Some songs define an era. Up here in Scotland, where trad Scottish folk is mainstream, the super group Lau are legendary. A decade or so ago when Chris Drever wrote and released this song, it was a different world- perhaps our politics was kinder, or perhaps no-one had lifted the veil. Nevertheless, I am proud of how, for the most part, Scotland has been welcoming of refugees.
This song breaks me every time I hear it. That line, ‘They say we’re not like them…’
Here at Proost, our hope is to find ways to bring artistry and activism together. This is a perilous pursuit, fraught with possible conflict, because justice is not neutral, even if it seeks to be impartial. It is easy to fall into simplistic virtue-signalling or propaganda. Songs like this one show us the way. Tell stories of people whose voices are obscured. Speak of love and tenderness. Let compassion be our guide, even in the face of powers that tell us that compassion is naïve and foolish.
