Shed a Little Light
By James Taylor
Let us turn our thoughts today
To Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us
All men and women
Living on the Earth
Ties of hope and love
Sister and brotherhood
That we are bound together
In our desire to see the world become
A place in which our children
Can grow free and strong
We are bound together
By the task that stands before us
And the road that lies ahead
We are bound and we are bound
There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest
(Chorus)
Shed a little light, oh Lord
So that we can see
Just a little light, oh Lord
Wanna stand it on up
Stand it on up, oh Lord
Wanna walk it on down
Shed a little light, oh Lord
Can't get no light from the dollar bill
Don't give me no light from a TV screen
When I open my eyes
I wanna drink my fill
From the well on the hill
(Do you know what I mean?)
- Chorus -
There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest
Oh, Let us turn our thoughts today
To Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us
All men and women
Living on the Earth
Ties of hope and love
Sister and brotherhood
To Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us
All men and women
Living on the Earth
Ties of hope and love
Sister and brotherhood
That we are bound together
In our desire to see the world become
A place in which our children
Can grow free and strong
We are bound together
By the task that stands before us
And the road that lies ahead
We are bound and we are bound
There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest
(Chorus)
Shed a little light, oh Lord
So that we can see
Just a little light, oh Lord
Wanna stand it on up
Stand it on up, oh Lord
Wanna walk it on down
Shed a little light, oh Lord
Can't get no light from the dollar bill
Don't give me no light from a TV screen
When I open my eyes
I wanna drink my fill
From the well on the hill
(Do you know what I mean?)
- Chorus -
There is a feeling like the clenching of a fist
There is a hunger in the center of the chest
There is a passage through the darkness and the mist
And though the body sleeps the heart will never rest
Oh, Let us turn our thoughts today
To Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us
All men and women
Living on the Earth
Ties of hope and love
Sister and brotherhood
I always sing this song to myself on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I love the words to the song, and at the end of this post, I have posted a video of James and his band singing this song, if you would like to listen.
The last time I visited Washington D.C., I was able to visit the newly created memorial for Martin Luther King Jr.
As I walked through the memorial and read some of the quotes he had said or written in his lifetime, I was amazed at the love and compassion and leadership this man possessed.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. 1963
I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. Norway, 1964.
If we are go have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional, our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective. Georgia 1967
I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. Norway, 1964
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. 1963
Martin Luther King, Jr. encouraged us to shed a little light on our world. A light that comes from love, not hate. From nonviolent action, not violence. From embracing our differences and helping that unite us, instead of making those differences segregate us and drive us apart. But this wasn't a new message. It wasn't one he created on his own. It was one he had been taught his whole life, as he attended church every Sunday, learning the words Jesus Christ said in the New Testament. King took to heart the verse in Matthew 22: 37-40 that says:
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Today, King's daughter Bernice King, Chief Executive Officer of the King Center posted this statement on her blog here
On the national holiday today, The King Center is calling for a moratorium on violence. Specifically, we are asking that there be no shots fired -- no shooting off at the mouth with our tongue, no shooting off physically with our fists and no shooting off of any type of gun! Just for one day -- on the King Holiday -- in recognition of my father, and as TIME magazine has said, one of our nation's Founding Fathers, let us honor the memory of one of the world's most highly regarded nonviolent proponents of peace on his holiday, with no shots fired. Instead, we ask that people engage in something positive and uplifting in service to humanity.
Shed a little light. Engage in something positive and uplifting to service humanity. What if we all took this statement to heart. What if we all took one day to fire no shots.....to do something positive and uplifting in service to humanity. What would the outcome look like?
I think for one day our world would be a much brighter place, and light would drive out darkness, and love would drive out hate.
Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr., for shedding your light, and letting your message continue to shine on our world today.
On the national holiday today, The King Center is calling for a moratorium on violence. Specifically, we are asking that there be no shots fired -- no shooting off at the mouth with our tongue, no shooting off physically with our fists and no shooting off of any type of gun! Just for one day -- on the King Holiday -- in recognition of my father, and as TIME magazine has said, one of our nation's Founding Fathers, let us honor the memory of one of the world's most highly regarded nonviolent proponents of peace on his holiday, with no shots fired. Instead, we ask that people engage in something positive and uplifting in service to humanity.
Shed a little light. Engage in something positive and uplifting to service humanity. What if we all took this statement to heart. What if we all took one day to fire no shots.....to do something positive and uplifting in service to humanity. What would the outcome look like?
I think for one day our world would be a much brighter place, and light would drive out darkness, and love would drive out hate.
Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr., for shedding your light, and letting your message continue to shine on our world today.
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