American Triangle – Video 23 – Album “Songs From the West Coast”

As always, a nearly eternal wait for the next vlog, but here it is.  Today’s post is the fourth track from Songs From the West Coast, American Triangle.  This is the first song I ever heard from the album.  I saw Elton in Tulsa, OK shortly before the album was released and he played this song.  That moment will be forever etched in my mind.  If you don’t know the meaning behind this beautiful piece of music, I will give you a little background. 

Bernie wrote this lyric about Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming.  On the night of October 6th, 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and left to die by two men.  The two men did this out of plain hatred deeply rooted in their hearts.  Matthew was a bright young man with a bright future, but his life was cut way to short because someone else didn’t approve of his sexuality.  My stomach turns to think that hatred like this still exists in our society. 

Thank you Elton and Bernie for keeping the memory of Matthew alive.  His sacrifice will never be forgotten.  As you listen to this song please remember that no matter what your political, moral or religious beliefs are, hate is wrong. 

“If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself.  What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.”  ~Hermann Hesse

Seen him playing in his backyard
Young boy just starting out
So much history in this landscape
So much confusion, so much doubt

Been there drinking on that front porch
Angry kids, mean and dumb
Looks like a painting, that blue skyline
God hates fags where we come from

‘Western skies’ don’t make it right
‘Home of the brave’ don’t make no sense
I’ve seen a scarecrow wrapped in wire
Left to die on a high ridge fence
It’s a cold, cold wind
It’s a cold, cold wind
It’s a cold wind blowing, Wyoming

See two coyotes run down a deer
Hate what we don’t understand
You pioneers give us your children
But it’s your blood that stains their hands

Somewhere that road forks up ahead
To ignorance and innocence
Three lives drift on different winds
Two lives ruined, one life spent

It’s a cold, cold wind
It’s a cold, cold wind
It’s a cold wind blowing, blowing, Wyoming

 

© 2001 Happenstance