Elske &

I had an idea of a soft, old fashioned protest song when Russia started a war against Ukraine but I was so out of my comfort zone that I couldn’t finish the song, even though I think this time needs protest songs more than ever.

When the situation in Palestine and Gaza tightened at the end of 2023, I had an urgent need for action, I needed to do something, anything. 

I asked  help with the songwriting from Katja Luhtala, a dear friend, colleague and an activist.

The song started to form, it is a view from here to there, a view how it feels to watch the news, witness a genocide through a screen, day after day, feeling helpless and unable to help. Following doctors, reporters and other accounts through social media, fearing the day when the screen turns black and there’s no one there.

We had writing sessions together from January to March, and it was Katja who found Falastinvision from Instagram and made me take part in it. 

I’m really happy and grateful that you are organizing Falastinvision, I think it’s very needed and hopefully helps the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I’m very proud to be part of it.

I think the most important thing is to just participate and I’m curious about the number of songs and videos sent. 

I don’t know yet how, but we must stop the war. This madness has to end. They can kill people, but they can’t kill memories or a song. Songs and loved ones are remembered. 

I wish that this song could ease an aching heart or anxious mind. 

If you feel there’s nothing you can do,  you can always sing along.

Elske

Stop the War – Elske & The Vagabonds

 

[A1]                                                                                      

We’re thousands of miles away                                     

We see you through a screen 

Running in the bullet rain

We hear how the children cry

We will not look away 

Let’s raise our voices loud and high

 

[B1]      

We must stop the war

Find the way how 

We must stop the war, right now

We must stop the war

Make it disappear

We must stop the war, right here

 

[A2]        

The news are not getting better

We can’t reach you anymore

Silence in the rubble

The flares in the night sky

Show humanity’s darkness

Let’s raise our voices loud and high

 

[B2]      

We must stop the war 

Find the way how 

We must stop the war, right now

We must stop the war 

Make it disappear

We must stop the war, right here!  

 

[B3]  

We must stop war

Find the way how

We must stop the war, right here

We must stop the war

Make it disappear

We must stop the war, right here!

  

We must stop the war

Find the way how

we must stop the war, right now!

We must stop the war

Make it disappear

We must stop the war, right here.