Paulette Meier, Jamie Fota, Len Webb and Diana Porter, have been performing as Just Earth for 10 years in Cincinnati, sharing their songs and desires for a better world. Their name reflects what they sing for: social justice and sustainability for this one and only beautiful planet we live on:"We sing in the tradition of music for social change and are inspired by Holly Near, Bernice Johnson-Reagon, Pete Seeger, and many more. We hope our songs move you to love more, understand more, act more and sing more!" Song Titles and Liner Notes: 1. World Turned Upside Down (The Digger’s Song) (Leon Rosselson ©1974. Used with permission. Arrangement by Diana Porter, inspired by The Fagans)British songwriter Leon Rosselson wrote this forty years ago to tell the story of the historic Digger Commune movement of 1649 in England. Dedicated to the ideal of a classless society, the Diggers settled on privatized land and held it in “the common good,” believing that all should share freely in the gifts of the earth.2. Why Do We? (Paulette Meier © 2006) / Power (John and Johanna Hall, ©1979 Blackwood Music & Siren Songs.)“Power” became an anthem in the anti-nuclear power movement; we sang it often in our successful effort to stop the Zimmer nuclear plant near Cincinnati. Although the dangers of nuclear power continue, we altered the original lyrics to include all fossil fuels, which are both polluting and warming the planet. Paulette wrote the a cappella opening as a start of a different song, but we realized it fit well as an introduction to this one! 3. Litany (Jamie Fota ©1990, BMI) “I wrote this as a plea to our Earth Spirit that we humans consider the consequences of our actions that harm the environment, other species, and minorities.” -- Jamie 4. Rediscovery (I’m Glad I Found You) (Paulette Meier ©2007, ASCAP)“Sitting by a rocky stream in central Ohio’s ‘Highland Nature Sanctuary‘ after many moons of staying urban bound, I found myself thanking the stream for still being here. Living in the city, it’s so easy to forget. Gratitude continued to pour out as I ‘re-discovered’ other natural areas.” -- Paulette5. Take Time (Paulette Meier ©2006, ASCAP) “How many times have I stayed in bed, trying to get back to sleep, instead of grabbing the opportunity to get up and experience the beauty of the night? The song is my reminder to not squander opportunities for deeper connection. I only wish I would heed my own admonitions more often!” -- Paulette6. Dance, Dance, Take a Chance (Jamie Fota ©1990, BMI)“We are all a part of a jigsaw puzzle—the puzzle won’t be complete if we don’t have the courage to do our individual parts.” -- Jamie7. I Want to Know (Paulette Meier ©2010, ASCAP) “I met Raama (pseudonym) while doing refugee resettlement work in 1987; my memory of her grieving the loss of her homeland is unforgettable. She experienced people in the U.S. as being so disconnected from each other and from everything around them. Holding up the handkerchief in her hand, she cried, ‘In my country, we know even where this comes from!‘ While going back to completely local economies may not be realistic, the reality of climate change calls for us to see the wisdom in Raama’s grief. -- Paulette8. The Farmer is the One (Original title: “The Farmer is the Man.” Anon., Public Domain. Last verse by Tom Isern)A traditional American protest song, that many believe came out of the 19th century populist movement. With the added upbeat verse by Tom Isern about a resurgence of local farmer’s markets, we have often sung this one at farmers markets around Cincinnati, (including the one that Diana and Len coordinate in their own neighborhood!) 9. Song of the Spirochetes (Paulette Meier ©2014, ASCAP) “After 9 years of dealing with a chronic illness stemming from one tick bite, I decided to write a song about the amazingly resilient bacteria that causes it. Lyme Disease is the fastest growing vector-borne disease in the U.S. This is my attempt to get the word out about this under-diagnosed, misunderstood and often devastating illness.” -- Paulette10. Sing for the Climate (Do It Now!) (music: Traditional, lyrics: Nic Balthazar and Stef Kamil Carlens, 2012. Used with Permission. Arranged by Diana Porter 2015.)In September 2012, 380,000 Belgians came into the streets singing their demand for strong climate legislation. A video clip uniting all the voices was used to convince European leaders to sign on to UN agreements. Set to the melody of the anti-facist resistance anthem “Bella Ciao,” the text calls us to wake up, build a better future and start right now! 11. Hawk and Owl (Paulette Meier © 2004, ASCAP)“A dream came to me the night of a big decision I had to make: I saw a red-tailed hawk fly into the woods and become a great horned owl. In Native wisdom, a hawk can be a wake-up call to an important opportunity at hand, and the owl can symbolize an invitation to go inward. The dream helped me decide to accept an offer of a nine-month residency at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center near Philadelphia. I wrote this song during that special time.” -- Paulette12. Teach Peace (Jamie Fota © 2000, BMI)"When I was commissioned to write a song for the annual Westheimer Peace Symposium in Wilmington, Ohio, I wanted to address the root causes of violence, both global and interpersonal. This song is my cry for a world based on justice and peaceful conflict resolution.” -- Jamie13. Born to Love (Paulette Meier © 1998, ASCAP)“I wrote this song around the time that the organization “Journey of Hope: From Violence to Healing” came through Ohio, with family members of murder victims speaking out against the death penalty. Their stories showed how the death penalty perpetuates the cycle of violence and interferes with the deep healing that is needed.” -- Paulette14. It’s the Race to the Bottom (Paulette Meier © 2004, 2nd verse © 2011, ASCAP)“Asked to sing at the American Federation of Government Employees rally to oppose privatization of government jobs in 2004, I couldn’t find a song specific to this issue, so I wrote one. In 2011, when public employees’ bargaining rights were under attack in Ohio, I revived the song and added a verse about teachers. The video we made of it lent support in successfully overturning the anti-union legislation.” -- Paulette15. Put the Old Ways on the Run (Jamie Fota ©1990, BMI)"It's going to take all of us to"get off our porch swings" and gather our courage to stand up and take positive action if we want a livable world for the future." -- Jamie