www.thebrownstudy.org got a makeover yesterday and i've added a free song download feature that will be updated every week or so. right now you can mosey on over there and download the song Tattoo - for free!

(i'll warn you now i'm going to get all treacly up in here... but today all bets are off, so shut it.)

i've listened to this song thousands of times over the past 8 years. when Laura wrote it, in 1968, thousands had already died fighting in Vietnam, MLK and Bobby Kennedy had both just been killed, the civil rights movement was reaching a fever pitch - and basically, the country was falling apart around her.

i can only imagine how frustrated she must have felt as an artist during this period. we think back to the 60s as a time when music really spoke to what was happening in the world, but it's also important to remember that when your job is to make music, or art, or write poetry - it can be very easy to get bogged down in the negativity of the world, and feel like you're not really doing anything of substance to make a difference. it's not easy to push yourself to keep trying to focus on what's possible rather than just complaining about what's already happened.

when we went to war in 2003, the lyrics took on a whole new meaning for me. suddenly i understood what it was like to have to TRY to continue loving your country, even when it seemed to be making all the wrong moves, and heading toward disaster. torture, domestic spying, denying climate change, watching people trapped on their rooftops during hurricane katrina, lies in every level of government, criminal acts in the financial system -- throughout all of this i listened closely and hoped that someday we would "Save the Country".

although it stands on its own as a beautiful song - even without the political and social context - through all of the frustration of the last 8 years, this song has been comforting to me. but up until now the comfort was bittersweet, because it was just a reminder that we were STILL dealing with the same issues she was singing about 40 years ago.

well, i know we are not even 24 hours into this new period in america, but i just have to post this video and the lyrics to this INSPIRED song one more time, because once again it's taken on a whole new meaning - only this time, it's hopeful! YAHOO AMERICA!

enjoy this beautiful day, and enjoy this beautiful song.

-The Brown Study



Come on, people! Come on, children!
Come on down to the glory river.
Gonna wash you up, and wash you down,
gonna lay the devil down, gonna lay that devil down.

Come on, people! Come on, children!
There's a king at the glory river.
And the precious king, he loved the people to sing;
Babes in the blinkin' sun sang
We Shall Overcome.

I got fury in my soul, fury's gonna take me to the glory goal.
In my mind I can't study war no more.
Save the people! Save the children! Save the country now!

Come on people! Sons and mothers!
Keep the dream of the two young brothers.
Gonna take that dream and ride that dove.

We could build the dream with love, I know,
We could build the dream with love, I know,
We could build a dream with love, children,
We could build the dream with love, oh people,
We could build the dream with love, I know,
We could build the dream with love.

Save the people! Save the children! Save the country now!

I got fury in my soul, fury's gonna take me to the glory goal.
In my mind I can't study war no more.

for everyone who does not know this, and for those of you who know but choose not to care (why are you reading this?), i'm going to be playing the songs i write for funny but mean (www.funnybutmean.com) live at the next show... a week from tomorrow... at the marine's memorial theater in san francisky. wow. i'm nervous because i'm not a great performer (i prefer to think of myself as a modern day carole king - loves writing songs, hates playing them for people!)... and because my hands will be shaking so bad that i probably won't be able to hit the keys correctly. BUT... i'm doing it. for my fans, for my tan and for my nan(a), who i actually invited to the show, but when i told her there was a powerpoint presentation that features large pictures of penises with sores on them she opted not to go.

oops.

if youre in the bay area please come and see us and let us make you laugh!

Funny But Mean Builds a Well To Provide Fresh Drinking Water to Children in Africa: A Hilarious Comedy!

ONE NIGHT ONLY

Monday, March 17, 2007, 8:00 PM
Marine's Memorial Theater
609 Sutter Street, San Francisco

$10-$15 sliding scale
All proceeds to go to the Water Project, an organization that builds fresh water wells in Africa.

have a powerful day!

Stephanie

with myself. www.thebrownstudy.org got a face lift and i am excited about it - go lookie! some new songz have been added. i love you for reading this.

listen more than you talk;
speak softly but audibly;
don't repeat yourself;
use no more words than are necessary;
make eye-contact without staring;
pay attention to what you see;
don't chew your mustache (or anyone else's);
brush your teeth at least twice a day;
don't eat onions or garlic before social engagements;
smell good;
don't make noises when you breathe;
breathe fully but not heavily;
sit straight, but not rigid;
dress in clothes that fit you and feel good;
don't brag;
be friendly;
shake hands firmly but don't overdo it;
verbally acknowledge your discomfort when you notice it;
verbally acknowledge your lack of understanding when you feel it;
ask questions and marvel at the answers;
be kind to animals;
don't repeat yourself;
look for things to like and comment on them;
keep your body and hair clean;
make a daily check list of things to do;
don't do two of them;
do the rest;
exercise every day;
when having a conversation with a child, kneel down to his or her eye level;
don't expect children to act like adults;
don't call people names;
don't talk bad behind people's back;
to a third party say something nice about someone else;
keep your body relaxed;
don't force a smile;
don't interrupt;
go slow;
don't repeat yourself;
don't be a monotone;
use good grammar;
be respectful to ALL old folks, no exceptions;
when people visit you, make them comfortable;
do not wear too much cologne or perfume;
keep agreements;
respect others' beliefs;
do more than your part to keep the planet clean;
keep the temperature nice in your dwelling;
wake up early;
don't pick your teeth (or your nose) in public;
don't clean your nails in public;
cover your mouth when you cough;
cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief when you sneeze;
leave well enough alone;
remember names;
don't tell ethnic jokes or make racial slurs;
ask clearly and explicitly for what you want;
take responsibility for being clearly understood;
listen carefully to what others say;
ask for clarification when you are misunderstood;
write legibly;
don't ask rhetorical questions;
don't overeat;
be in the midst of learning something new;
accept what is obvious;
change your routine once a week (change this routine once in a while);
avoid sugar without being obsessive about it;
give up trying to be something special;
don't smoke;
don't get stumbly drunk or slur your words;
don't physically hurt any living thing;
when in a dialogue, get in touch with that part of you that is nosey but not intrusive, remembering that real life is more interesting than television;
don't be anxious to verbalize a parallel from your own experience;
don't act out your joy to the point of being phony;
don't let your sadness turn you into the kind of grump who is a pain in the ass to be with;
do not use hair slickum;
don't repeat yourself.

richard carson, 1983

The Brown Study's favorite filmmaker, Leah Dieterich, has done it again and her film "Prioritaire", which features our song "Another Keyboard" will be screening at the AFI Dallas festival in March of this year. If you're in the Dallas area be sure to check it out. Also - keep checking www.leahdieterich.com and www.thebrownstudy.org for future brilliances as these two creative visionaries continue to collaborate on projects!

www.afidallas.com

love and passionate kisses,
The Brown Study

A short film by the name of Prioritaire, made by the Brown Study's favorite filmmaker, Leah Dieterich, will be screened at the LA Shorts Fest on September 8, 2006. Prioritaire features our song Another Keyboard in the end credits. Wow!!

We would like to send our congratulations and best wishes to Leah Dieterich and also pat ourselves on the back for being so incredibly talented and wonderful. We would also like to investigate the cause behind our recent decision to refer to ourselves in the plural third person.

To see Prioritaire, and the music video for our song Anyhow, Anyway, visit Leah's site:
www.leahdieterich.com

If you're in the LA area and don't have anything to do on the 8th of September, you can buy tickets for the show here:
www.lashortsfest.com

Tickets go on sale 10 days before the show and you will need to refer to the program number when you purchase. The deets:

Prioritaire
Program No. 46
10:00pm
Friday, September 8th, 2006
Theater No. 12

If you go - say hi at the show!

Kissezzzz,
The Brown Study

One of The Brown Study's songs was immortalized recently in the form of a music video created by a very talented new filmmaker named Leah Dieterich. Click here to see the video, and while you're there browse through some of her other projects - you'll be impressed!