The Hero and The Homeless

from When Stories Become Songs by Vanessa Contopulos

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about

When I lived near downtown San Diego I loved to walk all around my neighborhood. One day I passed a man who looked like he was living on the street. As I passed him he looked me in the eye and tipped his tattered veterans hat. In that moment I imagined him in another part of his life where he was young and admired and taken care of. This interaction stuck with me and I caused me to think of the paradox of the people we esteem and admire in our society and those we discard. We desperately need a shift in our culture when it comes to seeing the whole person and understanding that each individual is valuable, that their story and life is more than their present circumstances.

lyrics

VERSE ONE
I passed him on the road the other day
He tipped his hat and looked my way
He was taken back to another time and place
He did not leave my mind and then I realized

CHORUS
We are living in between the brave and the broken
The hero and the homeless

VERSE TWO
They put his face on the banner in town
And then one day they took it down
And now he's locked away for what he had to take
To erase the memories

CHORUS
We are living in between the brave and the broken
The hero and the homeless

BRIDGE
Oh, when will we learn
Oh, when will we learn

VERSE THREE
I knew a little girl, she won the spelling bee
But she got lost somewhere along the way
And now you pass her on the side of the road
But she's somebody's baby don't you know

CHORUS
We are living in between the brave and the broken
The hero and the homeless

credits

from When Stories Become Songs, released July 19, 2019
All music and lyrics by Vanessa Contopulos
Vocals and guitar by Vanessa Contopulos
Cello by Serina Chang
Guitar, bass and percussion by Alex Dausch
Produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Alex Dausch at Studio Studios

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about

Vanessa Contopulos San Diego, California

Vanessa Contopulos is a singer-songwriter and music therapist. She currently lives in the backcountry of San Diego. On the road to helping others through music, Vanessa discovered how much music was saving her as well. She processes change, grief, love, and the everyday beauties of life through her music. ... more

vanessacontopulos.com

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