I wonder when this poison seed made a root and grew a weed
I wonder when I taught my feet not to walk down certain streets
I want to feel what I believe: that we are all the same
It’s not our houses, it’s our hearts 1000 miles apart
You stay there, and I'll stay here, into our corners we disappear
And we don’t ever have to talk, 'cause you like hiphop and I like rock
But sometimes thoughts hurt just as bad as striking cheeks with hands
It’s less our homes and more our hearts 1000 miles apart
When will we have eyes to see?
When will we learn?
Will we ever have eyes to see
That from our colours we learn?
A change of heart, a change of tune, can we forgive each other’s wounds?
Can we cut down this fence of weeds, and neighbors, close as brothers, be?
Cannot love conquer even when we don’t look the same?
'Cause we don’t have to keep our hearts 1000 miles apart
Behind the Song:
"I always heard growing up that racism was still alive in North America. I saw it in the media, on the evening news, in ad campaigns against it. But I never really understood what the big deal was about ethnic background. It wasn't in my immediate surroundings. I had plenty of good friends from a lot different ethnic backgrounds growing up, and never gave it a second thought. It actually had some very nice perks to it. I got to try different kinds of foods, and most importantly, I got to learn some "colourful" expressions in foreign languages from my friends which I could whip out when I didn't want people to know how I was REALLY feeling. Deep stuff like that. Racism never affected me. That is, not until I moved to a part of North America where the deep roots of racism have yet to die. It didn't take long before I found myself choosing a different route than the most direct one to my destination when I went out for walks. Sure, part of it was for safety reasons, but I don't think I could say that 100%. And that angers me. I have noticed that I have pretty much only white friends now. That's not really a big deal I guess, but what's troubling to me is the fact that I've even NOTICED that. That maybe now, in my present circumstances, I am beginning to think about people in terms of skin colour and ethnicity. I don't want to do that. I want to look at people through redeemed eyes, not my own fallen ones. This is a song about my sadness upon realizing that." - Marc Martel (downhere)
