Tag: West Chester Police

bookmark_borderWatch Out!

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LYRICS
Better look where you’re going
Or without knowing
You could be gone
Before too long
Better look where you’re going

Have we all been distracted
Appalled at the way I acted
Did you read the warning label correctly?
“Living life could be deadly”

Do we have “I’s” on both sides of our head
Haven’t heard a word that’s said
Did you read the warning label correctly?
“Living life could be deadly”

Though we can see… walking blindly
Choosing to act unkindly
Did you read the warning label correctly?
“Living life could be deadly”

Better look where you’re going
Or without knowing
You could be gone
Before too long
Better look where you’re going

Watch Out!.mp3

ABOUT THE SONG
Written at the corner of Gay and Church Streets in Chester County, West Chester, PA. When I started writing this song, a police officer that was driving by gave me the “hairy eyeball” instead of paying attention to where he was going. At the same time, a girl was walking across the crosswalk looking at her phone. We almost had one less police officer and one less pedestrian.

Style: Alternative Folk Rock
Chords: Em Em7 / G A D Em / G A / C E / G  A D E
Recording: original take / 1-track digital stereo

Vocals, Guitar

From the album Gay Church

bookmark_borderDear John,

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A true story with music inspired by Welcome To The Machine and Pigs (3 Different Ones).

Former Officer John
Former Officer John

LYRICS
Dear John,
You’ve gone so wrong
Thinkin’ bigwig for weigh [sic] too long
Reduced to a big PIG song
I wish you made me laugh
Instead,
… I try not to cry

Had to conform
Hand in his uniform
The life he’s worn
Worn, torn and wasted
You know…
The dues you owe
For lives devastated
Shouldn’t have wasted
I wish you made me laugh
Instead,
… I try not to cry

Dear John
Had to conform
Didn’t learn
From the pig he’ll earn
Freedom he’ll yearn
You know…
The dues you owe
Those berated
Lives devastated
Shouldn’t have waited
Why be hated?
I wish you made me laugh
Instead,
… I try not to cry

Dear John, (Instrumental).mp3

Dear John,   .mp3

ABOUT THE SONG
A former police officer berated me. He thought it would make him superior by laughing at me. I wished I could have laughed back at him… but, he made me want to cry.

Style: Alternative Rock
Chords: Em D Em9 C / C Am Em
Recording: digital stereo

Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards and Synthesizers

Written at the corner of Gay and Church Streets in Chester County, West Chester, PA.

From the album Gay Church

bookmark_borderGood Cop, Bad Cop

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LYRICS
Nothing like a smile
Lifts ya up a mile
Put the wind in sail
Never settle to fail

No matter the tribulation
No matter the trial
We’re gaining the satisfaction
With humanitarian style

When the storm clouds come
And darken it for you
You know the light — The Light
Is gonna shine on through

Good Cop, Bad Cop.mp3

ABOUT THIS SONG
Chords — D D6
G A D
D A G A G D

This song was inspired by good cops and bad cops. After dealing with some bad police in Doylestown, PA, I had the pleasure of dealing with some good police in West Chester, PA. While writing this song two different West Chester police went out of their way to be kind. The one with the big smile and wave started the lyrics.

Made in America (West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)

Daniel — Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards

From the album Under The Gun
By Daniel Brouse

bookmark_borderProtest Song

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LYRICS
This is a test. It’s a protest test.
For the next 2 minutes and 32 seconds…
This station will conduct a protest test on the nation

This is a protest song
And, it won’t take you long
To realize… it’s a protest song

I must confess
This… is a protest song

When you’re wrong, you’re wrong
Now, it’s a protest song

Come on! Sing along!
It’s a protest song

Soon we’ll be knowing
Knowing as we’re growing
Flowing with the protest song

This is only a test
In the event of a real emergency, check your Constitution

Protest Songwriting — Freedom of Speech in West Chester, PA.mp4

ABOUT THIS SONG
Chords — Capo 2
E A
E A D A E

This is another song inspired by a police officer that stopped us from playing music on the courthouse steps. Ironically, she couldn’t warn us about a noise violation because the traffic was too loud.

Someone wrote into the YouTube channel and asked: “What do bongos have to do with freedom of speech?”

The answer:
From the First Amendment Center’s “A Teachers Guide to Freedom Sings” —
“This teacher’s guide to music censorship over the past 50 years is intended to illustrate to students that the First Amendment doesn’t just protect the speech of the press and of politicians. It also protects music, dance, theater, poetry and film. In fact, it protects all creative expression that gives life flavor.”

Example from National Paralegal College —
“A number of prominent musicians decide to get together and perform a song which is clearly meant to convey their lack of support for a military action currently underway. The performance will be afforded the protection of the First Amendment.”

Made in the USA (West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)

Daniel — Guitar, Vocals

From the album Terrestrial Planet
By Daniel Brouse

bookmark_borderMusical Expression and Freedom of Speech

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LYRICS
As Fall falls upon us
We start to reminisce
Thinking past the present
To the things we miss

Looking back
We’ve been acting like cavemen
As a matter of fact
Worse… Barbarians

As Spring springs up on us
Thoughts start to surface
Thinking beyond the present
To things we won’t miss

Looking ahead
In my head, there’s a vision
Without tread
On our Constitution

ABOUT THIS SONG
Chords — Am Dm
G Am C Am

This song was inspired by a police officer that stopped us from playing music on the courthouse steps. Ironically, she couldn’t warn us about a noise violation because the traffic was too loud.

Someone wrote into the YouTube channel and asked: “What do bongos have to do with freedom of speech?”

The answer:
From the First Amendment Center’s “A Teachers Guide to Freedom Sings” —
“This teacher’s guide to music censorship over the past 50 years is intended to illustrate to students that the First Amendment doesn’t just protect the speech of the press and of politicians. It also protects music, dance, theater, poetry and film. In fact, it protects all creative expression that gives life flavor.”

Example from National Paralegal College —
“A number of prominent musicians decide to get together and perform a song which is clearly meant to convey their lack of support for a military action currently underway. The performance will be afforded the protection of the First Amendment.”

Made in the USA (West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)

Daniel — Guitar, Vocals

From the album Terrestrial Planet
By Daniel Brouse

bookmark_borderSo Be It

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Songwriting in West Chester, PA with the Police
Songwriting in West Chester, PA with the Police

INSTRUMENTAL

So Be It.mp4

ABOUT THIS SONG
Chords — Capo 1
Em Em add F#, C#, A low F#

Made in the USA (West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States of America.)

The song features a police officer who has been harassing me for several years… thus, the name of the song.

Daniel — Guitar

From the album True True
By Daniel Brouse