I was blown away by the peoples’ movements. First the Arab Spring, at the end of 2010, which completely changed the political landscape in some countries in the Middle East. Then the grassroots “occupy” movement in the United States in September 2011. This time something was radically different than a lot of other protest movements in the past. This time there were people of all age groups, professions and ethnic backgrounds involved in these protests and it became global very quickly. This movement has spread to almost every developed country in the world and has taken over a peaceful, yet determined dynamic of non-obedience. These are working-class people, families, old and young people, people who have decided not to sit back and accept what they see as injustice, but to take action, take to the streets, no matter what the sacrifice.
I got inspired by the positive spirit of the struggle and lingering hope that the average person can change what has been forced upon them by the misled power and greed of an elite few. People are no longer willing to sacrifice their own well-being and the well-being of their loved ones for the benefit of the privileged few. Taking the Night Away is a song about hope. As long as there is hope, there is a chance for positive change. Taking the Night Away evolved and matured with these movements.
The response to the video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgsWUUEsO9g) and the song has been phenomenal. I’ve received lot of feedback - either you hate it or you love it. It just doesn’t leave you cold, it agitates you, makes you feel and think. In that respect, I think the video serves its purpose; it doesn’t leave you unaffected. This is the least I can do. Keep people aware of what’s going on so that we don’t forget, even after the topic disappears from the headline news.
lyrics
Taking the night away
somewhere a heart is crying, a tear with every beat it takes, the price of segregation, who's gonna pay for these mistakes. we turn to southwest township, united voices cry as one, in terms of integration, because we've only just begun. open your, eyes here comes the morning, takin' the night away. open your eyes, a new day is dawning, it’s takin' the night away ¤ wide open doors an' windows, closed eyes an' minds refuse to see, that time an' tide are turning, an' hearts are yearning to be free. open your, eyes here comes the morning, takin' the night away, open your eyes, a new day is dawning, it’s takin' the night away, it's takin' the night away, it’s takin' the night away ¤ it’s the way of your life, the waste and the affluence, it’s the only life that you ever did know, there’s a crowd on the streets and it’s raging ‘cos anything goes. there’s bitterness in love, sweetness of hate, one final hour in everybody’s fate, when you open your eyes and your mind and your heart see the light ¤ wide open doors an' windows, closed eyes an' minds refuse to see that time an' tide are turning, an' hearts are yearning to be free. open your, eyes here comes the morning, takin' the night away. open your eyes, a new day is dawning, it’s takin' the night away, it's takin' the night away, it’s takin' the night away, it’s takin the night…….away ¤ somewhere a heart is crying, a tear with every beat it takes, the price of segregation, who's gonna pay for these mistakes
credits
from A MATTER OF TIME,
released January 21, 2013
Ajay Mathur, Fausto Medici (drums), Richard Koechli (slide guitar)
Ajay Mathur is a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and a citizen of the world. Born and raised in India and residing in
Switzerland, Ajay Mathur’s talent as a singer-songwriter and seasoned musician blends both pop and rock genres with Americana and traditional Indian instruments into something radically new and genre-bending....more
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