One of the many joys of Christmas is seeing the people you love all coming together to help you celebrate this most wondrous occasion. Yet, not everyone gets to experience this.
Out in the streets, you’ll find people in unkempt clothing, their eyes lost and their minds dull. They are constantly moving forward but heading nowhere, travelling down a road that for them seems endless.
No one would welcome them in their homes, either due to shame or simply out of fear. So they remain outside with only the cold wind and the dark night keeping them company.
A few might be willing to help, but many would rather stay away. Some would even pretend not seeing these people, fearful of what others might think if they try to reach out.
We wear expensive make-up and a shiny pair of black leather shoes. They have ines on their faces and sores on their feet. We ride in stylish cars and they can hardly walk.
Yes, most days for us may be paradise, but for them, every single day is a struggle. There has to be something we can do. Me, the most I could offer is to write about them here so people can learn about their pain, their lost, and the life that they chose to live.
Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do?
Oh lord, there must be something you can say
Make their lives a little better by listening to Phil Collins’ “Another Day in Paradise” here:
From singer-songwriter Phil Collins’ 1989 album But Seriously, “Another Day in Paradise” is seen as a departure from the usual pop music songs that Collins has been known for. It deals with a serious societal problem – homelessness – and as Collins has come to observe, “people’s awkwardness with it”.
“Another Day in Paradise” topped Billboard’s Hot 100, the seventh and the last number one single for Collins in this category. The song was an international hit and was also considered as a transition single. It was the last number one song for the 80s and the first number one song for the 90s.
The song eventually won the 1991 Grammy Award for Record of the Year apart from being nominated as Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Short Form, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. In the UK, it walked away as the 1990 Brit Awards Best British Single.
Sadly, “Another Day in Paradise” was received negatively by music critics for choosing to touch on a sensitive social issue. Collins was specially targetted, calling him unqualified to champion the rights of the homeless given his immense popularity and wealth.
AKA Music 