All of the Dreamers

Powderfinger is an Australian band that has been recommended to me several times, but I had forgotten to look them up until one of their songs came up on my iPod. One of my work mates gave me the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Triple J 100 (yearly Aussie top 100 song list put out by the alt radio station Triple J), which had some Powderfinger. The song, All of the Dreamers, stood out to me because the lyrics matched what I had been considering at the moment-- how to act in the world in a way that creates true equality and sustainability.

"So you speak out loud like a libertine/But you’re just another cog in the great machine/But in a cold bitter irony/You’re a hero of the community. When you come down to the barrio/You get a feel of the people’s scenario/It’s a last opportunity/To steal a march on the enemy."

Listen to the song here. The city in the music video is Brisbane. And the lyrics:

From your tower of ivory
I hear you rattle your jewellery
But in a hard bitten irony
You’re a pillar of the community

When you come down to the barrio
Get a feel for the people’s scenario
It’s a Grande opportunity
To steal a march on the enemy

Now all of the dreamers
Jumpin at shadows in the dark
Follow the leaders
Don’t follow the leaders into the dark

Down in the night it gets so cold
Under the shadow that you’ve thrown
The disciples stand at dawn
Wait for the world to be reformed

I never promised you the world
I just followed it round as it untwirls
So I string you up and along
With all of the dreamers...

So you speak out loud like a libertine
But you’re just another cog in the great machine
But in a cold bitter irony
You’re a hero of the community

When you come down to the barrio
You get a feel of the people’s scenario
It’s a last opportunity
To steal a march on the enemy

Now all of the dreamers
Jumpin at shadows in the dark
Follow the leaders
Don’t follow the leaders into the dark

Down in the night it gets so cold
Under the shadow that you’ve thrown
The disciples stand at dawn
Wait for the world to be reformed

I never promised you the world
I just followed it round as it untwirls
So I string you up and along
And along with all of the dreamers...
So I string you up and along
With all of the dreamers...

All of the dreamers
All of the dreamers