Natural Disaster
This is the fourth in a series of blog entries about the songs on the upcoming album “Hello Cruel World”, to be released January 2012.
New Orleans, 2010
Earthquake shook the California ground
Took a freeway out and some buildings down
Well I’ve never felt the earth move under my heels
But I got a pretty good idea how it feels
Flood, fire, earthquake, hurricane, tsunami. We go from calamity to calamity. Hello cruel world. Meanwhile the world spins on, unconcerned, deaf to our questioning. Why is this happening? What does it mean? We seek explanation, we blame God, we blame each other, we blame the Other. We look for signs and portents. To infer meaning from random events – it’s hubris, it’s human. Does nature make mistakes? Does God? Is it possible that none of it means anything, or more probably that the answer is so far beyond us that we can’t comprehend the question?
We build our houses on fault lines; we give our most vulnerable selves to each other – and sooner or later disaster strikes. Keep your heart and your door closed and you may be able to avoid pain, but you never feel the wild aliveness of the world. Open your heart and you risk it all. Love is a natural disaster.
They say it was a miracle no one died
Just two people hurt and some wounded pride
Love takes everything in its path
And leaves you breathless in the aftermath
“Natural Disaster” by Gretchen Peters
© 2011 Circus Girl Music (ASCAP)
from the upcoming album Hello Cruel World
photo by Gretchen Peters (all rights reserved)
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February 23rd
24th International Folk Alliance Conference
Memphis, TN, USAFebruary 24th
24th International Folk Alliance Conference
Memphis, TN, USATime: 12:00PM
Address: 250 North Main Street
City: Memphis
State: TN
Country: USA
More Info:
1:30pm (Nashville room)
Panel: I Write the Songs
With Michael Martin Murphy, Jonathan Edwards, Dan Navarro, Melanie, Gretchen Peters; hosted by Erika Wollam Nichols7:00PM (Heritage 1)
Official Showcase10:30PM (Room 1725)
Swallow Hill Presents
With Malcolm Holcombe11:30PM (Room 1929)
The Alberta RoomMarch 1st
The Sage
Gateshead, UKTime: 8:00PM
Address: St Mary's Sq, Gateshead Quays
City: Gateshead
Country: UK
Phone: 0191 443 4661
Price: £14.50 & £16.50
More Info:
With support by Lynne Hanson.
March 2nd
The Arc
Stockton on Tees, UKTime: 8:00PM
Address: Dovecot Street
City: Stockton on Tees
Country: UK
Phone: 01642 525199
Price: £15.00
More Info:
With support by Lynne Hanson.
March 3rd
The Met
Bury, UKTime: 8:00PM
Address: Market Street
City: Bury
Country: UK
Phone: 0161 761 2216
Price: £17.00
March 4th
The Arches
Glasgow, UKTime: 7:00PM
Address: 253 Argyle Street
City: Glasgow
Country: UK
Phone: 0141 565 1000
Price: £16.00
More Info:
With support by Lynne Hanson.
March 5th
Buxton Opera House
Buxton, UKTime: 8:00PM
Address: Water Street
City: Buxton
Country: UK
Phone: 0845 127 2190
Price: £15.00 & £17.00
More Info:
With support by Lynne Hanson.
March 7th
Robin 2
Bilston, UK