2. Because You Survived A2DA Podcast

Lyrics: “Because You Survived”
By Al Johnson

Verse 1: Grandma Margeret

Trauma slipping and sliding inside me, infiltrates my DNA. Let me take you back to 1938. Mom’s Mom’s Margaret, young ambitious, full of visions. There was just one issue. She was Jewish.

She was 25, a society steeped in lies, recognized a group of people they could chastise. Us Jews were the perfect targets. Valued truth and human progress. Artists and intellectuals. The very folks that held the powerful accountable. Made the Nazis feel uncomfortable. Aww Hitler, did I hurt your little feelings? Undoubtedly the answer was definitely most certainly, so then the Nazis murdered Margaret’s entire family.

Chorus:
Because you survived, I am alive
I eat and I sleep in comfort and peace
Because you survived, I am alive
Accepting the truth, rejecting the lies
Because you survived, I am alive
Pursued a career I value and love
Because you survived, I am alive
Always strive to protect those marginalized

Verse 2: Zaide Eugene:
Now let’s go back to 1930. Mom’s dad, young sturdy, staying busy. Fabric store in Austro-Hungary. But the continent had other plans: Nazis! Loaded Jews like cattle into trains: Fascists! Eugene was thrown in jail, no bail never spoke about it. Black hole, all alone, no phone, no one knows what happened.

But if you asked, who had it worse eugene or margaret? Is it worse to be in jail or be in auschwitz? I’d tell you that it isn’t ours to answer. I know that they both carry loads of trauma.

Verse 3: Zaide Joe:
Trauma slipping and sliding inside me, infiltrates my DNA. I talked about my mom’s side, now let’s turn to the next page. Zaide Joe was grandparent number tray, to find themselves a slave, when the Nazi’s held their Rein.

One night the Nazi Fucks got drunk off the sauce so Joe took off to escape the holocaust ran away, found a barn, hid beneath a stack of hay. But after a while the Nazi’s stormed in on a raid. Beyonette’s with sharpened blades. Sharpened blades! Starting stabbing at the hay. At the hay randomly! Joe just lay there helplessly (heavy breathing). The bayonet slid by his knee. But somehow missed him, came out clean. But that didn’t mean they would set him free. Once more in enslavement, once more he persisted. With little subsistence here barely existed. But he made it to the other side, moved to the US and eventually thrived. I owe you my life: Grandma, Zaide, Bubbe, Zaide. Because you survived, I am alive. Because you survived, I am alive.

Chorus:
Because you survived, I am alive
I eat and I sleep in comfort and peace
Because you survived, I am alive
Accepting the truth, rejecting the lies
Because you survived, I am alive
Pursued a career I value and love
Because you survived, I am alive
Always strive to protect those marginalized


Verse 4: Bubbe Ruth:
Dad’s mom Bubbe Ruth, Rifkah, Riftchu as they called her in her youth. Was born in 1930. Her early years were sturdy. Was her childhood cut short, by Nazis. She grew up fucking fast, in an instant, no more parties. At age 12 she was in Auschwitz. I really don’t know how she did it. Survived concentration camps, plural, conditions were dire. Words cannot describe the squalor, violence and horror.

Bubbe has the strength to keep on going. Don’t know from where that energy came blowing. But she made it to the otherside. Liberated moved to Cleveland, started over, new life. Had 3 children, made a livin’, carried on Jewish tradition. That’s the shit I’m fuckin’ diggin’.

The ultimate revenge, the ultimate fuck you, look who’s thriving now, the motherfuckin’ Jews. And if you have a problem with a Jews success, then take your equal rights and shove it up your ass.

Chorus: