American Pictures: Reviews

American Pictures - reviews

A poem about the show:

September 17, 1992

Dear Jacob,

I saw "American Pictures" back in 1985 when I was a graduate student at Duke, and was so moved that I wrote a song that night. I've since been told by others who have seen "American Pictures" that my song of the same name captures a lot of what they felt. Some have asked if I sent you a copy of the song. but I never got around to it until now.

I've enclosed a home recording of the song and a lyric sheet. If you have an interest in using it in your program or otherwise, I'd probably record it more professionally, perhaps with the extra "bridge" line (included on the lyric sheet).
I'm glad you're still traveling with "American Pictures", and hope you'll have time to write back with your impressions.

Sincerely,

Larry Bohs

American Pictures

American pictures I saw that first Spring night
It's not entertainment he said and he was right
These weren't the pictures in my mind
And I see that I've been blind

I'd been told and read in books before
Slavery's ended -- went out with the civil war
But the pictures don't lie
They show the faces that never ask why

Bridge:
These are the pictures of our land
Where freedom lives inside of every man
(I sing my country tis of thee)
(But where is the land of liberty?)

We sit in our sports cars, turn up the radio
Complain about taxes, the rent and the money we owe
While people are starving day by day
We turn our heads and walk away

American pictures I saw that first Spring night
It's not entertainment he said and he was right
These are the pictures in my mind
And I see that I've been blind

C 1985 Larry Bohs