96. Rock Goes The Gospel - Phil Collins "Another Day In Paradise"

This addresses the problem of ignoring the needy and homeless. It's a rare Phil Collins hit with a socially conscious message. Collins told The Mail on Sunday: "I wrote this after being in Washington DC where I was amazed by how many people I saw living in boxes." Another Day in Paradise" is a song performed by ex Genesis drummer and front man recording artist Phil Collins. Produced by Collins along with Hugh Padgham, it was released as the first single from his number-one album ...But Seriously(1989). Collins sings the song from a third-person perspective, observing as a man crosses the street to ignore a homeless woman, and he implores listeners not to turn a blind eye to homelessness because, by drawing a religious allusion, "it's just another day for you and me in paradise". Collins also appeals directly to God by singing: "Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do? Oh lord, there must be something you can say?"

She calls out to the man on the street
"Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?"

He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Oh think twice, it's another day for
You and me in paradise
Oh think twice, it's just another day for you,
You and me in paradise

She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she's been crying
She's got blisters on the soles of her feet
Can't walk but she's trying

Oh think twice...

Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh lord, there must be something you can say

You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that she's been there
Probably been moved on from every place
'Cos she didn't fit in there

Oh think twice...

"Blessed are the "Poor in Spirit" for their are the kingdom. What and who was Jesus talking about. For some Jesus is talking about those who are destitute, the homeless. In some sense they are right. But the destitution goes even deeper. It's the poor in spirit and not just the poor in economic terms. Of course this is also true for those who are poor in other ways too. they may well be poor in spirit because life has robbed them of everything. Jesus in the beatitudes gives the poor in spirit an eternal abiding place. In a world where the poor in spirit have been displaced Jesus gives them place. 

I'm reminded of an occasion a few years ago in Glasgow when I was attending a conference and I had decided on a free afternoon to wander the streets a bit and do some reflecting. 

The Guitar Man of Sauchiehall Street

“A bottle of Jack Daniels...sh, please..sh..son” he said, as he swayed there at the front of the queue. He reached into his torn pockets for the exact money that he had busked for that day, and had counted before coming into the shop. 

The Guitar man.......

It was strapped to his back, an old Gibson, well battered and abused over the years, stained and chipped on the corners...but still it was a quality guitar. He had a twinkle in his eye as he waited for the bottle of Jack to be placed in bag for him.  He seemed oblivious to all that surrounded him. 

The Guitar man... ...

He had the excitement in his body language of a little boy waiting for the counter assistant to bag up a quarter of BON, BON's. He was waiting for the comfort of having the bottle in his arms. No doubt this was a repeat of what he had done in the past... he had been here many times before.

The Guitar man.. ...

He had long greasy hair, he was wearing dirty cheap trainers that had seen better days, a pair of burgundy red jogging pants with stains, held up by a length of white electric cable with the coloured and copper ends fraying out, for his top half he had a long army type trench coat, with a dirty jumper underneath.

The Guitar man..

As he received his purchase he smiled and staggered away, oblivious to the taunts and whispers of the people in the queue around me. I felt ashamed, and guilty. Ashamed, that somehow just by standing in this queue, I was implicated in declaring what was expectable and what was not. Guilty, because my own judgement was clouded by their taunts and whispers.

The Guitar man..

I watched the “Guitar man” adjust himself at the doorway and stagger off down the street into the night. Perhaps to spend another night among many, inhabiting a shop doorway, drowning his sorrows, reflecting on his losses and dreaming of what used to be.

The Guitar man..

There was no doubt to me that this man was poor in spirit. I wonder if I had asked him about faith what he might have said. He may well have said "Why would God be interested in me" or "God is punishing me" or many other statements. This man like many other who are street dwellers and many others in live who are not. Have a poverty of spirit that needs to be addressed, needs to be fed. For those who are destitute mentally, spiritually, physically, the "poor in spirit" that Jesus is talking about they will be given a place to dwell, a place to be. This is where the beatitudes are prophetic. 

I will never forget this experience of this man. I came back to Leeds feeling that I should have done something more for this man. Since then I do not give up an opportunity so lightly and often spend time speaking and sitting with those who are poor in heart, mind, body and soul.