In the summer of 2016, Eldon and I toured several historical markers of the Civil Rights Movement in Selma, AL. I grew up in Alabama, and spent my summers in Selma after my parents moved there while I attended college at Vanderbilt. I had never seen the city as a tourist, and I suppose as an 18-year-old, I was more concerned with the things a young person cares about, namely employment and friends. As a young resident, I had missed most of the lessons Selma holds in its memory.
We walked the streets of downtown Selma. It was quiet and hot on 4th of July; businesses were closed and people sought the comfort of air conditioning. We found the plaque that commemorates the death of Rev. James Reeb, a man who answered Dr. King’s call for clergy to assist in the fight for voter’s rights. We walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge and imagined the horror of being met with violent force, not knowing if you would live through the experience. Downtown was filled with posters proclaiming, “Learning from the Past to Build the Future." We sat on the steps of Brown Chapel, where many gathered to pray, sing and rally together in their efforts to fight for racial equality. We read the names of Freedom Fighters for the Civil Rights movement and looked at the bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Brown Chapel AME Church sits in the middle of the George Washington Carver housing project.
It was a sobering moment in my life. To celebrate the historical movement, as we do to this day on MLK day, as a movement of progress for the human race, and to understand that the very heart of this progress lies in a place that resembles anything but, gives me pause. I feel responsible and helpless in this world that has so much work yet to do to bridge the gaps of social equality.
I wrote this song “Wrong Side of the Tracks” as an attempt to put myself in that place of poverty. To try to understand what it might be like to live in the projects, and to find a sense of hope in that place. The song is about a girl in my imagination who lives in the GWC homes, across the street from the bust of Dr. King.
Eldon and I felt compelled to create a video for this song, knowing that we would visit my folks again this Christmas. The young girl in the video is Robyn. We met her as we filmed in her neighborhood. Our connection that day was rich as we got to know Robyn and her family and friends. It felt as though it was meant to be.
We want to help Robyn’s community and we are going to work with leaders in the community to find out what would be the best way to help them. I hope you enjoy this first single, “Wrong Side of the Tracks” from my upcoming EP, “Pine Hill Sessions."
lyrics
Faded pictures painted on brick walls
Mem’ries of a picnic left on sidewalks
Thoughts of those who lost their life for all
Slogan painted posters, they’re just an afterthought
We are fools to think we’d understand
We are fools to think we’d understand
Rooms too small to hold all your dreams
Conversations heard through open windows
Friends that never visit, so it seems
Streets with holes, that when it rains, they overflow
We are fools to think we’d understand
We are fools to think we’d understand
Life is hard e-nough for livin’
Go on like you are forgiven
No one needs to know you’re livin’ on
The wrong side of the tracks
It haunts you watching images of hate
Those who keep you safe have broken promises
Seems you’ll never get to leave this place
Hope and fear together work in opposite
We are fools to think we’d understand
We are fools to think we’d understand
Life is hard e-nough for livin’
Go on like you are forgiven
No one needs to know you’re livin’ on
The wrong side of the tracks
Streets at night are safer still
You can wrap yourself in veils of darkness
And find your peace at last
credits
from Pine Hill Sessions,
track released January 17, 2017
Written by Jenny Bonner
Vocals and Keyboard- Jenny Bonner
Bass- Eldon McGraw
Recorded at Elm Street Recording in Lansing, MI
Recording Engineer - Ryan Wert
Mixed by Ryan Wert, Jenny Bonner and Eldon McGraw
Mastered by Ryan Wert
Video by Eldon McGraw
Produced and directed by Eldon McGraw
Edited by Eldon McGraw, Jenny Bonner and John McGraw
On June 1, 2017 Jenny Bonner passed away unexpectedly due to a stroke.
Her husband Eldon
McGraw, her family and musical collaborators will be working in the studio in the future to bring to life songs she was working on before her death.
Jenny's musical path started when she was 10 years old and she discovered her love of cello and singing....more
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