Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical, Laudato Si’, continues to inspire action for a better world across the globe. The vision it outlines brings together a concern for the poor and marginalised in our world, and a concern for the environment in which we all live, in what he calls an ‘integral ecology’.
A concern for integral ecology means that our vision for the world must encompass everyone in it, and how everyone lives in that world together – from how we treat those who are poor and vulnerable, to how we structure our economies, and how we attain and use resources to support ourselves. As Catholics, it highlights how we are all called to be agents of reconciliation – with God, with each other, and with creation itself.
This ‘Sneaky Jesus’ playlist features songs that will inspire action around some of those themes.
‘On The Turning Away’ – Pink Floyd (1987)
An epic rock song from a classic rock band, this track is challenging the instinct that we might have to ‘turn away’ from the suffering in the world. It applies to the ‘pale and downtrodden’ and the ‘weak and the weary’ but might just as easily apply to environmental degradation across the globe.
Key lyrics: ‘Just a world that we all must share / It’s not enough just to stand and stare / Is it only a dream that there’ll be / Not more turning away?’
‘Rise Up’ – Andra Day (2015)
While this song doesn’t explicitly reference the environment, it is about despair giving way to action. If we’re to combat inaction on climate change, then we will all need to find a way to ‘rise up’ together.
Key lyrics: ‘But I promise we’ll take the world to its feet / And move mountains / Bring it to its feet / And move mountains’
‘One Day’ – Matisyahu (2009)
This is a song about dreaming for peace, praying for the day that people across the globe might bring an end to violence.
Key lyrics: ‘All my life, I’ve been waiting for / I’ve been praying for, for the people to say / That we don’t’ wanna fight no more / There’ll be no more wars, and our children will play’
‘We are here’ – Alicia Keys (2014)
This is a song about solidarity, evoking conflicts in Iraq, Gaza, and Israel and communities plagued by gun violence in the USA. Its chorus reminds us that humanity is supposed to be one family, and that we are at our best when we are there for each other.
Key lyrics: ‘Let’s talk about our part / My heart touch your heart / Let’s talk about, let’s talk about living / Had enough of dying, not what we all about / Let’s do more giving / Do more forgiving, yeah / Our souls were brought together so that we could love each other’
‘With My Own Two Hands’ – Ben Harper (2003)
This is a song to inspire action for a better world. It’s about looking at the big picture and not despairing but thinking about the small things we can do ourselves to help make life better for all.
Key lyrics: ‘I can make peace on earth, with my own two hands / And I can clean up the earth, oh with my own two hands / And I can reach out to you, with my own two hands’
Another helpful resource for songs inspiring action on environmental and social justice issues is the Environmental Music Prize - https://environmentalmusicprize.com/. The website features submissions from a range of Australian artists exploring environmental issues in their music. Some highlights from the site include:
'Rising Seas' by Midnight Oil
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/rising-seas-midnight-oil/
Key lyrics: 'Let's confess, we did not act / With serious urgency / So open up the floodgates / To the rising seas'
'Hello My Beautiful World' by Holy Holy
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/hello-my-beautiful-world-holy-holy/
Key lyrics: 'Rising flood and rolling storm / Lightning sets the hills to burn / Hello aching blue whale song / White harp seals and large black swans'
'Change Has To Come' by Mo'Ju
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/change-has-to-come-moju/
Key lyrics: 'I believe in us / Rising above the hatred / I believe that love / Love will elevate us / But change has to come / Change has to come'
'Gentle' by Georgia Mae
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/gentle-georgia-mae/
Key lyrics: 'Now I'm not try'na say that I like that better / Even though the sky was clearer / But in some twisted way I wish that we could go back / Make everyone jealous / Make 'em nourish what we got left of it'
'Say Something' by Eskimo Joe
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/say-something-eskimo-joe/
Key lyrics: 'Say something / The only thing to fear is silence'
'Hey Wanhaka' by King Stingray
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/hey-wanhaka-king-stingray/
Key lyrics: 'There is something here / So beautiful and clear / I stay true to my roots / And I wanna stay here with you'
'Sleep Australia Sleep' by Paul Kelly
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/sleep-australia-sleep-paul-kelly/
Key lyrics: 'Sleep, my country, sleep / As off the cliff the kingdoms leap / Count them as they pass on by / Our children might know them / But their children will not'
'Golden Chains' by Hazel Mei
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/golden-chains-hazel-mei/
Key lyrics: 'The word you're looking for is 'disaster' / Still haven't learned to master / A caring human kind / But there are still some years left / As brief as they may be / This paradise we're spending / Still has a heartbeat'
'Voices' by Sage Roadnight
Link: https://environmentalmusicprize.com/songs/voices-sage-roadknight/
Key lyrics: 'There's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide / The whole world's alight, you're ready to fight / Your hands are tied, the stakes are dire / No where is safe / You can't escape the fire'