This is a Bonus Track, originally included in the album of songs that were all in Spanish -- "Todos Somos Otros".
This song was written in preparing to go to Nicaragua in 1984 as part of a delegation with Witness for Peace. It makes use of language in Spanish which can not be easily translated directly into English. In part, this is because in Spanish one can refer to "them all" or those others ("los otros") and "you all" ("vosotros") and "us all" ("nosotros") with pronouns that make it clear that all of us are "others" ("otros"). The idea that we are all Others is central to understanding humans and making peace with them.
lyrics
Chorus: Yo sé que los otros, cada uno y una, Yo sé que vosotros, cada uno y una, Yo sé que nosotros, cada uno y una,
todos, todos, todos somos hijas e hijos de Díos, hijos de Díos y la luz
todos, todos, todos somos hijas e hijos de Díos, hijos de Díos y la luz
Y tal vez, un día, tu mamá te dijo a tí que: "Ellos son diferentes, no son como nosotros. ¡Son indios! ¡Son blancos! ¡Son negros! ¡Son católicos! ¡Son evangélicos! ¡Son . . . jo jo jo jojos!" Pero . . .
Chorus
Y tal vez, un día, tu papá te dijo a tí que: "Ellos son diferentes, no son como nosotros. ¡Son capitalistas! ¡Son comunistas!
¡Son brigadistas! ¡Son imperialistas! ¡Son feministas! ¡Son blablablablajistas! Pero . . .
Chorus
English translation (roughly ;-) :
I know that all of those others, each and every one,
I know that all of you, each and every one,
I know that all of us,
each and every one,
All, all, all are are daughters and sons of God,
children of God and the Light.
All, all, all are are daughters and sons of God,
children of God and the Light.
And maybe, one day, your mama said to you that; “Those others are different, they are not like us.
They are Indians! Whites! Blacks! Catholics! Fundamentalists! They are Ho Ho Ho Ho-ists! But . . .
And maybe, one day, your papa said to you that; “Those others are different, they are not like us.
They are Capitalists! Communists! Brigadistas! Imperialists! Feminists! Blah Blah Blah Blahists! But . . .
Gray is a singer/songwriter who plays bones and guitar. He is a parent, grandparent, Quaker and philosopher. He teaches at
College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine is a co-founder of the Quaker Institute for the Future, and works on issues of peace and human ecology. His blog, combining music and social commentary is at breathonthewater.com. ...more
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