Tracy Chapman

Lyrics from New Beginning CD, 1995

Heaven’s Here On Earth

You can look to the stars in search of the answers Look for God and life on distant planets Have your faith in the ever after While each of us holds inside the map to labyrinth And heaven’s here on earth

We are the spirit The Collective conscience We create the pain and the suffering and the beauty in this world Heaven’s here on earth

In our faith in humankind In our respect for what is earthly In our unfaltering belief in peace and love and understanding

I’ve seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people leading ordinary lives Filled with love compassion forgiveness and sacrifice Heaven’s in hearts In our faith in humankind In our respect for what is earthly In our unfaltering belief in peace and love and understanding

Look around Believe in what you see The kingdom is at hand The promised land is at your feet We can and will become what we aspire to be If heaven’s here on earth If we have faith in humankind And respect for what is earthly And an unfaltering belief that truth is divinity And heaven’s here on earth

I’ve seen spirits I’ve met angels I’ve touched creations beautiful and wondrous I’ve be places where I question all I think I know But I believe I believe I believe this could be heaven

We are born inside the gates with the power to create life And to take it away The world is our temple The world is our church Heaven’s here on earth

If we have faith in humankind And respect for what is earthly And an unfaltering belief in peace and love and understanding This could be heaven here on earth

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Tracy Chapman has been writing songs and playing guitar from the time she was eleven years old. Her songs are about the social injustices of the world. It is poetry set to music. Her lyrics are designed to make you think about the inequalities in our culture. The words inspire us to truly look around at what is going on with humankind. To believe that peace, love, and understanding of one another, is (and should be) possible.

I have been familiar with Chapman’s music for a number of years. I have always appreciated her ability to continue to enlighten others through her music. She continues to stand up, through words, for all man/woman kind; to empower us all to respect one another. If more artist where as thought provoking as her, we could have "Heaven Here on Earth", for it would be from our hearts. This song is just one example of her poetry.

Annette Parson


Additional Resources:

http://www.google.com/musica?aid=A82NdH1oavC&sa=X&oi=music&ct=result
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYWOwWAguk
http://www.about-tracy-chapman.net/
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/tracychapman