The S4L Song of the Year 2017 : That's What Makes Us Great - Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers (featuring Bruce Springsteen)

There's been a lot of great songs around this year and instead of providing some kind of chart outlining my favourites of the year I am just going to get right down to business and name this one as The S4L Song of the Year 2017.

I do so because it is a song that not only captures the heartbeat of many of my friends in the USA but the longing of all decent and civilised people who recognise that hate towards people who are not of the same race, gender, sexual identity, political affinity is not what builds a nation whatever country we happen to live in.

After that defining day back in January when the 45th President of the United States of America was sworn into office and all the hullabaloo that has followed from broken promises, to trying to block people from getting into the Country, to surrounding himself with a team of people who are barely qualified to run a nursery let alone a Government and the dismantling of policies designed to help the poor and downtrodden with regard to health, education and social security and wages, it is time once again for the voice of the people to be heard! Add to that the constant cry of "fake news" from anyone who dared to question the President and his mission to pour scorn upon the free press and the elevation of "real news" that had an incredibly right wing bias.

Then there were the terrible scenes in Charlottesville, Virginia where white supremacists clashed with counter-demonstrators, and a car ploughed into the crowd of anti-racist and anti-fascist protesters killing Heather D. Heyer (aged 32). Such an event caused even more questioning of the Government as they were lacklustre in their response and almost unwilling to speak out against the white supremacists!

Joe Grushecky captured some of that distress that people are going through in his song That's What Makes Us Great.

Love Can Conquer Hate and it's been witnessed in many places throughout the year. I think of the awful events of the Grenfell Tower Block Fire here in the UK and how the community bonded together to help. People from the Muslim communties and Christian groups working side by side to alleviate the pain and suffering of those affected by the tragedy. That's how it should be done, not by alienating people because of their colour, creed, nationality etc.

I didn't particularly want to get into a whole political debate about these things but sometimes you just have to say something..."It's up to me and you".

There's a challenge in the song that I think gives one all pause for thought:

"In the quiet of the night
I lie here wide awake
And I ask myself
Is there a difference I can make?"

That's What Makes Us Great - Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers (featuring Bruce Springsteen)
written by Joe Grushecky

Released April 2017

They come from everywhere
A longing to be free
They come to join us here
From sea to shining sea

And they all have a dream
As people always will
To be safe and warm
In that shining city on the hill

Some wanna slam the door
Instead of opening the gate
Aw, let's turn this thing around
Before it gets too late

It's up to me and you
Love can conquer hate
I know this to be true
That's what makes us great

Don't tell me a lie
And sell it as a fact
I've been down that road before
And I ain't goin' back

And don't you brag to me
That you never read a book
I never put my faith
In a con man and his crooks

I won't follow down that path
And tempt the hands of fate
Aw, let's turn this thing around
Before it gets too late

It's up to me and you
Love can conquer hate
I know this to be true
That's what makes us great

In the quiet of the night
I lie here wide awake
And I ask myself
Is there a difference I can make?

It's up to me and you
Love can conquer hate
I know this to be true
That's what makes us great