Franti on Suicide

Posted almost 5 years ago

Artist:
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Spearhead
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Track:
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Caught Without An Umbrella

This song by Spearhead always gets me right. It is a bittersweet vignette on someone considering suicide. I know people took their own lives, I have people very dear to me who have considered it and who live with mental illness. I think most people know someone who has considered it, whether you know it or not. I appreciate the musical mood of this one as well as the message. Problems can be seen from different perspectives, and an angle that we may not see can still exist, to be revealed later - or not. It is also about mercy, to me the mercy of God, but whatever name you attach to fate, it is just as real.I personally feel that suicide is a mistake. Certainly a forgivable one, but I believe in getting as much of that Karma out of the way in this life in stead of pushing it to what lies beyond. Whatever that may be.

Comments (13)

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Cody B says The voice, the vibe, it's all good with Mr.Franti. Thanks for the thoughts.

Permalink posted 06/13/2007
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Augusts1 says Cool song. Franti is always great & has a wonderful way w/lyrics. Love him! And yes suicidal thinking is far more prevalent than most people know. I worked in the mental health field for 10 yrs. & worked w/all kinds of people who were depressed & suicidal. I've also deal w/depression myself & have had friends who do as well.

Permalink posted 06/13/2007
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Hermes says Very nice track. Reminds me a lot of Be - one of my favorite acid jazz bands. You're right about suicide: Better kill the reasons for your depression than yourself. Gladly I didn't have a case of suicide in my surroundings until now. I know melancholy, but I don't know severe depression, that's a different thing. The mentally ill persons I worked with were mentally ill since they were born, one of them tried to kill himself several times, but before I got known to him. He was schizophrenic and the voices pushed him. The rest was quite happy with their lives.

Permalink posted 06/14/2007
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Rawkkiddoh says love this guy, never seems to get old with me

Permalink posted 06/14/2007
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moovyphreak says Franti & Spearhead have been playing several new musical festivals in my general area, but I haven't had the cash to go. I will make sure to check him out the next go 'round. I dig his voice.

Permalink posted 06/14/2007
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Oatmeal says I only own the first Spearhead, and a few Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy songs, but I do think Franti is pretty cool. I hear they are good live from a friend who went and saw them a few years back. And it is true that most mentally ill people do not attempt suicide, but unfortunately Schizophrenics have a higher rate. I do believe that a lot of folks think about it when depressed. I had a friend who was never diagnosed with anything except gambling addiction, which could be a symptom of bi-polar, but them mysteriously took his life one night.

Permalink posted 06/14/2007
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moovyphreak says My sister saw Spearheard live in Italy and said it was an amazing show. I've only known a few people that committed suicide. The most recent one I can think of was a guy I met during childhood through a friend's family who was in his mid-30s and recovering slowly from cancer. He was a police officer with a wife and two small children. I heard rumors that the medication he was taking to fight the cancer might've had a large part in him taking his life, as one of the side effects was depression. It was truly sad, as he was a really nice guy and much loved in the community.

Permalink posted 06/14/2007
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Oatmeal says Wow, a few is a lot. I worked for a year in the mental health system and still my one friend is the only one who took his life that I know. But having a family member with schizophrenia, it is always a possibility.

Permalink posted 06/14/2007
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wassonii says "Spearhead at Internet Archive":http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=collection%3Aetree%20AND%20format%3Amp3%20AND%20creator%3A%22Michael%20Franti%20and%20Spearhead%22 126 shows as of a couple of minutes ago.

Permalink posted 06/15/2007
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Oatmeal says Good stock.

Permalink posted 06/15/2007
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Girlcrawl says A 'bittersweet' but oh so lovely track; poignantly interesting post and comments. Thanks.

Permalink posted 06/16/2007
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mktackabery says Great song and post Oatmeal. As a survivor of suicide, I always try to take the opportunity to share my own experience when I can, because I know that people who are thinking about suicide (for whatever reason or illness or disorder) are engaging in fantasies about how they will die and how they will feel happiness, or peace, or just go to sleep and everything will be over or "okay" once they kill themselves, and the reality is, most any way you try to kill yourself will be painful, it will not be okay, and it will not make you happy or bring anybody peace. It will instead traumatize and destroy your family, your friends and your loved ones, and it in fact makes nothing better. The only way out is through. I know when I tried to commit suicide, the minute I took all the pills, I wanted to take it back, but I couldn't, and the aftermath, well, I'm still dealing with it, every day.

Permalink posted 06/18/2007
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Oatmeal says I am glad you can be forth-comiong about it, sounds like there has been some healing. I have had fantasies myself, but I have dealt with a lot of that. Kinda runs in my fam. Thanks for your comment.

Permalink posted 06/18/2007