The Roads of Liberty (from my upcoming solo album) is about my impressions of America and my sadness that this social and political experiment looks like it is heading for the rocks. Half of my family is American so obviously I have a keen interest in what goes on there and the future of its democracy does not look healthy.

This song is a nod to the great ‘America’ by Simon and Garfunkel. The first verse is a phone message I took having only just arrived in the US for the first time. It was a shock to be party to something so visceral.

The re-election of the shortfingered vulgarian will have repercussions for America, the world and climate change. It is a chilling thought that half of the Americans you might meet on the street voted for a convicted felon and sex offender as president.

The audio track is on Bandcamp at: https://henrysparks.bandcamp.com There you can download a hi res version if you wish and find out more information. The track goes live on streaming services on the 20th of Jan 2025. The track was recorded mainly at Longport in Canterbury (UK) with bits done in Melbourne (Australia) and at Rimshot in Tunstall (UK). It was mixed and mastered with Mike Thorne at Rimshot Productions.

The Roads of Liberty

Jeanette has gone to Florida

Her sister she just shot herself

She just stepped off the edge of the world

In this land of cars and gasoline

And we never take the time

To find out why

It’s so hard to get by with a name like Bernadette

This country is bleak this country is wide

It’s just another suicide

Here in the land of the free and strong

Behind the bars of liberty

One thousand miles Is a long way home

A voice on the phone is telling me Jeanette is gone

I saw the sign post for Saginaw

All of the dreams I hoped and I longed for

Where, Where the hell is America now?

Of sympathy there is no trace In the masses crawling on their knees

To gaze at the holy picture gold

Tramping down the old and incompetent

Compassion is a world

That raised a fool like me

The roads of liberty are burning around my shoes

Liberty burning

Liberty burning around my shoes

20.01.2025