"If it's not from the land of the free....put it back on the shelf." - It's Not Easy - Walter P. Yanis - 2004
My friend Walt worked at GE his entire adult life, nearly 42 years. He started there in the late '60's and watched as jobs left town for anywhere but here. He wasn't a political person, but felt very strongly about the working man and his plight. Labor Day was always a big deal for Walt. He would have retired this past April, had cancer not taken him two days before Christmas.
In 2004 he wrote a song called "It's Not Easy". It was first performed at the 2005 NorthEast Country Music Association's Awards Show in Albany. Gazette music writer Michael Hochanadel described it as an "anti-Nafta anthem". I don't know about that, it was just a song that we felt meant something. It was the only "protest" song we ever did. The quote above is from the last verse.
So on Labor Day 2011 and in memory of my friend Walt I'm posting this August 2006 video of "It's Not Easy" being performed at Freedom Park. Listen to the words and enjoy.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Logged
