I have had the pleasure of teaching social work at Thomas University for the past 16 years or so. Every now and then at graduation, I have had the fun of playing with some of the faculty doing a song for the ceremony. Often it is a pop or patriotic tune, often inspiring, but usually not related to education per se. So I went and wrote one about how learning affects how we look at life. This version is from a Winni concert with Chris Peters and Lindy Hearne.
lyrics
Life Looks Different Today
V1
G F# Bm E7
When the apple hit Isaac Newton’s head,
Am D7 Bm E7
He first went “ouch” and then he said,
Am A+ G E7
“This fruit's got gravity I bet,”
Am D7
Then things looked different that day…
V2
G F# Bm E7
When Copernicus went and figured out first,
Am D7 Bm E7
That we weren’t the center of the universe,
Am A+ G E7
The dream of every narcissist was burst,
Am D7 G
Cause things looked different that day.
B1
Dm7 G7 Dm7 G7
When Tom Edison wrapped some wires up tight,
Cmaj7 Am Cmaj7 Am
Ran some power through it and lit up the night,
B7sus4 B7 Em
After that day, the future looked bright,
A7 D7
Because everything was seen in a different light,
V3
G F# Bm E7
And when you think of music and how sound came around,
Am D7 Bm E7
It started with pounding sticks on the ground,
Am A+ G E7
Then a tune came along and it all was profound,
Am D7 G
As things sounded different that day.
Instrumental break – Lots of little musical phrases from music history
B2
Dm7 G7 Dm7 G7
In a garage in California were two computer hacks,
Cmaj7 Am Cmaj7 Am
One named Jobs, the other Wozniak,
B7sus4 B7 Em
They started with Lisa but ended up with Mac,
They started with an Apple and from that came a Mac,
A7 D7
They started thinking different and they never looked back.
V4
G F# Bm E7
From relativity to evolution,
Am D7 Bm E7
The way you think creates the revolution,
Am A+ Bm E7
So never doubt you contain the solution,
Am E7
It’s just a thought away….
Am D7
If you need justification,
Bm E7
You can thank your education,
Am A+
For the prize that you’ve earned,
G E7
Is all that you’ve learned,
Am D7
When you wake up and look at life….
D7 G
A little different today.
credits
from Singles,
released February 1, 2019
Guitar and vocal - Bill Milford
Guitar - Chris Peters
Mandolin - Lindy Hearne
Bill Milford lives in Tallahassee, FL. He performed professionally during his 20's and still plays out occasionally. He
has performed with Barb Siftar, Lindy Hearne, Lynn
Adler, Chris Peters, Gail Nickse, Fred Griffeth, Richie Summa, and many other fine artists. He made dozens of dollars during his folk career so he offers his recordings without charge....more
Irish singer-songwriter Oisin Leech's acoustic folk music is characterized by its muted beauty and intimate, solitary quality. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 16, 2024
The haunting new record from Canadian folk artist Avi C. Engel bridges old and new traditions with a minimalist approach. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 24, 2024
From Cork, Ireland, Lewis Barfoot writes mystic, majestic songs derived from regional folk, with an ambient music aura. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 11, 2023