Story Behind The Song
After 9/11 Bill Moyers interviewed various artists about how they plan to react to the attacks. Bill T Jones a dancer and choreographer from NYC, quoted Agnes Martin, a 93 years old painter, saying "when a beautiful rose dies beauty does not die". I scribbled this phrase down on scrap of paper and over the next 6 months this piece bubbled up inside me. I have now performed this piece in pubs, concert halls, churches, living rooms, chapels for Americans, Canadians, Brits, Italians, Germans and French people. However, the reaction is almost always the same. These words carry a poignancy much greater than myself. There is something universal about this mesage which has passed through 3 artists.
Song Description
Beauty, color, music all live on even when the medium through which they live dies. This is the beauty of living spirits. And as human beings we must go on living, loving, and dancing! in the face of loss, destruction and death!
| Song Length |
4:46 |
Genre |
Folk - Contemporary, Classical - Contemporary |
| Tempo |
Floating |
Lead Vocal |
Duet Female |
| Mood |
Peaceful, Poignant |
Subject |
Encouragement, Infinity |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
When a beautiful Rose dies,
beauty still lives.
When the colorful leaves do fall,
Color shines on.
chorus:
So we dance facing fear,
So we love facing hate,
So we live facing death.
ooooouuuu, oooouuu.
And when this song does end music plays on.
Yes when this song does end, music plays on.
chorus:
So we dance facing fear.
So we love facing hate.
So we live facing death.
oooouuu, ooouuuu.