einfach zu
wie man uns aus dem Himmel vertreibt.
Ob die Erde auch morgen
fuer uns liebenswert bleibt,
liegt an uns ganz allein.

Ich sing' fuer Dich.Ich sing' fuer mich.
Ich sing' fuer jeden, der hier wohnt.
Wir brauchen wieder einen Traum,
fuer den es sich zu traeumen lohnt.
Ich sing' fuer Dich.Ich sing' fuer Euch,
fuer alle Menschen auf der Welt.
Ich sing' fuer alles, was wir lieben
und fuer das, was uns gefaellt,
ein kleines Lied, ein kleines Lied
fuer das verlor'ne Paradies,
fuer uns're Wälder, uns're Wiesen,
uns' re Felder, uns're See'n,
Singt alle mit, singt alle mit
und singt so laut wie ihr nur könnt,
damit die Wunder dieser Erde
nie im Leben mehr vergeh'n.

Verlor'nes Paradies -
Wir schaun einfach zu
wie man uns aus dem Himmel vertreibt,
Ob die Erde auch morgen
fuer uns liebenswert bleibt,
liegt an uns ganz allein.

Translation- from google

Tell me where is paradise.
Tell me, who could destroy the world.
Tell me why the fish in the river
and must die, the flower.
Who brings the forest in danger?
Those who build walls and roads,
fairyland where one was?

Says who destroyed an old house
who pours poison on fields
tell me who has the last trace,
the tree, the bush, the piece of nature
concreted in our city?
Tell me, do not we?

Forlorn Paradise -
as beautiful and as colorful and as peacefully
Could be this world.
But we stand before the end.
Behold the last one times.
Forlorn Paradise -
we simply schau'n
as we are selling out of the sky.
Whether the earth tomorrow
for us is lovely,
is up to us alone.

I sing for Dich. Ich sing for me.
I sing for everyone who lives here.
We need to see a dream
for which it pays to dream itself.
I sing for Dich.Ich sing for you,
for all people around the world.
I sing for all that we love
and for what we like and
a little song, a little song
for the lost one paradise
for shortness of forests, meadows shortness,
We 're Fields, shortness of lakes,
Sing with all singing, all with
and sings as loud as you can,
to the wonders of this earth
never in my life vergeh'n more.

Forlorn Paradise -
We simply gaze
as we are selling out of the sky,
Whether the earth tomorrow
for us is lovely,
is up to us alone.

A song about what we are going to lose when we abuse environment. Vicky Leandros is a Greek SInger who made successfull carrier abroad between 60s and 80s with two successful participations in EUROVISION song contest with one win.

You can hear this song in youtube

Civilización by Los Piojos, album: Civilizacion (2007)

Hay algo que está sonando
seguro que ya lo oías
la tierra está vibrando
con distinta melodía.

Ni dioses locos de furia
ni demonios vengativos
ni naves extraterrestres
ni algún cometa perdido.

La historia es mucho más clara
y tiene también sentido
la tierra se está quitando
de encima al peor enemigo.

Vienen los cuatros jinetes
cabalgando vienen digo
agua, tierra, fuego y aire
vienen de tu propio ombligo.

Oh oh oh oh,
cosas de la civilización.

Que todo ya está montado
que millones de despidos
el camino es complicado
quizá como nunca ha sido.

Anoche soñé con Manu
y esta melodía cantaba
alguien encendía un asado
alguien de lejos llegaba.

Y si viene un río gris
que separe al mundo en dos
quisiera quedar del mismo lado
nena que vos. (bis)

Un nuevo desierto,
un nuevo granizo,
saben quien lo hizo
anda por acá.

Dios perdona
al hombre a veces
la naturaleza nunca,
anda por acá.

No te olvides del mamut
que no termino el vermouth
No te olvides del mamut
que no termino el vermouth por alla
Y si viene un rio gris..


translation

One thing is ringing
sure you heard it already
the earth is vibrating
with a different melody.

Neither gods mad fury
or vengeful demons
or alien craft
a comet or lost.

History is much clearer
and also makes sense
the earth is being removed
off to the worst enemy.

Come the four horsemen
I come riding
water, earth, fire and air
come from your own navel.

Oh oh oh oh
things of civilization.

Everything is already mounted
that millions of layoffs
the road is difficult
perhaps as never has been.

Last night I dreamed Manu
and singing this tune
someone lit a barbecue
someone from far away arrived.

And if there comes a gray river
that separates the world into two
I would like to be on the same side
baby than you. (Bis)

A new wilderness
A new hail,
know who did it
walking around here.

God forgives
man sometimes
nature ever
walking around here.

Do not forget the mammoth
not finish the vermouth

Thanks to our friend Teresα from Argentina, another song about the impacts of civilization to nature. But nature fights back and all todays disasters are not god's revenge or of some metaphysical cause....

You can hear this song in youtube

“Guerrero Del Arco Iris” by Rata Blanca, album: Guerrero Del Arco Iris (1992)

Sufriendo nuestra inconsciencia
Tal vez pueda morir
La tierra hoy se desangra
Que harás sin su existir...

Ayúdame, tu ser también
Es de este mundo
Tus hijos no podrán vivir
Entre el dolor...

Peleemos contra los tontos
Que harán nuestro final
La vida la da esta tierra
No hay otro lugar.

Ayúdame, tu ser también
Es de este mundo
Tus hijos no podrán vivir
Entre el dolor...

Guerrero sólo tu puedes
Ganar con la verdad
Luchemos por los que vienen
Por ver felicidad.

Ayúdame, tu ser también
Es de este mundo
Tus hijos no podrán vivir
Entre el dolor...



Translation in English:

Rainbow warrior

Suffering our unconsciousness
Maybe I can die
The land today is bleeding
Will you do without your exist ...

Help me, your being too
It is of this world
Your children can not live
Between the pain ...

Fight with the fools
That will make our final
The earth gives life
Nowhere else.

Help me, your being too
It is of this world
Your children can not live
Between the pain ...

Warrior only you can
Winning with the truth
Fight for those who come
To see happiness.

Help me, your being too
It is of this world
Your children can not live
Between the pain ...

A band from Argentina, thanks to our Argenine friend Teresa who introduced to us. A cry for respect of mother earth and nature.

You can hear this song in youtube