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What I'm From

from What I'm From by Arbielle

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about

For my four fabulous and fascinating parents, with gratitude

lyrics

Antioch College taught him
be ashamed to die, till you've changed the world
so he lived with migrant workers
and taught in East L.A. middle schools
Daddy knew old friends were important
he held his family dearer still
as he ventured to Oregon, this is what I'm from

This is what I'm from, love
this love I'm from, yeah
oh, this is the passion he gave, this is what I'm from

With an oboe, and wide-eyes blue
my Mama left for Santa Cruz
first French kiss, some weird trips
read Karl Marx and lots of feminists
she wandered, and wondered and found her way
to Oregon, here to stay
Love the Lord, unafraid to change
this is what I'm from

This is what I'm from, love
this love I'm from, yeah
oh this is the faith that she gave, this is what I'm from

Planning the revolution, and fighting for unions
they fell in love
their baby didn't learn to crawl
'till Hannah-the-Van-ah came rumbling home
singing rounds on long hikes
reading gender-neutral nursery rhymes
free to be you and me, this is what I'm from

This is what I'm from, love
this love I'm from, yeah
oh this is the music they gave, this is what I'm from

Left the mid-west as a youth
with a will to explore and a rusty car
Matt dumpster-dived and learned a trade
and met crazy folks near the Everglades
cooking Devil's French Toast, grow out your hair
hike the wild, drink Mad Dog Beer
be strong inside yourself, this is what I'm from

This is what I'm from, love
this love I'm from, yeah
this is the strength that he gave, this is what I'm from

And Dawn was making wonderful friends,
smoking lots of pot, forcing rules to bend
philosophizing, school-bus driving
traveled to Greece, started compost heaps
the silliest leader in elderly care
doing what women never dared
love your friends, love the world, have a ball
this is what I'm from

This is what I'm from, love
this love I'm from, yeah
this is the joy that she gave, this is what I'm from

Well, years passed, decades spent
babies came, marriage went
home moved, we cried
new grandparents, boycotts died
but some things stayed, and these things grew
our hearts are strong, we all pull through
double the family, quadruple the fun
and this crazy jumble of love is what I'm from

This is what I'm from, love
this love I'm from, yeah,
oh I'm so lucky to be from what I'm from

This is what I'm from, love
this love I'm from, yeah
so thank you for making me from what I'm from

Thank you for making me from what I'm from

credits

from What I'm From, released January 9, 2010
Recorded and mixed by Matt Gordon
Written and performed by Rachel Byron-Law

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Arbielle Portland

Feel free to visit arbielle.com for the artist's bio, show & tour dates, photos, and blog!

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