#ArtInstallation No. 22 – @michaelkiwanuka – Love and Hate

Sometimes a record, a song, a voice,  just creep into your soul. Michael Kiwanuka’s album and single both entitled Love and Hate are filled with enough sorrow to reach me there.

The Guardian’s review of the album spoke of authenticity. I hear the authentic sorrow for the deep contrast of how far we are from the dream of how we could be. This is an artist rising to the challenge of sharing his feelings in a time when we need a reminder of the common thread holding us together.

Surely that thread is our humanity. Though masked in an infinite expression of genetic code that unseen oneness exists. If our our every act is guided by what is humane, no one will take us down, no one will break us down. Choosing what’s humane, that is the something wonderful Kiwanuka is asking for, I believe. The lyrics follow.

Mexican cheese artisan – photo credit – Karen Anderson

Rajasthani woman – photo credit – Karen Anderson

Chinese Elder – photo credit – Karen Anderson

Blackfoot Elder Quinton Crowshoe – photo credit – Karen Anderson

Indian child – photo credit – Karen Anderson

Indian school boys – photo credit – Karen Anderson

Infinite expressions of our oneness.

Love and Hate
Written by Brian Joseph Burton, Dean Cover, Michael Samuel Kiwanuka • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Standing now

Calling all the people here to see the show
Calling for my demons now to let me go
I need something, give me something wonderful

I believe
She won’t take me somewhere I’m not supposed to be
You can’t steal the things that god has given me
No more pain and no more shame and misery

You can’t take me down
You can’t break me down
You can’t take me down

You can’t take me down
You can’t break me down
You can’t take me down

Love and hate
How much more are we supposed to tolerate
Can’t you see there’s more to me than my mistakes
Sometimes I get this feeling makes me hesitate

I believe
She won’t take me somewhere I’m not supposed to be
You can’t steal the things that god has given me
No more pain and no more shame and misery

You can’t take me down
You can’t break me down
You can’t take me down

You can’t break me down
You can’t take me down
You can’t break me down

I can see a place of trouble
And I’m on the verge
For the love of everybody
I did something wrong

Now I feel some days of trouble (I would stay way)
In the hospital (I would stay way)
For the love of everybody (I would stay way)
But behind a wall (I would stay way)

Standing now
Calling all the people here to see the show
Calling for my demons now to let me go
I need something, give me something wonderful