Story Behind The Song

The subject matter for this song was brought to my attention by the bass player Joey Moreno. He stumbled upon his parents conversating about the incident one afternoon and became intrigued. He told me, the vocalist, about and I became even more intrigued. After researching the incident, I found that the police officer had undergone a previous investigation for shooting an unarmed African-American male to death in a Dallas alley. Even with this cloud of doubt hanging over this officer he was only found guilty of criminal negligence and was fined $25 dollars and served 2 years in prison for killing a 12 year old boy in his squad car while playing russion roulette. He was attempting a scare tactic to get the boy to confess to a vending machine vandalism. In the end the officer shot and killed the boy in the front seat of the car while his older brother who was in custody in the back seat witnessed the whole thing. Even so, the officer wasn't convicted of manslaughter. The boys who came from a poor area in Dallas lived were immediately embraced by an enraged community. A demonstration followed that erupted into violence due to high racial tensions in the city. This song is an account of the week in which young Santos Rodriquez was assassinated by a public official.

Song Description

This song is about the murder of young hispanic boy a police officer in Dallas, Texas in the early 70's. The officer received a slap on the wrist and a short prision sentence in exchange for his badge.

Lyrics

SEMANA SANTA
Based on the true event that took the life of Santos Rodriguez
Lyrics by José Suaste
This version written on 01/27/03
(Chorus)
In the night, in the dark, the hunter preys and he stalks
But in the hollows of the wind, the ghosts they walk and they talk
But soon the hunter becomes the prey, the wretched pay, souls are rotten
We?ll see release, the inner peace of all the lost those forgotten
Light flashes, illuminates and then gone
Life crashes, and human hate is past on
Handcuffed and helpless, in the moonlight gleams the badge
The man rough and selfish, on this doomed night streams the blast
And child?s cry of innocence, with one pull was silenced
By the vile eye of ignorance, and heart full of violence
Now a mother cries, behind bars incarcerated
A brother dies, the other bares scars, devastated
Justice refused, the law cracked and twisted
Brother subsists abused at what saw, wrath assisted
By the will of beast who debases authority
And must kill to find peace, when he?s faced with minority
(Chorus)
In the night, in the dark, the hunter preys and he stalks
But in the hollows of the wind, the ghosts they walk and they talk
But soon the hunter becomes the prey, the wretched pay, souls are rotten
We?ll see release, the inner peace of all the lost those forgotten
July 25th, the year seventy-three
True cries, heavy with news drear hit the streets
That a youth, age twelve, was shot down by police
At this truth, rage swells, now the town wants release
For the ire, that breeds, when pain storms the heart
The fire, now breaths, the campaign forms a march
To protest this crime, and all insults of oppression
But unrest is prime, and the result is aggression
And our presence was felt, if only for a moment
Sour essence of the time?s self, a ceremony of torment
Though he quotes regret, he paid not his debt
And we wont forget, the pain that you left
That you left, that you left, that you left
(interlude: spoken)
Tuesday night, July 24th, 2:30 a.m.
Officer Darrell L. Cain of the Dallas Police Department
Fired one shot into the head of 12 year-old Santos Rodriguez
In an attempt to coerce information about a crime that he never committed
The interrogation was illegal and lethal
He was fined $25 and served 2 years in prison
Is that enough for you?, because it?s not enough for me.
Is that enough for you?, because it?s not enough for me.
(bridge)
It makes me sick to know the truth could be bastardized
They called it fair trial, but it was just a disguise
There?s no cure for the look in a broken mother?s eyes
On this morning of revolution, your son?s soul will arise
Will arise
Will arise
(Chorus)
In the night, in the dark, the hunter preys and he stalks
But in the hollows of the wind, the ghosts they walk and they talk
But soon the hunter becomes the prey, the wretched pay, souls are rotten
We?ll see release, the inner peace of all the lost those forgotten
(2X)