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Oppenheimer Park

by Kele Fleming

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about

‘Oppenheimer Park’ is a reflective and compassionate ballad that escalates into a soaring, uplifting folk rock epic. I wrote it in the spirit of a classic singer-songwriter protest song. The song began as a series of poetic verses scribbled in the worn notebook that I carried with me in my backpack on my long bus commutes to work. Each day my bus would weave it’s way through Vancouver, travelling from the poor, working class east side of the city to the wealthy, privileged west side and to the university where I worked at the time. There’s so much depth and space in the song for grand musical gestures, haunting melodies and poetic lyrics that rage against the colonial, capitalist machine.

lyrics

Sleep fair city in silent smog
he came on white horse strong
black ploughman at his side
at his side we beg for peace and blind wisdom
oh take our hands, white man
lead us to slumber

Oh sleep little children
in lies impassioned
we are warm with hatred
and justice for all

At nite ask the questions
the morning will obscure
in those moments when your self
will crumble for sure

In the park name for Oppenheiner
there’s a hole a world wide
and our little white souls are called there from sin
the culture clash of tomorrow’s youth
is wearing thin
the veneer to the greed alive there within

At nite ask the questions
the morning will obscure
in those moments when your self
will crumble for sure

The thrill rush push of colonialism isn’t
dead and gone
this want to control to plunder control
Conrad’s heart of darkness
spoils in our hearts
as we face ourselves
once again at the edge of destruction

At nite ask the questions
the morning will obscure
in those moments when your self
will crumble for sure

Oh sleep fair sister
in his naked arms
he is strong virile simple
you’ll come to no harm

At nite ask the questions
the morning will obscure
in those moments when your self
will crumble for sure
at nite ask the questions
the morning will obscure
in those moments when
your self your life your whole existence will crumble for sure

credits

released November 19, 2021
Words and music by Kele Fleming

Recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, BC.
Recorded, engineered and mixed by Sheldon Zaharko of Zed Productions.
Mastered by Andrew Spindor at Railtown Mastering.

Vocals and guitar – Kele
Electric guitar – Scott Fletcher
Bass – Aaron Trory
Piano and keys – Ron Yamauchi
Drums – Tony Lee

Single cover by Matt Laforest of Laforest Creative

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Kele Fleming Victoria, British Columbia

Kele Fleming is a folk-rock singer-songwriter from Victoria, Canada. Her latest single and music video 'Vanishing of Bees (Atlas to Earth Synthwave Remix)' is out now!

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