2025 Competition Entry:
Accidents Of Birth by Stephen Greenberg
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- One Comment
Genre
Folk
Artist
Co-writer(s)
no
Performer(s)
Stephen Greenberg: guitars & vocals
Description
Last week my first grandchild was born. While still in postpartum elation the next day, I read a news article: “As Billionaire Wealth Soared in 2024, 35 Children Were Born Into Hunger Every Minute.” And shortly afterward, a comment from Bernie Sanders: “We are fighting for our kids and future generations, and for the well-being of the planet.” Out of that jumble of emotion and cognitive dissonance, this song was born.
Bio
Stephen Greenberg has been writing songs for 57 years — mostly in the closet, in the sense of never having a band or making a proper record. He was born in San Francisco and lived in the Bay Area, Santa Cruz (California), Germany, Italy, and Greece, before moving to the Sierra Nevada foothills in 1991. Married, two children, one grandchild, lots and lots of dogs. Mostly retired from work as an indigent criminal appellate defense attorney; before that, college lecturer.
Lyrics
Some are born into hunger
while some are born to feast
Some are born to have the most
while most are stuck with least
Some are born into danger
even as they’re born in love
‘cause that’s not enough protection
when the bombs drop from above
Babies are born for bassinets
and not to fill a hearse
We’ve gotta break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
This Earth belongs to none of us
it’s we who belong to Earth
so let’s break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Some are born into sickness
with no money for the cure
without healthy food if any
without water fresh and pure
While a fully-loaded dice roll
dictates some are born in wealth
enough to buy up warmth
enough to buy up health
That’s enough with mega-mansions
That’s enough with deaths in dirt
It’s time to break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
There’s no waiting line for Heaven
no more last and no more first
when we break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Not one more child dying
for what’s not in their parents’ purse
when we break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Babies are born for bassinets
and not to fill a hearse
We’ve gotta break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
This Earth belongs to none of us
it’s we who belong to Earth
so let’s break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Time to break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Destroy the human rules
creating accidents of birth
while some are born to feast
Some are born to have the most
while most are stuck with least
Some are born into danger
even as they’re born in love
‘cause that’s not enough protection
when the bombs drop from above
Babies are born for bassinets
and not to fill a hearse
We’ve gotta break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
This Earth belongs to none of us
it’s we who belong to Earth
so let’s break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Some are born into sickness
with no money for the cure
without healthy food if any
without water fresh and pure
While a fully-loaded dice roll
dictates some are born in wealth
enough to buy up warmth
enough to buy up health
That’s enough with mega-mansions
That’s enough with deaths in dirt
It’s time to break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
There’s no waiting line for Heaven
no more last and no more first
when we break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Not one more child dying
for what’s not in their parents’ purse
when we break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Babies are born for bassinets
and not to fill a hearse
We’ve gotta break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
This Earth belongs to none of us
it’s we who belong to Earth
so let’s break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Time to break the human rules
creating accidents of birth
Destroy the human rules
creating accidents of birth
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Same song & recording, now a video: https://youtu.be/BKVHjgOoXbg