This song focusses on how the whole community can help prevent family violence, and that the whole community can be touched by it too. Now is the time to be brave and speak up, now is the time to be brave and ask, "Are you OK?".
Monbulk Respect is a community project to start the conversation about family violence. The project incorporates the song "This Town" written by singer/songwriter Carolyn Oates and a short film by Joshua Collings.
After working with members of the Monbulk community it was clear that this community wanted to create a message around the question "What can we do to help?".
lyrics
Vs1
Sally sits down, the only café in this town
Patiently she’s waiting for her friend
Lillian walks in, her shoulders straight and tall
A walk she didn’t have a year ago
There’s laughter and there’s tears
As stories take to flight
How they overcame their fears to save a life
Vs2
Sally stops to say “I won’t forget the day
I noticed that things seemed a little strange
First you ran into a door
Then fell down some stairs
The brightness in your eyes just wasn’t there”
Lillian replied “I won’t forget the day
You asked me does he beat you, and I lied
I don’t know where I’d be
If you hadn’t kept at me
Kept asking if I really was alright
Chorus
This town won’t be silent
This town won’t turn a blind eye
People speak up for someone now
This town won’t be silent
This town won’t be afraid
People just ask “are you ok”
Vs3
Pete and Dan sit down at the RSL in town
Reflecting on the footy season’s end
Dan’s tone begins to change, “I won’t forget the way
You stopped us in the locker room that day
Saying sinking low with words, isn’t just a game
The way we treated people also changed”
Vs 4
Pete let out a sigh, “I really was afraid
But the time has come for me to take a stand.
My sister met a man
His talk was just the same
Behind closed doors he treated her that way
I know I have to do, everything I can
To stop this ever happening again”
Chorus
credits
from This Town,
released November 17, 2014
Produced, recorded and mixed by David Carr at Rangemaster, The Patch, Victoria
Executive Producers - Sue Clisby & Carolyn Oates
Principle Songwriter - Carolyn Oates
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