From Little Things Big Things Grow (+ rant)

I did not know about this until today. It's really quite cool and features some fantastic artists all collaborating on a song that was previously just another Paul Kelly tune. (One of the many, cos dude has like 20 albums!) Now it's a reworked track that features snippets from PM Ruddy's "Sorry" speech and some awsome lyrics and voices that capture the heart of reconciliation. I wish I knew about this sooner but apparently it blew up all over Triple J last year when it was released..ha! Im so behind. Anyone else miss this?
Its got Urthboy, Ozi Batla, Missy Higgins and Jane Tyrell on it to name a few voices. Sick eh?

You get the song via the Get Up! web site which has a page just for this campaign/project. There's also high-res artwork and a video clip available for free download (my favourite type) but its a big file! (youtube it instead) When you're done have a look around the site and see what else is going on. Worth your 5 minutes i promise.

Or...just click on the pic for the mp3 if thats too much.

RANT WARNING:

This gets me thinking, why isnt there more? As in...why arnt there more collaborations, partnerships and artists out there joining forces to speak out...or speak up about something? Dont get me wrong i am stoked that this exists, im all for the 'apology' but why does it stop there? What about assylum seekers, boat people, migrants and refugee's? What about suicide, depression and self harm? Homelessness, substance abuse, gambling and family violence? There is a never ending list of issues that could really benefit from some of this treatment and ive noticed that the mainstream media is missing the point. Power is in the hands of the people, not the other way around. Change will occur from the ground up, not top down. Live Aid, Wave Aide, Earth Hour, Make Povery History...whilst all good idea's and effective mediums in communicating to a large audience at once have resulted in very little change to our culture and society. So, a concert is still just a concert and a song is still just a song. More songs will still only amount to that...more songs. More noise. But people with voices can do a lot. I like that Paul Kelly, Urthboy and all the rest are motivated like this...i just wish more people were.
End rant.