World AIDS Day

December 1, 2014

In 1990 I recorded the song Fallen Friends in a New York City studio with my band. I wrote it for my cousin Peter VanderPutten who died of AIDS in 1989 in Key West Florida and for all the others who were disappearing before our very eyes.

Today in 2014 AIDS is still a crisis in our world.

I am offering my song as a free download, please share. I hope that the words and music I wrote long ago will remind us of the fragility of our world and that we can join together in strength and love.

click here for your FREE DOWNLOAD

Lyrics

Fallen Friends Words/Music-C. Grier Sesac Singerfish Publishing

Where Have My Friends Gone

They Have All Fallen

Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I Hope They Are Somewhere

Where No Anger Resides And There's No Hate

Where No One Decides What's Wrong Or Right

Before Its Too Late

Where Have My Friends Gone

Last I Looked They Were Healthy And Funny

But Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I Keep Looking Again

Chorus:

And They're Falling

My Falling, Falling Friends

Some Saw Denial

And There Lifestyles On Trial

Some Tried To Say

Why Has The Government Looked Far Away

Number Days Are All Gone

And What We Are Missing

By Not Taking A Stand

Are The Many Numbers Too Afraid To Lend A Hand

And There's Such A Demand

Lives That Are Cut Short

It Doesn't Make Sense

Why Can't We, Why Can't We Rise Up

And Help Find A Cure, Others Aren't Sure

And They're Falling Falling Lovers, Falling Men

Falling Women, My Falling Friends And They're Falling Children

Falling Lovers, Falling Men, Falling Women, My Falling Friends

Will The Falling Ever End

AIDS on my mind

April 4, 2014

December 1st my be World AIDS Day, but April 4th will always be the day I remember my cousin Peter VanderPutten who died of AIDS in his beautiful Key West guest house the Cypress House on April 4, 1989. I lived with him in Key West at the time and was with him when he died.

In America in 2014, we may not be living those horrible days in the '80's of ignorance, hate and loathing in AIDS riddled communities like Key West, but we still have a long way to go.

In memory of Peter I want to share the song I wrote for him and so many others, it is my gift to you as a free download, or if you just want to listen to it here, the audio is embeded below.

recorded in 1990 on New York Sessions: featuring: Allen Won-saxophone, Andy Marvel-piano, Tony Bridges-bass, Pete Abbott-drums and Reid Trevaskis-backing vocals. Nice to see that everyone in the band is still out there playing!

Fallen Friends since 1989

April 4, 2012

April 4th has had a huge significance in my life

On April 4, 1989 Peter VanderPutten lost his fight with AIDS in Key West, FL at The Cypress House the guest house he owned. I was by his side. Peter my cousin, my teacher age 48. I returned to Key West this past Feburary to visit The Cypress House one more time before it was sold, having been in the VanderPutten family since 1986. It was a lovely and emotional visit full of memories.

I wrote a song called "Fallen Friends" for Peter and for all those lost to AIDS so many, so quickly in the 1980's. We haven't forgotten, now more than ever.

On April 4, 1965 Richard Grier, my father slipped into a coma, and lost his battle with cancer on April 25th in Middletown, CT age 33

On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King was gunned down in Memphis, TN age 39

listen to an MP3 of Fallen Friends from my 'Comin' Back To Me' recording

Lyrics

Fallen Friends Words/Music-C. Grier Sesac Singerfish Publishing

Where Have My Friends Gone

They Have All Fallen

Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I Hope They Are Somewhere

Where No Anger Resides And There's No Hate

Where No One Decides What's Wrong Or Right

Before Its Too Late

Where Have My Friends Gone

Last I Looked They Were Healthy And Funny

But Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I Keep Looking Again

Chorus:

And They're Falling

My Falling, Falling Friends

Some Saw Denial

And There Lifestyles On Trial

Some Tried To Say

Why Has The Government Looked Far Away

Number Days Are All Gone

And What We Are Missing

By Not Taking A Stand

Are The Many Numbers Too Afraid To Lend A Hand

And There's Such A Demand

Lives That Are Cut Short

It Doesn't Make Sense

Why Can't We, Why Can't We Rise Up

And Help Find A Cure, Others Aren't Sure

And They're Falling Falling Lovers, Falling Men

Falling Women, My Falling Friends And They're Falling Children

Falling Lovers, Falling Men, Falling Women, My Falling Friends

Will The Falling Ever End

World AIDS Day 2011

December 1, 2011

Here's a free download MP3 of my song Fallen Friends written for my cousin Peter and many of my fallen friends.

AIDS continues to be a huge global health issue. My personal world was rocked in 1989 after losing my cousin Peter VanderPutten to AIDS. He was among many of my friends who succumbed to this disease. Back in 1989 it seemed the world was ending, then friends started to live, some today are still on crazy cocktails of drugs, but living practically normal lives. But AIDS isn't going away, it's a horrific illness and is the source of huge loss to our global communities. I continue to be mindful of this truth every day.

Today I think of those lost. In Peter's memory and to those continuing to be infected daily around the world. We can and must do better. Life saving yet expensive drugs are not available to all. Education must be focused towards the removal of cultural stigma and aloofness among those too young to remember the early days. Ignorance that endures with the cruelty of troubling and confusing information only make things worse.

link to World Aids Campaign

Cool People Care post on World Aids Day

Take a moment today to remember, inform and be safe.

Fallen Friends

April 4, 2011

April 4th has had a huge significance in my life.

On April 4, 1965 Richard Grier, my father slipped into a coma, and lost his battle with cancer on April 25th in Middletown, CT age 33

On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King was gunned down in Memphis, TN age 39

and On April 4, 1989 Peter VanderPutten lost his fight with AIDS in Key West, FL at The Cypress House the guest house he owned. I was by his side. Peter my cousin, my teacher age 48

I wrote a song called "Fallen Friends" for Peter and for all those lost to AIDS so many, so quickly in the 1980's. We haven't forgotten, now more than ever.

listen to an MP3 Fallen Friends

Lyrics

Fallen Friends Words/Music-C. Grier Sesac Singerfish Publishing

Where Have My Friends Gone

They Have All Fallen

Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I Hope They Are Somewhere

Where No Anger Resides And There's No Hate

Where No One Decides What's Wrong Or Right

Before Its Too Late

Where Have My Friends Gone

Last I Looked They Were Healthy And Funny

But Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I Keep Looking Again

Chorus:

And They're Falling

My Falling, Falling Friends

Some Saw Denial

And There Lifestyles On Trial

Some Tried To Say

Why Has The Government Looked Far Away

Number Days Are All Gone

Chorus

And What We Are Missing

By Not Taking A Stand

Are The Many Numbers Too Afraid To Lend A Hand

And There's Such A Demand

Lives That Are Cut Short

It Doesn't Make Sense

Why Can't We, Why Can't We Rise Up

And Help Find A Cure, Others Aren't Sure

And They're Falling Falling Lovers, Falling Men

Falling Women, My Falling Friends And They're Falling Children

Falling Lovers, Falling Men, Falling Women, My Falling Friends

Will The Falling Ever End

World AIDS Day 2010

December 1, 2010

Today is World AIDS Day. According to UNAIDS, there are an estimated 33 million people living with HIV

Remember

Inform and

Be Safe

Eve Ensler wrote an OP Ed piece in todays UK The Guardian

here's an excerpt:

You cannot prevent women from getting Aids without ending violence towards them, without shifting the dynamics of power. You cannot stop a disease that is being transmitted through sex unless you admit that sex exists, unless women have a right to sex and desire – the same way men have a right .......

read the entire article

learn more 2010 Global Report UN AIDS website

I recorded 'Fallen Friends' in 1990 on my recording 'New York Sessions' (out of print), it later was included in a compilation CD entitled 'Sounds For The Soul'. A solo version is also on my Comin' Back To Me CD

MP3 Fallen Friends acoustic version

MP3 Fallen Friends studio recording

Fallen Friends Words/Music-C. Grier Sesac Singerfish Publishing

Where Have My Friends Gone

They Have All Fallen

Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I keep Thinking

I Hope They Are Somewhere

Where No Anger Resides And There's No Hate

Where No One Decides What's Wrong Or Right

Before Its Too Late

Where Have My Friends Gone

Last I Looked They Were Healthy And Funny, But

Where Are My Many Fallen Friends

I Keep Looking Again

And They're Falling

My Falling, Falling Friends

Some Saw Denial

And Their Lifestyles On Trial

Some Tried To Say

Why Has The Government Looked Far Away

Numbered Days Are All Gone

And They're Falling

Falling Falling Lovers, Falling Men

Falling Women, My Falling Friends

And What We Are Missing

By Not Taking A Stand

Are The Many Numbers Too Afraid To Lend A Hand

And There's Such A Demand

Lives That Are Cut Short

And It Doesn't Make Sense

Why Can't We, Why Can't We Rise Up

And Help Find A Cure, Others Aren't Sure

And They're Falling, Falling Lovers, Falling Men

Falling Women, My Falling Friends

And They're Falling Children

Falling Lovers, Falling Men, Falling Women, My Falling Friends

Will The Falling Ever End

World AIDS Day

December 1, 2009

Today is World AIDS Day. HIV/AIDS is affecting millions of people daily.

http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/HIVData/EpiUpdate/EpiUpdArchive/2009/default.asp

April 4, 1989 my family lost our cousin Peter VanderPutten to AIDS. His life and death gave me many lessons I continue to draw from daily. My song Fallen Friends I wrote in direct reaction to how losing so many friends around me to this terrible disease affected the world around me. Twenty years later and we still have so much to learn. It was heartening to hear today that the President of South Africa Jacob Zuma was preparing to get an HIV test. Disheartening was today’s New York Times which made no mention of World AIDS day. The only acknowledgement I saw was a full-page ad in the first section (from Starbucks who will donate today to the Global Fund to fight AIDS).

lyrics to 'Fallen Friends': http://www.cathygrier.com/music/comin_back/fallenfriends.html

Fallen Friends MP3