John Prine, Sleepy Eyed Boy, Innocence Lost

The stage is set with John Prine's hauntingly nostalgic, Sleepy-Eyed Boy. Prine proclaims, "Where does this sorrow all turn into joy?" We still ask that very poignant question.

The video begins with an old man viewing a retrospective from childhood innocence to innocence lost. Viewers are taken on a 'voyage around several parts of the world', to places where sadness more often speaks louder than joy. The world focused upon in this video is filled with victims of murder, abuse, poverty, war, illness, weather related disasters - the world portrayed is often desolate -- a place where life isn't valued as the most precious thing of all.

We are taken on a journey beginning with an innocent child who esoterically turns into a to a warrior child. At the end of the video we arrive at a garrison in Kingston, Jamaica, to the dwelling of a poverty stricken, masked gunman who will kill for pocket change. The gunman sits alone, proudly brandishing his shiny pistol, poised and ready to use the gun for whatever end, he feels is necessary for his survival.

Background history and evolution of the video:

The video began as a form of protest during the most recent, bloody & corruption riddled, election campaign between the sitting Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson-Miller and the now-current Prime Minister of Jamaica - Bruce Golding. The political figures and 'innocent Jamaican citizens', who met their untimely deaths during this, 'war in the streets', campaign were numerous. Bruce Golding came out the winner, but it was a dirty, hard fought campaign and a huge number of ordinary Jamaican citizens were also caught up in the violent election and were murdered. Several school children were caught in the crossfire's of gunshots of the rivaling members of the political parties and were killed. Rival gangs and even police officer's often indiscriminately 'took out and killed', community political kingpins and others, of the opposing political parties, depending upon 'which side' of the bloody campaign they were affiliated with.

Few people visiting Jamaica on vacation know that this beautiful 'island in the sun' has a murder rate that is one of the highest per-capita murder rates in the world. The entire island is affected by a notoriously high crime rate, (even within the tourist areas). Newspaper and media coverage is often sanitized to protect Jamaica's tourism industry. The crime committed and murder of tourists visiting the island is covered up, led by a viciously protective, Minister of Tourism and political system. The murder and crime are particularly prolific in the Kingston area. However, NO PLACE in Jamaica, no matter how small a town or community is immune to vicarious, poverty and drug driven murder, corruption, kidnapping and robbery.

Even the simplest act most people take for granted, such as 'obtaining a driver's license or birth certificate' often involves paying a bribe to a 'local Don or other government official'. At times when the money is not available to pay the kickback or bribe, the funds are often extorted from a relative living abroad, via Western Union, under the threat of murdering a family member, unless the bribe is paid.

The video quickly evolved out of Jamaica and into other areas of the world also plagued by similar conditions - violence, abuse, war & poverty, etc. The last several slides are all photos of the people of Jamaica. A slide of a murder victim, face down on the ground with hands bound behind his back is shown, while a woman casually walks into the camera shot. There are several slides of family member's who had just been notified their loved ones were murdered and were 'caught by the camera' grieving their profound losses.

The next to the last shot is a sweet little Jamaican school boy, still in his yellow topped school uniform, screaming in agony, because he'd just learned his only brother had been murdered at school, caught in the crossfire's of rival gangs, shooting at each other through his brother's school playground.

The Jamaican people are some of the most warm and beautiful people in the world. I love Jamaica and its people and hope that someday, my beloved island paradise to those of us who are fortunate enough to visit ... will become a paradise for the wonderful people who 'make their lives' there.

-- Dedicated to all of the people in the world who are suffering --

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Child
• Soldier
• Murder
• Abuse
• Poverty
• Hunger
• Sickness
• Domestic
• Violence
• Crime
• John
• Prine
• Sleepy
• Eyed
• Boy
• Jamaica
• Kingston
• Negril
• Ocho
• Rios
• Montego
• Bay
• greenteawoman

[JohnBoudreaux]

A very moving video.

Thank you for putting this up.

And thank you for finding this wonderful Prine song and connecting it.

[greanteawoman]

Thank you JB! I so appreciate your kind comment. I've always loved this Prine song, it's one of my favorites.

[15palmtree]

Its a shame they dont play stuff like this on the radio.

[TheGrandCapt]

I love the picture of the young colored boy with the AK-47

[EGHO91]

@DNMP69 Search youtube for 'Happy Enchilada', that might be the one?

[DNMP69]

Looking for a video of john playing in a kitchen,I dont remember the song

can someone help me out

[theodorewilson42]

only john only john

[nickpug]

A great marriage of music and images. Thank you.

[MrGripStick]

This is great another great story from John. Love IT

[4lsc88ho302s]

A great Artist is driven by perception, and reality---

[arthurdonachy]

can you be more specific comrade

in some places we are improving

y'know prejudice and such

[sirjazzboneoffuntune]

We have never been noble or just. we are what we are and that just happens to be greedy jealous self absorbed animals. there is no point where we went wrong we've been wrong from the start.