Jack's Back!

Jack Johnson's new CD, "En Concert" was released on Tuesday. Of course I downloaded it immediately from iTunes. This new CD features live performances by Jack with some of his friends that include Eddie Vedder on "Constellations", and Paula Frug on "Country Road". This woman is totally amazing. If you like this song, look her up on iTunes, great voice! When she sings Country Road with Jack, I just keep playing it over and over again. I can't get enough of that song.The other thing I really love about Jack Johnson is he "lives" the life of GIVING BACK! Above he is singing the "3'R's" to a classroom of elementary school kids in Hawaii. What a great way to teach recycling to kids! Jack does so much for so many, I think this essay written by a student when asked to write about her hero says it all. . .

My hero is not a war hero, a family member, or a lifesaver. My hero is a musician and earthkeeper. He is someone who loves nature and loves to protect it. He is a special person to me, but a lot of people have never heard of him. My hero is Jack Johnson.

Jack has contributed to the Kokua Festival, Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, and the Red Cross. He lives on the island of Oahu on the North Shore. Jack’s songs raise awareness that Hawaii will only stay lush, beautiful, and amazing if we take care of the land that we all call our own.

Jack Johnson’s tour bus now runs on bio-diesel fuel, a fuel that is safe for the environment and can be reused. He comes to schools to tell kids about the land and how we should take care of it. He produces sing-a-longs that teach kids and keep them aware while they’re having fun.

Jack Johnson raised $65,000 for the Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina. He raised a total of $122,835.05 from touring money. He funds many things like the Kokua Foundation, a foundation that sponsors “Aina in the Schools,” a program that lets kids plant and farm crops at their school.

I think Jack Johnson is a great hero and definitely a great person. He is a role model, courageous and very smart. I hope my essay helps you understand that our world is disappearing and we have to do something about it.
Written by Savannah from Hawaii
Whether it is Surfrider, helping schools, recyling, Jack is always there giving back. It would be totally awesome if we had more people that cared about the future of our kids, the environment and each other like Jack Johnson does. He lives this life and his beliefs daily! A few years ago, Brande had the opportunity while working for the ONE organization to do fundraising at a Jack Johnson concert in Hawaii. I will never forget her telling me how down to earth Jack was. Before the shows, he would be out with fans, riding his bike around the venue, as would his wife, kids, and band members were as out meeting fans as well. In a world when our kids look up to some of the "not so giving" musicians that are popular today, it is just so heartwarming and fresh to see someone like Jack Johnson "giving back" daily!

Music is Magic

I love music, all kinds and almost everywhere I am, I have to have music playing, seriously. I've always been like that, with music. It can change a mood for me in a heartbeat. Last year I invested in the most awesome Bose headphones, worth every penny! I plug them into my ipod, sit back and I'm magically taken away to a different place! One of my very favorite artists is Jack Johnson. I love the words to his songs, it relaxes me, reminds me of the ocean, which I also love. Above is a picture of my daughter, Brande, with Jack Johnson and another guy from his band, and two other volunteers from RED. Brande is the blonde. She was working for RED at the time at Jack Johnson's concert in Oahu. One of my favorite song's of his is "Hope", a word which is near and dear to my heart. Below are the lyrics in a condensed verision. If you've never heard this song before, you are missing out. You need to download it on your ipod, put on your headphones and be magically taken away to another place like I do!
"Hope"

Shadow walks faster than you
You don't really know what to do
Do you think that you're not alone?
You really think that you are immune to
Its gonna get that the best of you
Its gonna lift you up and let you down
It will defeat you then teach you to get back up
After it takes away all that
You learn to love

Your reflection is a blur
Out of focus
But in confusion
The frames are suddenly burnt
And in the end of a roll of illusion
A ghost waiting its turn
Now I can see right through
It's a warning that nobody heard

It will teach you to love what you're afraid of
After it takes away all that
You learn to love
But you don't
Always
Have to hold your head
Higher than your heart

You better hope you're not alone
You better hope you're not alone
Hope you're not alone

Your -
Your echo comes back out of tune
Now you can quite get used to it
Reverb is just a room
The problem is that there's no truth to it
It's fading way too soon
The shadow is on the move
And maybe you should be moving too
Before it takes away all that you learned to love
It will defeat you and then teach you to get back up
Cause you don't
Always
Have to hold your head
Higher than your heart

You better hope you're not alone
You better hope you're not alone
You better hope you're not alone
You better be hoping you're not alone