While the mainstream media in the U.S. has filtered out critical reporting on the state of U.S. society, some significant commentary seeps into the national psyche through the medium of popular music, albeit in ways much more oblique and less confrontational than a generation ago, when songs like "Four Dead in Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (1970) commented on national ills. -- "Good People" (2005) is a good example of a gently satirical song now getting significant air play in the United States. -- "Good People" is written and performed by Jack Johnson (born 1975 in Hawaii), who was a professional surfer until an accident led him to return to guitar-playing skills picked up at age 14 and honed in his college years at the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he majored in film. -- "Good People" can be found on "In Between Dreams," Jack Johnson's third studio album. -- The song is written from the blasé point of view of a couch potato who sees through the fictions of mainstream media news but is living in an oh-well-what's-the-use state of cynical apathy. -- Nevertheless, he's no one's dupe about what he's watching. -- "We've got heaps and heaps of what we sow," he says. -- Even so, one question haunts him. -- Why there are no "good people" on the TV shows he watches? -- "Where'd all the good people go?" he asks, plaintively, over and over again. -- The lyrics as presented below have not been presented elsewhere, but are derived from web-posted versions. -- "Run the ResoLut" refers, apparently, to a powerful software program for manipulating color images....
GOOD PEOPLE
By Jack Johnson
In Between Dreams
2005
The lyrics, as presented below, derive from:
http://www.dapslyrics.com/display.php?sid=15323
and
http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Jack-Johnson/Good-People.html
and
http://www.anysonglyrics.com/lyrics/j/jackjohnson/Good-People-Lyrics.htm
You win it's your show now
So what's it gonna be
'Cause people will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need
To see
Before we lose touch
We thought this was low
It's bad getting worse so
(CHORUS) Where'd all the good people go
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the TV shows
Where'd all the good people go
We've got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They've got this and that
And with a rat-a-tat-tat
Testing: one, two --
Now whatcha gonna do?
Bad news
Misused,
We've got too much to lose
Give me some truth
Now whose side are we on?
Whatever you say
Turn on the boob tube I'm in the mood to obey
So lead me astray -- by the way
(CHORUS) Now, where'd all the good people go?
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the TV shows
Where'd all the good people go
We've got heaps and heaps of what we sow
Sitting round
Feeling far away
So far away
But I can feel the débris
Can you feel it?
You interrupt me
From a friendly conversation
To tell me how great it's all gonna be
You might notice
Some hesitation
'Cause what's important to you
Is not important to me
Way down by
The edge of your reasons
It's beginning to show and
All I want to know is
(CHORUS) Where'd all the good people go
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the TV shows
Where'd all the good people go
We've got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They've got this and that
With a rat-a-tat-tat
Testing: One, two
Now what you gonna do?
Bad news
Misused
Give me some truth
You've got too much to lose
Whose side are we on?
Whatever you say
Run the ResoLut
But in the mood to obey
Station to station
Desensitizing the nation
Where'd all the people go
Going, going, gone