Every morning we wake up in America, we live another day in a country where gun violence is the top killer of children. Every day, 120 people in the US are killed with guns; twelve of those are children.
Sitting at the piano on Good Friday last year, just a few weeks after that horrible day, I wrote a song, IF WE EVER GET TO HEAVEN. It is a lament, a protest, a way to tell the powers that govern what we will never learn to tolerate. This is not okay. Thoughts and prayers are not enough.
I’m donating 100% of the proceeds from this song to Everytown For Gun Safety, a nonprofit working tirelessly to end gun violence through advocacy, research, awareness, and community building.
If you want to give more, you can download the song on Bandcamp and “pay what you want”. Every dollar will go to Everytown.
This act of protest and generosity is possible because of the generosity of my amazing friends. Thank you to Latifah, Lucas, Keiko, and Dave for donating your time and talent to help bring this song to life.
Writing a song may be throwing a pebble at a giant but we'll keep slinging them until the giant falls.
I know every generation
Says the world is getting worse
And we shudder in the shadow
Of the valley of the curse
Where the night is growing darker
The earth is getting warm
And the heart gets harder
In the locust swarm
If we ever get to heaven
What you gonna do?
I think it’s too much singing
For a boy like you
There go the ten o clock sirens
A couple howling wolves
Everybody keeps sighing
“There goes the neighborhood”
Where the deaths toll’s climbing
The sky’s heating up
The heart gets harder
So it don’t get crushed
And if we ever get to heaven
Whatcha gonna say?
Jesus I reckon you slept in that day
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How many doves you gonna slaughter?
How many graves we gonna dig?
How many thoughts and prayers will you offer
Before you admit
It was never bout the children
When there’s wars to be won
And there’s ground to be taken
For the kingdom of the gun
But if you ever get to heaven
Take a look around the place
God took your AK-47s
And he turned em into spades
And he’s been planting some lilies
In the killing fields
While we’re all still waiting
For our wounds to heal
Oh if we ever get to heaven
If we ever get to heaven
If we ever get to heaven
credits
released March 27, 2024
Latifah Alattas / producer, engineer, mix, keys
Lucas Morton / producer, engineer, piano, string arrangement
Keiko Ying / strings
Dave Wilton / master
Christa's insight is unmatched. A seasoned songwriter with as much compassion as she has wisdom. Whether she's encouraging or exhorting us, the message always comes from a heart of love. Taylor Leonhardt
supported by 4 fans who also own “If We Ever Get To Heaven”
Beautiful work guys! Some perfect amalgamation of ambient, jazz and maybe a touch of electronic music here and there. The way the guitars and keys play off of each other is wonderful. The Green Kingdom
Australian singer-songwriter explores self-examination, loneliness, and post-pandemic malaise through delicate, empathetic folk pop. Bandcamp New & Notable May 5, 2024