The Undoing Song Lyrics
Cotton grass shelters our refracted actions.
Returning trees, undoing our inaction.
Eucalyptus glitter, and Argus butterflies.
Glimmers of hope calming violent skies.
We are green light, entangled.
Colours you can’t break down unravelled.
We are green light, entangled.
Colours you can’t break down unravelled.
From soup and from lightning, the second invention.
The weight of the world and the pulse in our reflection.
Only eighteen days of silent sunlight
captured on the roofs of you and I.
We are green light, entangled.
Colours you can’t break down unravelled.
We are green light, entangled.
Colours you can’t break down unravelled.
This is the undoing.
This is the undoing.
There are marvellous machines waiting in wings
and fronds and tendrils and the creeping of things.
That turned us from black to lightest sky colouring.
Bring in a circle and let them in.
We are green light, entangled.
Colours you can’t break down unravelled.
We are green light, entangled.
Colours you can’t break down unravelled.
Notes
Songs of Resilience: Bringing New Voices into Climate Research
In what capacity can song-writing encourage reflection and wider conversations, between generations, on climate change?
‘Songs of Resilience’ examines how writing songs and making music videos might help us to bring the voices of young people into debates on climate change and to imagine the future of the changing landscape. The project brings together musicians, climate change researchers, and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust to explore how the process of song-writing and video-making can affect a wider cultural transition towards a more sustainable society.
Drawing on activities around COP 26 in Glasgow, the Songs of Resilience project engaged with young people in Greater Manchester to explore their perceptions of climate change through ‘the Carbon Landscape’ – a post-industrial urban landscape shaped by coal and peat extraction in which restoration activities are taking place. Our young people co-created song lyrics and the accompanying music videos through two different workshops underpinned by ‘The Roundview’ – a toolkit to educate people about ecology and sustainability, and to motivate and inspire people to engage with sustainable futures.
The project has been led by Angela Connelly (Manchester School of Architecture), Joanne Tippett (The University of Manchester), Jo Collinson Scott (University of the West of Scotland), and Matt Brennan (The University of Glasgow), with the Carbon Landscape Project and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. The musicians are Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow) and Jo Mango with Beth Chalmers (Vox Liminis) leading on video production.
Songs of Resilience was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
The Undoing – Credits
Music by Louis Abbott & Jo Mango
Lyrics by Jo Mango, Louis Abbott, Andreea Rusu, Maria Figueiredo, Angela Connelly, Joanne Tippett inspired by the Carbon Landscape and the Roundview.
Performed by Louis Abbott and Jo Mango
Recorded and mixed by Keir Long at GloWorm
Video filmed by Beth Chalmers, Leah Cooke, Beau Dalrymple, Jenny Griggs, Tom Lewis, Joe Roper Photography (commissioned by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust), and Jim Weir.