Music, Words and Performance XR Music and Sounds There are many wonderful ways to make a difference to a protest by bringing music: make magic, hold space, add a celebration vibe, open hearts, be the soundtrack for change! Since Jan 2023, Extinction Rebellion has made a commitment to take a break from disrupting the general public as a primary tactic. This makes our larger inclusive protests now a more favourable space for musicians who want to avoid arrest. Is music in climate protest your life’s calling? Then why not apply to be part of our core volunteer team and help grow the UK community of musicians in climate protest. Email XR Music & Sounds with your name, relevant experience (max 200 words), number of hours per week you can offer. There are groups to connect to Climate Choirs and Singing, other kinds of Musical Performance and Poetry/Writing. XR Music and Sounds is always looking to expand. If you have something to contribute that isn't listed in those two sections above (e.g. Songwriters? Sound engineers? Steel pans? Symphony Orchestras?) then get in touch. Contact us by email : xrmusicandsounds@protonmail.com You can also find XR Music and Sounds on Facebook Climate Choirs and Singing You can learn songs online, join a singing group local to you if there is one, start one if there isn’t, or learn songs from the archive and come along to a protest and join in. The XR Songbook Collection of song lyrics curated by Marcus and Holly. Watch a video of 'We Need to Build a Better Future' (for lyrics, see page 61 of songbook above): Climate Choirs Get involved with the Climate Choir Movement (not an XR group - but who often sing at XR events/actions). Christmas Carols (with a rebel twist) All the lyrics below as a 4-page pdf - click to download XmasCarols.pdf Ding Dong Merrily on High Ding dong merrily on high The temperature is rising With all the carbon in the sky It isn’t that surprising Fa-la-la….. Our lifestyles are excessive ( x2) And so here below, below, The life on earth is dying And "Io, io, io!" The future’s terrifying Fa-la-la….. Our lifestyles are excessive ( x2) Pray you, dutifully go And partake in truth telling May you beautifully show Concern for this, our dwelling Fa-la-la….. Our lifestyles are excessive ( x2) Silent Night Silent night, holy night! All are quiet, to the plight On the TV, little is said Of the crisis up ahead Put our heads in the sand Put our heads in the sand Silent night, holy night! Children quake at the sight. Those in power show little concern Fossil fuels continue to burn When will our voices be heard? When will our voices be heard? Silent night, holy night! May the world see the light. Share the wisdom, start to act And respond to science and fact For the sake of this earth For the sake of this earth Hark the Herald Hark the herald rebels sing! Let the sound of protest ring East to West, and every child Old and young are reconciled Joyful, all ye nations, rise Join the peaceful rebel cries With th' angelic host proclaim Life can never be the same Hark, the herald rebels sing Let the sound of protest ring For too long we have ignored The great earth we all adore Now the time has come for all To respond to this great call In our shared humanity Hail the great calamity Silent can we be no more Rise as one, we all must soar Hark, the herald rebels sing! Let the sound of protest ring Hail, The earth in all its grace Hail! The beauty in this place Light and life we strive to see In bio-diversity Join together, sing as one Till our work is fully done Till we’re taken seriously In this stark emergency Hark, the herald rebels sing! Let the sound of protest ring Once in Sweden’s capital city Once in Sweden’s capital city Stood a lowly girl on strike Climate breakdown was her worry World inaction she disliked Strong she stood, placard in hand With a message for her land. It took time, for all to listen To the worries she conveyed Some did sneer, scorn with derision Undermined the points she made Resolute, she did persist Unwilling to be dismissed And the eyes of many opened To the science that she shared Children gathered in accordance To show all, that they, too cared And she leads the movement on Worldwide voices speak as one And she leads the movement on Worldwide voices speak as one O come all ye faithful O come all ye faithful Active and defiant O come ye, oh come ye And take a stand Come and behold this Climate crisis O come let us demand change O come let us demand change Oh come let us demand change For this our world Sing choirs of protests Sing in exultation Sing all ye citizens of this great world Treasure creation Let us now preserve it O come let us demand change…. Deck the Halls v1 Deck the halls with boughs of holly Fa la la la la, la la la la (after each line) ‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa la… Don we now our old apparel, fa la… Sing this eco Yuletide carol, fa la… See the crisis that’s before us, fa la… Beat the drums & join the chorus, fa la… Don’t delay, have high ambitions, fa la… Stop the harm, reduce emissions, fa la… Even as the year is ending, fa la… Our demands are still in pending, fa la… Tell the truth and work together, fa la… Heedless of the wind & weather, fa la… People of the world take warning, fa la… Now reality is dawning, fa la… Look around & face the facts now, fa la… Tell the world it’s time to act now, fa la… Deck the Halls v2 Pesticides, deforestation (or Climate Change, deforestation) Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la Are a threat to all creation Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la Global heating, endless plastic Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la Hear the need for something drastic Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la Save the human from this folly, fa la… Mass extinction, not so jolly, fa la… Quickly phase out fossil fuels, fa la… Green new deal, we have the tools, fa la… Carbon offset’s no solution, fa la… To the growth in oil pollution, fa la… Coal and gas and anthracite, fa la… Dim the future’s guiding light, fa la… Loss and damage, just transition, fa la… Surely is no imposition, fa la… Green jobs, justice, insulation, fa la… Are the balm for devastation, fa la… Pesticides, deforestation, fa la… Are a threat to all creation, fa la… Global heating, endless plastic, fa la… Hear the need for something drastic, fa la… We Wish You a Merry Christmas We wish you a greener Christmas, We wish you a greener Christmas, We wish you a greener Christmas And an Eco New Year Glad tidings we bring We can still save your kin We wish you a greener Christmas, And an Eco New Year. We all want a healthy planet We all want a healthy planet Now we all want a healthy planet so join us right here Glad tidings we bring We can still save your kin We wish you a greener Christmas, And an Eco New Year. And we won’t stop until we’ve got one And we won’t stop until we’ve got one And we won’t stop until we’ve got one So join us right here Glad tidings we bring We can still save your kin We wish you a greener Christmas, And an Eco New Year. 12 years of crisis In the first year of crisis, inaction gave to me A forest without any trees In the second year of crisis, inaction gave to me Two hurricanes And a forest without any trees etc. Three heatwaves Four crop failures Five rising seas Six nations starving Seven flood disasters Eight coral die-offs Nine glaciers melting Ten million displaced people Eleven wildfires raging In the twelfth year of crisis, inaction gave to me, (sing slowly) No turning back (pause) [Optional: “There will soon be no turning back. Thank you and good night.”] OR Eleven wildfires raging, ten displaced peoples, nine glaciers melting, eight coral die-offs, seven flood disasters, six nations starving. Five rising seas. Four crop failures, three heatwaves, two hurricanes and a forest without any trees. 12 days of vision On the first day of Christmas, I see how it could be: Clean air for children to breathe On the second (etc) day of Christmas, I see how it could be: 2 more saved species, and clean air for children to breathe 3 April showers 4 smiling faces 5 billion bees 6 bright red corals 7 blue-flag beaches 8 drought-free summers 9 sparkling glaciers 10 Pacific islands 11 polar bears 12 cle-an rivers Music and Dance Drumming - with XR Rhythms You can join a drumming group local to you if there is one, start one if there isn’t, or come along to a protest with your instrument and join in. XR Rhythms website XR Rhythms at actions Morris Connect to other Morris dancers on this Facebook page You can contact MAYDAY morris group by email: maydaymorrisdevon@gmail.com MAYDAY performing at the Royal Courts of Justice Jazz Confident in improvising jazzy songs on the streets? Join Orchestrated Discontent (not an XR band but open to XR members). Find them at a protest on the streets and join in. Folk Confident in playing session tunes on the streets? Join the Climate Ceilidh Collective . There are no rehearsals, just brush up on the popular tunes, bring an instrument to a protest on the streets and join in. We are a protest folk band open to musicians coming along to protest events and joining in on the fly, to create magical folk flashmobs to bring life to climate protest, and soothing folk vibes to calm activists and open hearts. We are open to all kinds of folk music from many traditions, not only Irish music. Brush up on our most played tunes before coming to a demo, or just turn up and join in! For more info, email xrmusicandsounds@protonmail.com to get in touch. We currently don’t have a comms team, but are looking for one, please get in touch if you’d love to volunteer for this! Classical Join XR Baroque - via their Facebook group or contact xrmusicandsounds@protonmail.com Reading, Writing and Spoken Word Rebel Library Looking for a reading list for a Book Group ? "We are a group of writers, librarians and all-round bookworms who collect the best literature on the climate and ecological emergency." Visit the Rebel Library now Writers Rebel You can join the team, provide content - go to the Act page on the Writers Rebel website to learn more about how to get involved. You can use their website to access an array of written and recorded content or join their email newsletter by signing up here. You can also follow and share content from Writers Rebel on: Twitter Facebook Instagram Red Rebels The Red Rebels are an international performance artivist troupe illuminating the global environmental crisis. Read more and maybe even get involved on the Red Rebel Brigade website. Other colours are available!