Witness, our masterpiece, Miss Dora:

The end of 2011 proved even a bit challenging for me, the eternal optimist.  In the end, the optimism helped a lot, and as I knew it would, everything worked out okay.  Now I have moved into a sweet little house, close to work and Escuela and am just this weekend going to start plugging in again…literally.  The guitars are looking at me longingly.  The keyboards seem sad set up on their sides, and without any connection to the wall.  Rock and Roll is comin’!

In the meantime here are some fun little bits of info from 2011 that you probably have not heard yet.  The first is a neat little film made by Kim Shively about the panel I sat on at the ever-entertaining and fun Feminism and Co. talks at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  What a BLAST!

And here is a fun little song I did for a client this year to remind you all about the Custom Songs that I do and what a fabulorific gift they are.  This couple was kind enough to let me share their 10th Anniversay Song which they hired me to write.  They provided the story and musical references, and I provided the ditty!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO:  Hey Blackjack

written and performed by Camille Brightsmith and Valentina, all rights reserved 2011

Day one with Valentina

We didn’t know you were a girl

Your mama pushed

And we could see you

As you slid into this world

5:29    You came out pretty

Brother and Sister

Filled with awe

Your papa stood

The angel Gabriel

So protective of his brood

Day two with Valentina

And they hooked you to the tubes

Somehow the hours passed

We entered the morass

It felt so sacred touching you

Day three with Valentina

She seems so perfect when we kiss her

She’s wheeled away

We are afraid

Her tiny body

Her sacred skin

As thin as silk

As they go in

To repair a heart

That’s barely tasted mothers milk

Day five with Valentina

And she is there upon her mothers breast

And she can breath

Without machines

And she has conquered every test

Brother and Sister have lived a year or two

Since the day that Vale came

Mommy and Daddy

Cannot describe their love

they cannot think about the pain

Day six with Valentina

She is home in Momma’s bed

There is something

Akin to normal

The kitchen is a mess

The dogs are barking

The kids are fighting

The baby’s craying

The baby’s crying

Valentina

Valentina

Valentina

Hush little baby don’t you dry

Momma’s gonna sing you a lullybye

Daddy’s gonna keep you safe and warm

Sisters gonna teach you graceful charm

Brothers gonna get you in lots of trouble

Sweet little baby, sweet little bundle

Valentina

Valentina

Listen To:  Winning Pretty

Now tell me of a citizen

Who cannot serve in infantry?

Somehow the celebrations

For our patriotic GLBT

Have left me feeling hollow

Since no matter what they swallow

They can kill and spill overturn

Crash and burn

I haven’t got a word now

For the feeling in between

You know I’m feelin’ so proud

As they march into the skein

We are free, now truly aren’t we?

We are proud and without lies

You can ask and I can tell you

What I enjoy between my thighs

You know we marched into the city

You know we camped out in the trees

But winning isn’t always pretty

They will cut you at your knees

And I can slaughter

I can translate

I can save you from the enemy

I can come home

Broken body

Disillusioned fighting PTSD

We are heightened

When we are equal

We are lowered

When we fight

Guess that’s why I’m feeling lonely

While I’m bursting with gay pride

How to harmonize

These feelings

I am in between the baffles

Alone, and keening

For the beautiful

The spacious skies

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO:  I Don’t Need You

I don’t need you but I want to
Wanna be underneath your thumb
I don’t mean to be so see-through
Wanna get in bed
I Wanna play with guns

Drag me over the bridge and through the park
into the dark
into the weeds
between two trees
and on my knees
and you drag me down down down down down down down
and you run me down down right into the ground

I don’t need you….

Waves are crashing in at 4 am wanna take a swim
into the woods
into the dark
Pacific Rim
And your diving down down down down down down down
and we are shivering on the cold ground

I don’t need you….

Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved
Words and Music by Camille Bright-Smith
Smokin’ Piano performed by David Wohl

Lilly was workin’ hard
Hitting the plant floor every day
She learned every single job
It was Goodyear all the way
Everyone in Gadsden Alabama
Knew her very well
The lady Manager
The sweetest gal
The hardest worker

Then one day
She got a letter from a stranger
Exposing that her pay
Was waaaaaay less than what the guys were makin’
Means Lilly spent
Round 20 years
Getting less
Doing the same
Wasn’t there a law about that
Back in the day?

And Miss Lilly says
Might don’t make right
Whats good is good
I’m gonna fight, I’m gonna fight
And you can thank her
For your right to equal pay
Miss Lilly Ledbetter
Your Miss American Way!

Shake downs for sex
Back room cigarettes
Lilly never wanted
Any part of this
They backed the wrong gal
Up against a wall
And it took an act of Congress
But the wall came tumblin’ down

Hey Lilly Hey
Ginsberg had her back
Lilly had her faith
Y’all better get right with that
And pay attention
Don’t take one penny less
Might need to mention
Lilly Ledbetter Act

And Miss Lilly says
Might don’t make right
Whats good is good
I’m gonna fight, I’m gonna fight
And you can thank her
For your right to equal pay
Miss Lilly Ledbetter
Your Miss American Way!

Do you need more information on Pay Equity?

http://www.9to5.org/
Change the Workplace, Change the World

Hey friends, we may get a visit from Miss Lilly Ledbetter.  Please, write her a message and thank her for fighting the fight for all of us that want pay equity!

Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved
By Camille Bright-Smith

Disaster, is the burden of women
Disaster, perhaps a bit more than men
Disaster, the girls are exposed
Slavery, trafficking
Disaster, always harder for those
Already on the fringe

Disaster, and this child she is fading
Disaster, and this girl still has her life
Disaster, for the father who is trying to free
His wife and his babies
Disaster, he will dig for the boy before he digs for his girls and his wife

Dig a grave for these small bodies
Three handfuls of dirt
Voodoo song of farewell
A holy cross and some alcohol
Gather together
Its time to sleep
Rest your head little baby
On this hot hard street

Burden, it isn’t to judge
But know what the truth is
Burden, the lost and the lonely
Land on women’s backs
Burden, it isn’t to say one bad word
About beautiful men
Burden, but only to see
So easy to fall when your already down in the cracks

Dig a grave for these small bodies
Three handfuls of dirt
Voodoo song of farewell
A holy cross and some alcohol
Gather together
Its time to sleep
Rest your head little baby
On this hot hard street

With gratitude to Emmanuel David of University of Colorado Boulder, Gillian Silverman and Elissa Auther of Feminism and Co. (Select “Feminism & Co. 2009″ from the pull down menu) plus Adam Lerner of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver who introduced me to the study of the Sociology of Disaster.

Please donate. The big international organizations are doing work that is important and necessary. But there are other equally safe and essential ways to give. I have chosen this organization: MADRE

Please read more below or visit their site.

From MADRE’s site: “All Haitians are suffering right now. But, women are often hardest hit when disaster strikes because they were at a deficit even before the catastrophe. In Haiti, and in every country, women are the poorest of the poor and often have no safety net, leaving them most exposed to violence, homelessness and hunger in the wake of disasters. Women are also overwhelmingly responsible for other vulnerable people, including infants, children, the elderly, and people who are ill or disabled.

In the wake of disasters like the catastrophic earthquake that struck Haiti, it is often comforting to see big international agencies taking charge of relief and reconstruction efforts. No doubt international agencies—with their resources, know-how, heavy machinery, and access to government—have a critical role to play. But large-scale relief operations are not always best suited to meet the needs of those who are made most vulnerable by disaster, namely, women and their children.

Because of their role as care-takers and because of the discrimination they face, women have a disproportionate need for assistance. Yet, they are often overlooked in large-scale aid operations. In the chaos that follows disasters, aid too often reaches those who yell the loudest or push their way to the front of the line. When aid is distributed through the “head of household” approach, women-headed families may not be recognized, and women within male-headed families may be marginalized when aid is controlled by male relatives.

It is not enough to ensure that women receive aid. Women in communities must also be integral to designing and carrying out relief efforts. That is MADRE’s model. We know from experience that when relief is distributed by women, it has the best chance of reaching those most in need. That’s not because women are morally superior. Rather, it is because their roles as caretakers in the community means that they know where every family lives, which households have new babies or disabled elders, and how to reach remote communities even in disaster conditions.”

LISTEN TO WON’T BE BROKEN

With VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Travis Dickerson for all the tasty instrumentals.  Visit Travis HERE.

I’ve already faced the demons

From the playground to the am dial

Been fencing with the crooked laws

Finding work arounds

I’ve had to sneak my kisses

Try to pass

Keep on building bridges

I won’t be broken

Won’t be half a citizen

I won’t be broken

Won’t be half a citizen

I wear the colors

Speak the coded language of my tribe

I’ve got a few tattoos that indicate

My disdain for hate

There’s a liberation for every generation

and steady, mark, I’m taking mine

I won’t be broken

Won’t be half a citizen

I won’t be broken

Won’t be half a citizen

Serve with honor

March with pride

Pay your taxes

Find a lover

Find a Bride

Now step aside?

I won’t be broken

Won’t be half a citizen

This song is inspired by the beautiful people and stories that touched me as a participant in the National Equality March.  Get educated, get involved.  GLBTQ Rights NOW! Please Visit Online With Zoe to get a realistic perspective of what this movement involves.  And check out my Flickr page for lots of fun march photos.

Neda gets up in the morning
Neda pulls a scarf around her hair
Neda in her yellow converse
Neda meets her father there

In Revolution Square
In Revolution Square
In Revolution Square

Neda says I love you Mother
Neda sings a chant for Freedom
Neda dreams in lovely colors
Neda feels so hopeful there

In Revolution Square
In Revolution Square
In Revolution Sqaure

Neda takes a bitter bullet
Neda’s eyes are shining then fade away
Neda’s blood cuts right to it
Neda shows us why we pray

Neda raised a voice for truth
Found her freedom but she lost her youth
Neda left a stain that can’t be washed away
Neda put us all right there

In Revolution Square

copyright 2009 all rights reserved
Written by Camille Bright-Smith
Produced by John Bright

You don’t get to bring my girlfriend flowers
You don’t get to take her out to dinner
You don’t get to kiss her in the morning
You don’t get it, but I’m sending you a warning

She is my girlfriend
I popped the buds off all those flowers
She is my girlfriend
You best swim back to friendly waters
She is my girlfriend
And I won’t stop at idle threats
I’ve been looking up some curses
I am only seeing red
She is my girlfriend

You don’t get to whisper during passion
You don’t get to take her to distraction
You don’t get to watch her while she’s sleeping
You don’t get to hold her while she’s weeping.

She is my girlfriend
I popped the buds off all those flowers
She is my girlfriend
You best swim back to friendly waters
She is my girlfriend
And I won’t stop at idle threat
I’ve been lookin’ up some curses
I am seeing only red
She is my girlfriend

copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved
by Camille Bright-Smith