Rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be the music of rebellion–right? Well, here’s a great example of that:
Now, not to take anything away from Jerry Doucette, who is one of Canada’s greatest and most-covered guitar heroes, but let’s just contrast that song with another rebel tune, from another great guitar man–Alí Primera, Venezuela’s numero uno folk hero:Here are the lyrics, in my own translation:Quite the contrast, no?Who is the bigger rebel–the little boy who needs Jerry Doucette to tell his mama to lighten up, or the young man who directly asks his mother for her blessing before going off to the guerrilla struggle for her freedom and for that of his country?Three days ago, it was Canada Day. Today is the US’s independence day. Tomorrow is Venezuela’s independence day. And the rebellion is still going on. We all have a much bigger fight ahead of us than just getting Mama to let us play some rock ‘n’ roll.Mother, let me fightMother, let me fightMother, how I adore youbecause I love my peopleand you taught meto fight for themYou taught meto share my breadto share my loveto share my dreamsNow I wantto share my armsthat embrace you–with the sameI want to embrace my peopleMother, let me fightMother, let me fightYou taught menot to kill the butterfliesor cut the rosesthat you grew in your gardenI learned little by littleto love the othersFor the humble onesMother, let me fightMother, let me fightMother, let me fightAnd do you remember, Mother, how one day, there came a knock at our door–a boy begging for breadand you made me give him the old shirtin which I used to playand you were a good Christian.I hope you understandthat the struggle for the peoplecannot be won by charity!Mother, let me fightMama, let me fightYou taught me not to kill the butterfliesor cut the rosesthat you grew in your gardenI learned little by littleto love the othersFor the humble ones,Mother, let me fightMother, let me fightMama, let me fight