Juanita Stein
Album: America
Release Date: 2017
UK
Juanita Stein talks about Florence
Florence was another fairly quick execution in songwriting. I was watching a documentary on the Dustbowl Era in America. It struck me on many levels, but the moment of clarity came after I had learned about the image of Florence herself. Having seen the photograph a hundred times, I’ll admit I didn’t really know much about it. The subject of the infamous ‘Migrant Mother’ photograph taken by Dorothea Langue. I became kind of obsessed with her and the subject. Reading interviews from her now grandchildren and family, I suppose finding a commonality in her being a mother and a fighter and maybe even looking for some words of wisdom myself having not long before becoming a mother myself. Clearly, her path was profoundly more difficult than mine, however, at the time of watching it was a time of great upheaval universally with the influx of migrants coming into Europe and reshaping the world as we knew it. I felt that it was an incredibly relevant story to tell. And so followed the song, lyrics, melody, etc pretty instantaneously.
«Reading interviews from her now grandchildren and family, I suppose finding a commonality in her being a mother and a fighter and maybe even looking for some words of wisdom myself having not long before become a mother myself.»
On Florence, the subject of the ‘Migrant Mother’ photograph
Not all great songs come out in one breath, but it’s sure a great feeling when it does!
Having actually gone through some pretty life-altering shifts myself lately, I found the process of writing my yet unreleased, new solo album, a similar experience. Like the spiritual weight does the heavy lifting for you.
Lyrics: Florence
Working for a living, working for some peace of mind
Working for the freedom which you’ll never find
Working for survival, working for the middle man
You live in times that weigh you down
Times that shake this land
Florence, you’re a face among a million more
You pray for something better than those dusty floors
Florence, you’re a leader, there’s not many of us born
You’re a lover, fighter, mother, keeper of the dawn
Another year will pass, another temporary home
Another child is raised, another seed is sawn
You look towards the heavens, keep your feet upon the ground
Do you remember how it was before you lost that round?
Florence, you’re a face among a million more
You pray for something better than those dusty floors
Florence, you’re a leader, there’s not many of us born
You’re a lover, fighter, mother, keeper of the dawn
You’ll survive another storm
You’ll survive so many more
Working for a living, working for some peace of mind
Working for the freedom which you’ll never find
You look towards the heavens, keep your feet upon the ground
Do you remember how it was before you lost that round?
Florence, you’re a face among a million more
You pray for something better than those dusty floors
Florence, you’re a leader, there’s not many of us born
You’re a lover, fighter, mother, keeper of the dawn
Florence, you’re a face among a million more
You pray for something better than those dusty floors
Florence, you’re a leader, there’s not many of us born
You’re a lover, fighter, mother, keeper of the dawn
Tracklist: America
1. “The Bell Hit”
2. “Dark Horse”
3. “Black Winds”
4. “I’ll Cry”
5. “Stargazer”
6. “Shimmering”
7. “Someone Else’s Dime”
8. “It’s All Wrong”
9. “Not Paradise”
10. “Cold Comfort”
11. “America”
Official Audio
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