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Music
and Charity: A Challenge to Musicians to Step up to Help Japan recover
By psychologist, Bruce L. Thiessen, Ph.D., aka Dr BLT
A musical heart is a heart that is fertile ground for compassion. Over the years, musicians have been among the first to respond to colossal disasters--- like the present disaster unfolding in all of its horror following the massive earthquake-tsunami in Japan. Of course, most artists want to get ahead, and being involved in a high-profile charitable project is good, in terms of image-management and in terms of increasing the popularity of the artist/band. So, it is hard to argue that motives among musicians for participating in charitable musical projects are consistently, and wholly altruistic. But only God really knows the motives of human being. Only God knows the heart. All we can do is speculate and I speculate that most motives are mixed, at best, rarely purely altruistic. If they were, we’d be talking about angels, not human beings.
But whether or not musical efforts are altruistic, or governed by more superficial, self-serving motives, if suffering is relieved as a result, then the efforts have not been entirely wasted.
After 9/11, musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Darrel Worley responded almost immediately with new songs used to raise money for victims.
In the 80s, there was a trend among popular artists of the time, to create multi-artist songs to raise money for great causes. Examples include We Are the World, Hands Across America, and Do they Know its Christmas. Michael Jackson played a central role in cultivating that trend. Songs were followed by huge musical festivals like Live Aid.
Millions and millions of dollars have been raised over the years over such collaborative efforts. Sometimes, due to inefficient, inept, poorly managed, or even ostensibly corrupt charitable oversight, or the intrusion of elite, corrupt forces of government, the money ended up in the wrong hands and the victims benefited minimally if at all.
But regardless of what may or may not have taken place between good intention and results, or lack thereof, music has always united people in a spirit of cooperation and support, and has made potential beneficiaries feel supported and encouraged.
As the world steps up to the demands of a country that has been unspeakably beaten up by mother nature, I hope musicians will boldly take center stage. We, as a community, need to step up. I’m going to lead by example, and I will need your help to do that.
A brand new song entitled, "Over in Japan" will soon be released to raise support for the victims of the recent earthquake-tsunami-nuclear disaster in Japan.
By psychologist, Bruce L. Thiessen, Ph.D., aka Dr BLT
A musical heart is a heart that is fertile ground for compassion. Over the years, musicians have been among the first to respond to colossal disasters--- like the present disaster unfolding in all of its horror following the massive earthquake-tsunami in Japan. Of course, most artists want to get ahead, and being involved in a high-profile charitable project is good, in terms of image-management and in terms of increasing the popularity of the artist/band. So, it is hard to argue that motives among musicians for participating in charitable musical projects are consistently, and wholly altruistic. But only God really knows the motives of human being. Only God knows the heart. All we can do is speculate and I speculate that most motives are mixed, at best, rarely purely altruistic. If they were, we’d be talking about angels, not human beings.
But whether or not musical efforts are altruistic, or governed by more superficial, self-serving motives, if suffering is relieved as a result, then the efforts have not been entirely wasted.
After 9/11, musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Darrel Worley responded almost immediately with new songs used to raise money for victims.
In the 80s, there was a trend among popular artists of the time, to create multi-artist songs to raise money for great causes. Examples include We Are the World, Hands Across America, and Do they Know its Christmas. Michael Jackson played a central role in cultivating that trend. Songs were followed by huge musical festivals like Live Aid.
Millions and millions of dollars have been raised over the years over such collaborative efforts. Sometimes, due to inefficient, inept, poorly managed, or even ostensibly corrupt charitable oversight, or the intrusion of elite, corrupt forces of government, the money ended up in the wrong hands and the victims benefited minimally if at all.
But regardless of what may or may not have taken place between good intention and results, or lack thereof, music has always united people in a spirit of cooperation and support, and has made potential beneficiaries feel supported and encouraged.
As the world steps up to the demands of a country that has been unspeakably beaten up by mother nature, I hope musicians will boldly take center stage. We, as a community, need to step up. I’m going to lead by example, and I will need your help to do that.
A brand new song entitled, "Over in Japan" will soon be released to raise support for the victims of the recent earthquake-tsunami-nuclear disaster in Japan.
Sample it here:
Over in Japan
Dr BLT
words and music by Bruce
L Thiessen, aka Dr BLT
(c) 2011
http://www.drblt.net/music/Japan3DrBLTm.mp3
then go here to take poll on which prominent artist would be best suited to record it as a charity-raising record.
http://www.topix.com/forum/world/japan/THQ3OU...
The song will be released
here within 1-2 days:
Dr BLT's official web site.
http://www.drblt.net
Then, if a higher-profile
artist should record it, information on that release will be made available
at this same website.