The Stars in the Sky
lyrics and vocals by Emcee Lynx
instrumental by Dub Cee
Living In the Shadow
copyright emcee lynx 2005

So I was working as a canvasser, knockin on doors
Tryna raise money to defend the forest
Supporting legislation, rounding up signatures
And tryna put pressure on our local state senator
the harder I worked the more I realized
That the pigs don’t care about the people’s cries
Cuz the big money men make campaign contributions
And then the state pays them to create pollution
and while the pigs might say that they’re looking out for us
They’re paying corporations to clear-cut the forest
And it doesn’t matter how many letters we write
Because there’s only one way we can make it right
And that’s direct action, it gets satisfaction
If they do it for the money we should start subtractin’
From the bottom line, destroy they’re profits
And there really isn’t shit they can do to stop us

So I saved up some money, just in case
Paid my last months rent, started looking for a place
Where I could make a difference, and shit was crackin
Got word from a friend about a clear-cut happening
Up in Oregon, just south of Eugene
This shit was nuts, I mean it was obscene
The company was breaking every law on the books
And it’s not exaggerating to call them crooks
It was on federal land – straight public property
And the pigs were paying them to commit robbery
And clearcut an untouched oldgrowth forests
One of a very few left by generations before us
No environmental impact reviews, of course
And it’s funny how those kind of laws don’t get enforced
So the only option left was to do it ourselves
And tell the corporation they could go to hell

So I caught a ride up across the state line
Checked in with the support crew so I could find
A way to help out and lend a hand
They said they needed tree-sitters so I got in the van
Got a ride to the grove, and introduced my self
To the kids in the woods, they straight looked like elves
Or maybe ewoks with a village in the trees
I was scared of heights, so I gritted my teeth
Grabbed a hold of the rope, and climbed straight up
Feelin’ kinda sick, like I might throw up,
But everybody was cool, just chill and friendly
Nobody actin’ fake or tryna be trendy
So I found a friendly tree, got myself situated
Borrowed a good book, kicked back and waited

I spent a month just kickin it, reading keroac
Studying and writing, and what I learned is that
Revolution really isn’t glamorous
just like "free love" doesn't mean you're amorous
All I did was freeze my ass off and sit in a tree
But for the first time in my life, I felt free
And I learned to make peace with myself and start healin
The scars on my soul and the pain I was feelin
I took off at the end of the month and went home
Took a little time to just be alone
Found out a year later it was worth all the rain
When the clearcuts were cancelled and they won the campaign
And I really can’t take any kind of credit
Cuz I only stayed a month, but I’ll never forget it
Cuz it changed me forever, and that’s no lie
Just the wind in the trees and the stars in the sky