An opening of one's knowledge,capabilities, vision and guidance. The Kenaz is about creating a relationship,learning and allowing room for interpretation. When you are in the darkness,an opening with light is the best and most gracious thing to have bestowed upon you. This is a great time for putting energies into new opportunities. Come share my world as I see it.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Support Our Canadian Troops, they deserve it

The men and women of the Canadian Forces have demonstrated time and again that they will rise to any challenge. Whether you agree or disagree with the Canadian Government to include our troops in combat roles overseas, please read the following and listen to this haunting song. The link to download is included at the bottom. Our troops in Afghanistan deserve our support.

Ode to the Canadian Soldiers
(MacPhee, Schram, Howe)

One bright sunny day I had time on my hands
thinking of the troops, in Afghanistan
realizing what you, are going through
I decided to write this ode to you

To the Princess Patricia’s and the RCR’s
The Royal Van Doos, Dragoons and Hussars
you’re the proud men and women in Canada’s force
fighting for freedom and staying the course

with helmets, packs, flaks and fatigues
you trudge through the sands, of uncertainty
on your shoulder you wear the Canadian Flag
and fight for the rights of every woman and man

We haven’t forgotten less recognized groups
Who work night and day, in support of our troops
to the Medics, REME’s and engineer crews
to the Ordnance Corps, to name just a few

To the Princess Patricia’s and the RCR’s
The Royal Van Doos, Dragoons and Hussars
you’re the proud men and women in Canada’s force
fighting for freedom and staying the course

Everyone at home should give 3 hip-hoorays
to the brave men and women who wear the berets
we hope that you will, all keep safe and sound
and pray that you’ll soon, be homeward bound

To the Princess Patricia’s and the RCR’s
The Royal Van Doos, Dragoons and Hussars
you’re the PROUD men and women in Canada’s force
fighting for freedom and staying the course

To the Princess Patricia’s and the RCR’s
The Royal Van Doos, Dragoons and Hussars
you’re the BRAVE men and women in Canada’s force
fighting for freedom and staying the course

From the Hamilton Spectator,

Three Burlington friends are tuned up to make a difference for Canadian men and women serving in Afghanistan and their families at home.

They've put together a song in support of the troops but about the only place it's getting played is on Armed Forces Radio in Afghanistan.

Ode To The Canadian Soldier is on the DND playlist for the last month because they sent a copy to Canadian Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hillier a while back and he liked it. He even sent the musicians a letter telling them how much the song is "appreciated."

Artists at the top of the charts need not fear John MacPhee, 71, Brad Howe and Paul Schram, both 45, who collectively refer to themselves as Mirage. They aren't in it for fame and fortune.

They're just hoping to get the tune out on the air, sell a few CDs and donate a little money to Hillier's military families fund.

"Maybe we can help somebody's family ... raise a little money for that," says MacPhee, the owner of Burlington Fence on the North Service Road.

MacPhee, who "fiddles around a lot," came up with the tune on his violin a while back. It reflects his Celtic roots on Prince Edward Island and the urge to salute the military and their families honed in his own years with the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Guards between 1955 and 1958.

"This isn't about the war," growls MacPhee. "It's about sayin' thanks to people."

MacPhee told Schram, a Burlington Fence employee and a longtime basement band drummer and keyboardist, about the idea. Schram loved it and brought in his old Nelson High School band buddy Brad Howe to help, a videographer with some good sound equipment.

Between the three of them they had Ode knocked off in about a week.

The tune is haunting and from the heart. And like many songs that grab the listener's ear fast, it was written in no time flat.

Schram and Howe have written a couple of dozen songs over the years.

MacPhee has never done anything like this before. "I was fiddling around on my violin and telling Paul and we just sat down and wrote a song about soldiers in Afghanistan," he says.

Schram and Howe figured the trio "had something" right away because everyone knows someone who knows someone who's "over there."

Now they're trying to get the song played so folks will hear it, maybe buy it and $1 from each $7 CD will go to the military's families fund. They sent it to CBC Radio in Toronto. No luck. They shipped one to the CBC in St. John's NL and scored a play and a radio interview with MacPhee Monday.

"I know it was the right thing to do when a World War Two veteran who'd heard about it and seen the lyrics came into my shop to buy one," says MacPhee.

"I asked him if he wanted me to play it for him and he says 'No, I don't want to cry here in front of you.'"

Later,
Kenaz
Posted by Unknown at 9:52 pm
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