Sharleen Leahey: Singing Out for Activists

photo: Left Forum 2015

Sharleen Leahey is a movement troubadour. She sings Pete Seeger songs, Woody Guthrie songs, her own songs about timeless issues and issues of the day. Her latest CD collection is titled “For the 99.” The first verse of the title song pulls listeners into the middle of a demonstration, whether in New York or New Brunswick, Washington or Newark:

We are gathered here in the people’s square

So we can have our say

We have come today to protest the way

Our rulers have behaved

A Somerville, NJ resident, Leahey ranges around the world in addressing war and peace issues, social justice issues, human rights issues. Here’s two verses of “Good People”:

Drone over Afghanistan

A village laid waste

The pilot can’t get hurt ten thousand miles away

Nintendo death the modern military way

Brought by the good people

…

Homeless on the street

An old woman stripped of pride

Half a block from the new boutiques

She’s standing on a church breadline

This ain’t the ‘30s

It’s the new millennium time

Where are the good people?

For more words and music, CD ordering information and concert schedule, go to:

sharleenleahey.com/home

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