There are teachers everywhere if you look for them. This is my account of what I learned simply by observing the crows of the Pacific North West.

The image is an oil on canvas painting I did several years ago.

The Crows of West Georgia Street

Dots of coal on the horizon
Gliding in the morning sun     
In the fountains and blossom trees
The crows of West Georgia Street
   
Rain or shine they’ve always been there
From the brickyard, they’ve come to share
Happy to see me, but they just don’t care
Those crows on West Georgia Street

Sleek and beautiful, rainbow black
Too smart for a cage, they always come back
They ease my pain by showing me
The point of life is just to be…..just to be

A tight knit murder; this family Crowe
Knowing well who’s friend or who's foe
Together forever like you and me
The crows on West Georgia Street

Sleek and beautiful, rainbow black
Too smart for a cage, they always come back
They ease my pain by showing me
The point of life is just to be…..just to be

Todd J McLean, All rights reserved

The Crows Of West Georgia Street

This is my first recorded cover song, but it was really all for my own benefit. I love Stevie Wonder who, along with Yvonne Wright, wrote this rock-gospel song that has always resonated with me. I engaged a talented pianist to record the music track for my vocals and worked with a producer and pro drummer, who also plays on the track. The image is a painting I did a few years ago entitled, 'The Parson's Arrival.'

They Won't Go When I Go (Stevie Wonder/Yvonne Wright)

No more lying friends
Wanting tragic ends
Though they do pretend
They won't go when I go

All those bleeding hearts
With sorrows to impart
Right here from the start
They won't go when I go

And I'll go, where I've longed,
To go, so long
Away from tears

Gone from painful cries
Away from saddened eyes
Along with him I'll bide
And they won't go when I go

Big men feeling small
Weak ones standing tall
And I will watch them fall
They won't go when I go

And I'll go, where I've longed
To go, so long
Away from tears

Unclean minds mislead the pure
The innocent will leave for sure
For them there is a resting place
People sinning just for fun
They will never see the sun
For they can never show their faces
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Who will take more than he will give
He will give, he will give
He ain't hardly gonna give, whoa yeah

The greed of man will be
Far away from me
My soul will be free
They won't go when I go-a-whoa

Since my soul conceived
All that I believe
The kingdom I will see
They won't go when I go
When I go, where I've longed 
No one can keep me from my destiny

They Won't Go When I Go (Stevie Wonder - Cover)

For a time, my family owned a small farm near a buffalo jump in Southern Alberta, Canada. As children, we use to play there. As an adult, I recognize that what was a cool place for white kids to play was actually a critical tool used for millennia as the lifeline for the peoples of the Blackfoot Nations and tribes. I dedicate this song to them.

Once grass and ground-covered, the photo image shows the shorn sandstone cliffs from thousands of years of use.

Jump the Buffalo

Blue sky all around, tall grass smells so sweet
Rock face cliff above, we climb to make retreat
Bison gave them life and this sandstone colosseum
Used, to jump them off; so they could live another season

In the shadow of the Rocky Mountains where the warm winds eat the snow
I played in a place that’s holy that most will never know
The Blackfoot in this coulee would hunt the buffalo
Yah, the Blackfoot in this coulee would jump the buffalo

Bison thick like waves all across the prairie
Nations trail the herds with all that they could carry
Cliff of sacrifice - done with signing of seven
A reservation for the warriors and buffalo near extinction

In the shadow of the Rocky Mountains where warm the winds eat the snow
I played in a place that’s holy that most will never know
The Blackfoot in this coulee would hunt the buffalo
Yah, the Blackfoot in this coulee would jump the buffalo

All rights reserved

Jump The Buffalo

I wrote this song for my daughter. The image is a pen and ink and watercolour I did for her a few years ago.

Heaven Blessed

A confident woman for all to see
Taking on life, so easily
She’s the kind of person, I’d like to be
Thoughtful and kind, a little wild and free

Now, rumour has it, she was born this way
Came to the game, ready to play
And she’s winning hearts, along the way
This raven-haired beauty, does what she may

Can you see who she really is?
Love’s her target and she can’t miss
Puts God and dogs at the top of her list  
The kind of girl who’s heaven blessed

Tough as nails, but as soft as love
She doesn’t suffer fools no, g’head pack your stuff
A beautiful soul who’s pure and true
A better friend, I never knew

Can you see who she really is?
Love’s her target and she can’t miss
Puts God and dogs at the top of her list      
The kind of girl who’s heaven blessed

	Like a wild horse that you can’t tame
	To break her spirit would be a shame
	Let her be her that’s why she came
	A divine gift I can’t explain

Can you see who she really is?
Love’s her target and she can’t miss
Puts “must love dogs” at the top of her list       
The kind of girl who’s heaven blessed (repeat)

Todd J McLean, All rights reserved

Heaven Blessed

I Don't Wannabe (Your 51st State) - Dance Version

Mr. President, a moment if you please
Let me say to USA as nicely as I can
To leave it along and let us just be friends
Talkin' 'bout my country, my true North, Strong & Free
And like the song says, baby, We Stand On Guard for Thee

I don't wannabe your 51st state, no
I stand on guard for thee, that's my fate now
I don't wannabe, your 51st state, no

Friends like us gotta find a way
To make things right for the USA
Friends and family across the border
It's elbows up when we get in the corner
Where we live is happy home
Reaching for something that ain't your own
We understand you want to grow
Our advice, just leave it alone

Mr. President, a moment if you please
We used to be like brothers now you're coming after me
Mm-hmm we fought together, died together too
And I can't believe this nightmare is all because of you
So let me say to USA as nicely as I can
To leave it along and let us just be friends
Talkin' 'bout my country, my true North, Strong & Free
And like the song says, baby, We Stand On Guard for Thee

I don't wannabe your 51st state, no
I stand on guard for thee, that's my fate now
I don't wannabe your 51st state, no

C'mon, I don't wannabe
Never wannabe
I really don't wanna be
I like you very much but I don't wanna be your 51st state

I don't wannabe your 51st state, no
I stand on guard for thee, that's my fate now
I don't wannabe your 51st state, no

I Don't Wannabe (Your 51st State) - Dance

I Don't Wannabe (Your 51st State) - Pop/Rock Version

Mr. President, a moment if you please
We used to be like brothers now you're coming after me
Mm-hmm we fought together, died together too
And I can't believe this nightmare is all because of you
So let me say to USA as nicely as I can
To leave it along and let us just be friends
Talkin' 'bout my home, my true North, Strong & Free
And like the song says, baby, We Stand On Guard for Thee

I don't
I don't wanna
Don't wannabe
I don't wannabe your 51st state, no
I don't
I don't wanna
Don't wannabe
Don't wannabe your 51st state now

Friends like us gotta find a way
To make things right for the USA
Friends and family across the border
It's elbows up when we get in the corner
Where we live is happy home
Reaching for something that ain't your own
We understand you want to grow
Our advice, just leave it alone

I don't
I don't wanna
Don't wannabe
I don't wannabe your 51st state, no
I don't
I don't wanna
Don't wanna
Don't wannabe your 51st state now

All rights reserved

Todd J McLean

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