Hi everyone,

I was away for a while due to health problems. Before that started I was busy making a song on the state of our earth. But I couldn't finish it for some time. I asked the help of Ray and my (Australian) brother in law on lyric issues, and Marty and Wolfgang, Andi's brother, to advice me on issues in the song. Before I got ill, I wanted a sitar in the song. Well everyone was against that idea, but I was a bit of a hardliner on that. So it stayed in. And afterwards they liked it... (Ray didn't know about that).
When I was thinking of the lyrics, it crossed my mind that a lot of people say the are concerned about what's happening in the world, our environment e.d., but on the other hand aren't changing their way of living. for instance; we never flew more than last year. And than I thought, but what about me? Well that is the content of these lyrics.

I hope you like it, but tell me what I could have done better or so.
Hans

The song: Troubled Times, link: https://soundcloud.com/user-296497130/troubled-times

The lyrics:
Troubled Times
(c) HWBerkhout, dec 18, 2022/ Jan14, 2023
*(People who value freedom most, are most often deprived of it,
Ales Bialiatski, Belarus)

I see dark clouds on the horizon, growing darker every day
Still we act indifferently while they are approaching
Is this how we battle global warming, with more words than deeds?
When every forty seconds someone dies because of this?

Chorus
Troubled times engulf the world
And solutions seem complex
We have to change our lives, but still I hear:
"Not me! I change nothing"

People who value freedom most, are most often deprived of it*
It's where tyrants rule in rogue states, and they laugh in our faces
Do you see democracy dying, while extremism thrives?
This will destroy societies before our very eyes

Chorus
Troubled times engulf the world
And solutions seem complex
We have to change our lives, but still I hear:
"Not me! I change nothing"

=solo=

bridge:
Conspiracy theories are the new truth, but they will never save this world
and in front of my mirror I wonder: does that apply to me too?

Chorus 2x
Troubled times engulf the world
And solutions seem complex
We have to change our lives, but still I hear:
"(Not me!) I change nothing"

Outro /Solo chorus
Troubled thoughts engulf my head
And solutions seem too complex
I know I have to change my life
But I hear the whispers:
"I do nothing, nothing, nothing"

Troubled times engulf the world
We have to change our lives (2x)
but still I hear: I change nothing

The instruments:
Style is _RADICAL.STY (Radical Disco Funk Blues). Key: D Tempo: 110 bpm

RealTracks in style: 2937:Bass, Fretless Electric Pop8thsRene Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 2021:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryBalladJohn Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 2905:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm BrightBluesyPopColin Ev 100
RealTracks in song: 3164:Guitar, Baritone Electric, Rhythm BluesyPopSteady8thsCleanBrent Ev 100
RealTracks in song: 4231:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm SoulRock70s Ev 100
RealTracks in song: 4044:Sitar, Background SlowSwing16thsAnwar Sw16 075
RealDrums in Song:FunkDisco: a: Kick, HiHatb: Kick, Closing HiHat

Beside this I used my keyboards in my DAW and loops for the fx.

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