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about
LOVE IS NOT A CRIME
1. Four in the morning’s a lonely time.
The deepest dark’s before the dawn.
You look to your companions - there’s nothing left to say.
The road is dark - it’s hard to pray.
2. You try to remember it’s Easter morn.
The Lord of life is in his tomb.
Death it seems so strong now, but we’ll see what God can do.
Yes, death is strong but love is stronger still.
Love is stronger still.
CHORUS:
Don’t let them say that love’s a crime.
Don’t let them say the truth’s a lie.
Don’t let them fool you that your foolish heart beats out of time.
Don’t let them say that love’s a crime -
It’s not a crime.
3. This deadly place, this painted tomb
So white and smooth, a fence all round;
We’ve come to roll the stone away and cut the wire down
And what’s wrong with that? I’d like to know.
Why should death have it all its own way?
CHORUS
Don’t let them say that love’s a crime.
(Love is not a crime)
Don’t let them say the truth’s a lie.
Don’t let them fool you that your foolish heart beats out of time -
Don’t let them say that love’s a crime.
It’s not a crime.
4. The seeds that we planted in the ground
So very small, they can’t be found;
They’ll spring up in the night time, yes one morning they’ll be there.
In the morning light - flowers everywhere...
They won’t stop the flowers growing!
FINAL CHORUS.
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lyrics
BACKGROUND to 'LOVE IS NOT A CRIME'
A group came together after the Sydney Ecumenical Peace Conference in October 1984, with the intention of building an Australian Christian network to resist preparations for nuclear war and to give witness to "our faith in the sovereignty of the Risen Lord over the powers of the world”.
After Lenten preparations through fasting and prayer, a group of 25 gathered at dawn on Easter Sunday 1985. A small group - Barbara Clements - mother of six from Adelaide, Sister Pat Durnan - an MSC nun from Sydney and Jim Dowling of the Brisbane Catholic Worker community, cut through wire fences to access the prohibited area. They stained the base of the communications dish with the symbols of blood and ash and wrote the words 'Messenger of Death' on the column. They planted rosemary and seeds as symbols of life and hope and then prayed together until discovered by the authorities. Throughout, they were linked through prayer and song with the larger group near the outer fence.
In making this prayerful act of civil disobedience, Barbara, Pat and Jim faced possible prison sentences of up to seven years.
PK.
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credits
released July 7, 2023
AVAILABLE RESOURCES
Available through Peter Kearney's Online Store:
1. CD-AUDIO: All ten songs from 'Signs of Hope', including 'Love Is Not a Crime' are included on Peter's double-CD compilation 'Make Me a Song' (The Best of 25 Years). Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/356147
2. CD-ROM: Music, lyrics, chords for 34 of the 36 songs in the 'Make Me a Song' double-cd are available as a CD-Rom containing pdf scans from the original music books. Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/554037
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THE RECORDING
'Love is Not a Crime' is one of ten tracks from Peter Kearney's album 'Signs of Hope', which was recorded at the Restless Studio in Balmain, Sydney, engineered and mixed by Roger Ilott and Penny Davies.
Arranged and produced by members of the 'Crossover' group with Peter Kearney.
Lead vocal: Claire Parkhill
Extra vocals in choruses by Penny Davies and Louise Gore.
Synthesiser: Louise Gore
Flute: Linda Berry
Double bass: Ross Grierson
Guitars: Roger Ilott
Peter Kearney is an Australian songwriter and singer. His early folk-hymns 'Fill My House' & 'The Beatitudes' are
internationally known. He has written many other songs of justice and peace, songs for children, and a musical-narrative on St. Francis of Assisi. His published recordings include 153 original songs.
LINKS BELOW are for Peter's:
- Website
- Online store
- Facebook Artist Page....more
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