Teach Me Love

“Teach Me Love” is a song that was formerly entitled “Bring Them Down,” and was written as an anthem advocating the dismantlement of Apartheid in South Africa. Yet, in the postmodern age, while Apartheid was gone, it became evident to Sacred Machines that “apartheid” was tragically alive and well, and living in America. With additional assistance from feminist novelist and educator Lina Medaglia, Sacred Machines re-envisioned the song to fit the current circumstances. With Apartheid no longer an institutional reality in South Africa, Sacred Machines’ new focus for this song was their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and for the “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” march of August 28, 2020. The song features a sample of the Reverend Al Sharpton, speaking at the memorial for George Floyd, coining the “Knee” reference based upon the tragic story of Floyd’s public murder.

TEACH ME LOVE
(Carruthers/RE-VO) (1988)

Floating way up high, I see no borderlines
The kind that wrapped me up and dressed my mind

Fashioned by fear of what I once was,
I raised my flag, white supreme
I wanted my way, the line was drawn
A black man found no place at all

Here, between the stars, there’s black in wisps of white
And all the colours swirling side by side

I have no eyes now, and still I can see
Walk your way, your own way
And I don’t know how to walk in your shoes
Walk your way, your own way

Now that I’m gone, I can see that
Black Lives Matter in this world

Teach Me Love, Teach Me Love, Teach Me Love

I didn’t understand why the colour of her hand
Made me turn away
Now I don’t understand why I drew the line
I don’t understand where the line begins
I didn’t understand why the colour of her hand
Made me turn away. Teach Me Love.