Hot New Earth (1997)

Liner notes, May 1997:

I often try to draw connections between art and science and have an equal interest in both. While I don't think that pop music has a profound impact on the pursuit of science, they are intimately intertwined. If you look back in history, it was the artists that provided new ways to look at the world and universe. I'm not on a soapbox about global warming, but perhaps a catchy pop lyric might connect with someone in such a way to get them to begin thinking about it.

The global warming debate was taking place at least as far back as 1997, and I wrote this song about it. The debate was probably happening long before that, but the advent of the Internet brought greater awareness of the issue.

Take away the trees, the means for recovery:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/19/greta-thunberg-we-are-ignoring-natural-climate-solutions

Music and Lyrics: Lee Barry

Vocal: Leo Littles
Final Mix: 5/2/1997


Visionary art
Culture create
Useful technology
What cannot we make?
Weaving the cloth that keeps us warm
Leaving the land so trashed and worn

The balance of soul
To the roots in the land
To the gothic cathedrals
Where the masses band
The song and dance of the social norm
Is now the slam dunk of the antisocial porn

In a hot new earth
In a cold cold sweat
Hot new earth
Meets a cold cold death
Force times velocity
Will give us power
In a hot new earth
Hot new earth

Overrated human
The master of slaves
Never the spiritual
Just material craves
A culture to integrate that math with the art
Are we ignorant?
Or are we too smart?

(Chorus)

Removal of skin
The raising of the sea
Take away the trees
The means for recovery
Poison pills for a feverish child
Cure the ills
Before it dies

(Chorus)

 

Lead Sheet: