on converting a spruce plantation into a forest & other projects that inspire by Cathy Fitzgerald

A Hard Rains Gonna Fall -’It was a song of desperation. What could we do? Could we control the men who were on the verge of wiping us out. The words came  fast – very fast. It was a song of terror. Line after line, trying to capture the feeling of nothingness.’ Bob Dylan. (Image from the travelling Hard Rain Bob Dylan- Mark Edwards exhibition, London, 2009)

I had a great response to the raging grannies climate change song in my last post. One of my readers sent me in their favourite climate change song and I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.

Hold onto your hats, here’s Tiny Tim’s  ‘The Ice Caps a meltin – oh, ho, ho, ho-ho’

Some of you know my other half is the biggest Bob Dylan fan in the world. So I had little trouble persuading him to see a great outdoor exhibition that centres on Bob Dylan’s song ‘A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall’ recently in London. This world travelling exhibition of photos shows the growing extent of the global environmental crisis. Its  hard to look at but stunning photographs of the many social and ecological consequences across the world are accompanied by the text of the lyrics of Bob Dylan’s song. It’s a unique coming together of some of Bob’s most hard-hitting lyrics and the work of many leading photographers, led by the inspiration of Mark Edwards. These photos were on public display during the lead up to the Copenhagen summit, in London’s Trafalgar Square, on the railings of St Martin’s in the Fields church. (I’m still not sure why Ireland had no exhibitions for this event, but maybe I missed something? However this exhibition has been to Ireland’s Electric Picnic and some other venues a few years ago). Bob Dylan wrote this song during the intense time of the Cuban Missile Crisis but has stated that this song has a much broader sweep, a wider meaning, one appropriate before, during and after the Cuban Missile Crisis. See more about the inspiring work behind the travelling Hard Rain project here.

I’ll just finish with a little collaboration I did with The Strokes version of the Marvin Gaye’s incredible song  ‘The Ecology’. I never thought I’d be among the thousands who make tribute You tube fan song video’s, but back in January, trying to get over the Copenhagen Blues, I dashed outside and made this little piece in an hour when I should have been working. Hope you like it – maybe turn down the speakers if you are at work

Tagged as: 2009, art & ecology, bob dylan, Cathy Fitzgerald, climate change, London, mark edwards, music, song, the strokes, tiny tim

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