Dean Owens has released a new single to show support and solidarity with the dispossessed and displaced people of Ukraine. The world has been left reeling by recent events but, in the face of a humanitarian catastrophe, Owens’ song carries a powerful message of togetherness: “We all need us.” The image of a song being sung by everyone, of all our voices rising up as one, is both powerful and relevant.
Owens explains: “Like everyone else around the world I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic scenes coming out of Ukraine. One always feels so helpless in these situations, but as an artist, the best way for me to help is through my music. When I wrote this song – We Need Us, I wrote it as a simple message of hope and togetherness. While watching the news and the horrific images I decided to do something with it, and try to use it to help raise money and awareness for the displaced people and all those struggling to survive within Ukraine. I reached out to my dear friend and filmmaker Ruth Barrie of Waltzer Films to see if she could help pull something together for it and within a couple of days she came up with this video to accompany the song.” The video is a montage of images and found footage: war, protests, refugees. Its tone and content fit well alongside song’s lyrical thrust that, if we work together, the world can be a better place. The plight of Ukrainian refugees has moved so many people. In the spirit of ‘We Need Us’ and its hopeful message of unity, you can donate to the cause here, the official fundraiser for Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB).
‘We Need Us’ is taken from the brand new album ‘Sinner’s Shrine’, which is out now. The new material was written and recorded with musicians from Calexico – Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela, Sergio Mendoza, alongside Tom Hagerman and Naïm Amor. The quality of the collaboration is outstanding and this atmospheric song reflects the perfect blend of Dean Owens and Calexico’s desert distinctive desert sound. Check it out.
‘We Need Us’ lyrics:
This beauty that we see
Should be here long after you and me
Should be here for those who come
Long after us
There’s a song to be sung
To be sung by everyone
When it’s gone, it’s gone
We all need us
Me and you
Time to listen, time to speak
Time to find the peace we seek
Time for us, time for us all
Before our time is up
There’s a song to be sung
To be sung by everyone
When it’s gone, it’s gone
We all need us
Me and you
