Arrested Development

Back in the '90's, the band Arrested Development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrested_Development_(group) fused pop, rap and danceable grooves, making some of the most thoughtful music on radio at the time. One of their biggest hits was Mr. Wendal, and I've heard it at least twice in the past couple of days on the Sirius 90's channel (currently my car radio favorite).

Listening to the lyrics, I was struck by how well this song holds up almost 15 years later, and how relevant the themes are to what's happening in the world today - poverty, a society dominated by people making hasty and often incorrect judgments about others, wastefulness, and the true meaning of knowledge.

It got me thinking. Hopefully it does the same for you....

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Here, have a dollar,

in fact no brotherman here, have two

Two dollars means a snack for me,

but it means a big deal to you

Be strong, serve God only,

know that if you do, beautiful heaven awaits

That's the poem I wrote for the first time I saw

a man with no clothes, no money, no plate

Mr. Wendal, that's his name,

no one ever knew his name cause he's a no-one

Never thought twice about spending on a ol' bum,

until I had the chance to really get to know one

Now that I know him, to give him money isn't charity

He gives me some knowledge,

I buy him some shoes

And to think blacks spend all that money on big colleges,

still most of y'all come out confused

[CHORUS:]Go ahead, Mr.Wendal (2x)

Mr.Wendal has freedom,

a freedom that you and I think is dumb

Free to be without the worries of a quick to diss society

for Mr.Wendal's a bum

His only worries are sickness and an occasional harassment

by the police and their chase

Uncivilized we call him, but I just saw him eat off the food we waste

Civilization, are we really civilized, yes or no ?

Who are we to judge ?

When thousands of innocent men could be brutally enslaved

and killed over a racist grudge

Mr.Wendal has tried to warn us about our ways

but we don't hear him talk

Is it his fault when we've gone too far,

and we got too far, cause on him we walk

Mr.Wendal, a man, a human in flesh,

but not by law

I feed you dignity to stand with pride,

realize that all in all you stand tall

[CHORUS]Mr.Wendal, Lord, Mr.Wendal