False From True
Navigating Life's Maze: Pete Seeger's Anthem of Truth and Love
Lyrics
When my songs turn to ashes on my tongue
Expressing a moment when the singer's songs lose their impact or meaning.
When I look in the mirror and
Reflecting on aging and the realization that youth has faded.
See I'm no longer young
Acknowledging the visible signs of growing older in the mirror.
Then I got to start the job
Feeling the need to begin the task of distinguishing between what is false and true.
Of separating false from true
Emphasizing the importance of discerning truth from falsehood.
And then I know
Expressing a realization or understanding.
I know I need the love of you
Recognizing the necessity of the love of someone significant in life.
When I found tarnish on some
Discovering flaws or imperfections in some of the singer's most cherished aspirations.
Of my brightest dreams
Acknowledging disappointment in dreams and aspirations.
When some folks I trusted turned out
Realizing that some people the singer trusted are not as they appeared.
Not quite what they seemed
Expressing the need to discern between deception and truth.
Then I got to start the job
Reiterating the importance of distinguishing between falsehood and truth.
Of separating false from true
Reaffirming the significance of separating the genuine from the false.
Then once more I know
Stressing the repeated realization of the need for love.
I know I need the love of you
Recognizing the ongoing importance of the love of someone special.
No song I can sing will make
Conveying the limited power of songs to influence certain individuals, referencing Governor Wallace.
Governor Wallace change his mind
Emphasizing the inability of a song to change the mind of a specific political figure.
No song I can sing will take
Acknowledging the limitation of songs to disarm individuals filled with hate.
The gun from a hate-filled man
Highlighting the inability of music to remove weapons from those driven by hatred.
But I promise you, and you
Making a promise to tell the stories of all people, regardless of their background.
Brothers and sisters of evry skin
Addressing a diverse audience, calling them brothers and sisters of every skin color.
I'll sing your story while
Committing to sharing the experiences of others while the singer still has the ability to do so.
I've breath within
Stressing the urgency of storytelling while the singer is still alive.
We got to keep on keeping on
Encouraging perseverance despite challenges or difficult times.
Even when the sun goes down
Emphasizing the importance of continuing to live life even in adverse circumstances.
We got to live, live
Repeating the imperative to live life fully.
Live until another day comes 'round
Insisting on living until a new day arrives.
Meanwhile, better start over
Advising to start anew the process of distinguishing between falsehood and truth.
Separating false from true
Reiterating the importance of separating false from true.
And more and more
Emphasizing a growing awareness of the need for love.
I know I need the love of you
Affirming the ongoing recognition of the necessity of love in the singer's life.
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