When Amy Duma of the Kennedy Center asked me to sing a song at last month’s retreat, I wrote “Lean on Love.” I recruited a small chorus to help me get started leading it, because it’s a very nerve wracking thing to get up in front of peers, for whom I have so much respect. That was just fear talking, because it was very fun. I taught the song and then had everyone gather together in a large clump to sing it. I’ve been doing that regularly when I can, because I think people love and need to feel the power of being immersed in music. It’s just not the same when we’re scattered around the room.
I wish I’d been able to record the song at the time, because it sounded great to be in the middle of all these powerful singers. Instead, this is my home version.
One of the things many artists struggle with who work in education is balancing our own creativity and a focus on teaching. That balance changes, sometimes daily, and, like anything, can get out of balance. That’s the reference for the last verse.
photo by Lizzie Goldman
The song is easy to sing and has rap-like verses. I was listening to a lot of Macklemore at the time. I’m no rapper,it’s obvious, but I admire the rapid fire nature of some of those lyrics. If you’re a singer with groups, I think you’ll find the song works well.
Lean on Each Other
Lean on each other (3x)
And we’ve all got to lean on love, yeah
We’ve all go to lean on love.
Nothing here is guaranteed
What I want or what I need.
The only ticket to proceed
Is risking my neck.
Making up making new
Making out, making do
If I want to make it through
I gotta to connect.
Talking less than you have planned
Listening to understand
Reaching for the open hand
All along the way
Love is like a rocket fuel
Keeps you warm and keeps you cool
They don’t teach it much in school
Learn it anyway.
People always say to me
Nothing ever comes for free
They’re as wrong as they can be.
Cause they don’t know.
Love is free, love is strong
Love can soothe whatever’s wrong
Love is right where we belong
Anywhere we go.
Balance teaching and our art
Like Rousseau and Descartes
Put the horse before the cart
And shoulder to the plow
Desire and the fire of fate
On the world that we create
opens up the garden gate
And shows me how …we
© Stuart Stotts 2013
Great song Stuart! The last verse about finding the balance between creativity and teaching is my current challenge…obviously teaching is creative, but it’s an entirely different kind of creativity than songwriting and book writing and drawing and all of those other things that my brain is busy creating…we’re just the people who use every hour of the day in some way, taking advantage of those free moments to give our artistry some space….
Joanie, I know that so many of us who work in schools have this same feeling, always balancing, and always being pulled, and as you say, filling every hour of the day.