Song picture
Atheist in the Foxhole
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This song was written at the request of the Treasure Coast Humanists in Florida who wanted a song to speak to the discrimination against atheist veterans in VA hospitals.
acoustic folk social commentary political satire western massachusetts oil coal climate change fracking incineration music for social change nuclear energy
Folk singer, social commentary, satire, people's stories, children's music
Hi Folks, The Bard Insurgent here. My comrade D.O. (the Poet Roofer) and I got that handle (The Bard Insurgents) from traveling town to town performing songs and poetry about people's lives. I've been performing since I was 3 years old, cutting my vocal chords on liturgical and classical music. I was a concert soloist as a child, when I wasn't herding cows, throwing hay and shoveling manure. During the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam war, I began writing songs about social change. I left the country in 1970 and my dozen years in other countries, mostly in Africa & South America, have provided a global perspective to my music. My travels helped me realize that people all around the world are essentially the same in their basic life needs and their desires to live peacefully in their communities. These experiences have informed my commitment to working for international understanding as I organize at home. A powerful way to educate and inspire is with music. I tell people's stories, do social commentary with a touch of satire that I hope you enjoy and share with your friends, as well as sing together in the streets and in your living rooms. I also have children's music written for the children in my life with Jacob and Kayla as primary muses. Looking forward to seeing you on the road, Tom
Song Info
Charts
Peak #33
Peak in subgenre #2
Author
Tom Neilson
Rights
Tom Neilson 2013
Uploaded
August 31, 2013
Track Files
MP3
MP3 4.2 MB 160 kbps 3:41
Story behind the song
Joe Beck of the Treasure Coasts Humanists asked Tom to write a song about the discrimination against Humanist veterans in VA hospitals.
Lyrics
My name is Jim Barney, I served in the army, at Utah, came under attack And it never mattered what I believed, my platoon knew I had their back For 40 years I taught bio and chem, coaching baseball was my job, But I couldn’t teach boy scouts astronomy cause I didn’t believe in god. If I don’t believe in god, I can’t teach the constellations If I don’t believe in god, I can’t play among the stars If I don’t believe in god I’m a danger to the boys. Can’t give any merit badges if I don’t believe in god. My name is Bill Davy, I was in the navy, caught up in that Vietnam fight Yes I know we shouldn’t have been over there, but I did what I thought was right. I saved a sailor’s life as the waves came over the rail And it didn’t matter what I believed when I delivered your mail. But if I don’t believe in god no one comes mr way When I’m dying of cancer at the local VA There were priests & ministers, imams, and rabbis all coming to pray, But the chaplin must think I’ll be burning in hell from what he had to say There were Lutheran and catholic clerics to comfort Nazis at Nuremburg But atheist memories never were honored by any words I ever heard We died in your wars, suffer PTSD, and addictions all the same Give us a treatment program, that isn’t in god’s name. No help for the heathen-no prayers at my bed No stairway to heaven – what the chaplain said No god in my foxhole – no lord at my side No bedside manner when the secular humanist died
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CarolDouglas
Nov 25, 2019
I think "Atheist in the foxhole is absolutely sad and beautiful.