Hi everyone,

The very first time I entered this forum, it was with a song called But the children play.
It is about children in refugeecamps, seeing terrible things, but always play. It's their way of surviving, I believe. But it inspired me writing this song.
And some of you said very nice things about that song. So that inspired me to keep coming back on this forum with a buch of songs. And your reactions keep inspiring me to continue that 'habit'...

But now I'm back with that first song. Only this time it is sung by Joanne Cooper, because of her beautiful voice. She couldn't resist my plea to sing it. But there was one condition: she would like to alter some parts in the song, because she is more a Folk Singer and the song wasn't like that. Of course I agreed (if only she would sing it), but only if my melody and cello stay in it. Well she did, but introduced a metall guitar!!! ... and I liked it.

The style is Readers, key is A. The new tempo is 110 bpm (the original: 120).
The new song: https://soundcloud.com/user-296497130/but-the-children-play-joanne-cooper

The original song: https://soundcloud.com/user-296497130/but-children-play-1?in=user-296497130/sets/birch-2018-part-1

I do hope you like it too,
Hans

The lyrics:
But the children play
(c) HwBerkhout, 070218

Tensions in all regions
people on the run
Nothing more to fight for
Their homes are all gone
We provide them food and shelter
but mostly not in our homelands
This is not our war, we said
So, we won't shake their hands

But the children play
in every camp they stay
While they hear their mothers cry
and see their fathers die
But children play
Regardless where they stay
They laugh and cheer
but with hearts soaked in fear

Traffickers do their evil job
their boats maybe float one mile
Drowned babies at the shores
Will only take a while
Although we're shocked to watch
we see them as a plague
They mustn't reach our borders
Therefore our aid stays vague

But the children play
although no place to stay
While they hear their parents cry
when their loved-ones die
But children play
They have nothing to say
They laugh and cheer
but with hearts soaked in fear

They saw we'd built high fences
with barbed wire all around
They expected some warm welcome
but only meet cold ground
Yes, Merkel helped them on her own
but 'Wir schaffen das' made people mad
Right-wing populists gain support
by stating humanity is bad

But the children play
where ever they stay
For justice they must wait
In every place, every state
Oh, they hear their fathers cry
while their mothers die
Still children play
'cause they have no other way

but their eyes see
terrible tragedies
And when they realized
Its us who denied
How long then do children play?
There comes a day...
But children have the right to play
and somewhere safe to stay
Somewhere safe to play

Hans Berkhout
(Birchwood)
https://soundcloud.com/user-296497130