Day 12, Song 14

Lila Downs

The Demagogue

Lila Downs is a Mexican-American artist who grew up between Oaxaca and Minnesota. Her Latin GRAMMY-winning album, Balas y Chocolate, is out now.

We do make a difference in the U.S. and we shouldn't be afraid to speak our truth. It's the only way to demand our dignity as human beings.

Lyrics

At the edge of the world Where the factories are There's a burning of hatred That's crossing the lines There’s a blue eyed devil man, Thinks he’s king of the world He’s a bully, a salesman Selling fear and hate Who do you think you are? He plays us with his hate Turns man against man But it’s really not a game And I pray to the ancestors’ love Do not be fooled by this man’s foolish talk The serpent woke again In different times and places There's a burning cross, Leading the mob People in chains He's a Quak circus act creeping from the past He's the symbol of the monster we no longer want to be (what we used to be...) The earth trembles with these names Mussolini, Adolph Hitler, Pinochet No respect for woman, no respect for race, No respect for anything that lives, the human race But he cannot buy our soul (CORO:) NO A ESE MURO Voy cortando el odio Voy sembrando amor NO A ESE MURO De la explotación Pero es mi casa NO A ESE MURO La luz de la mañana El lugar de mis ancestros Las flores del desierto NO A ESE MURO Gonna show that my love Is much stronger than hate I’m gonna call to the four winds I'm gonna change my fate I'm gonna rise up singing I'm gonna stand for this place It's a long time, Mi Gente There’s no turning back There’s no turning back There’s no turning back -- Written by Lila Downs & Paul Cohen Published By: Cloud People Music, LLC / BMI