Photo by Josh Pelta-Heller for WXPN | koalafoto.com

My Morning Jacket have shared a new song, “Magic Bullet,” in response to the recent spate of violence here in the States. “Violence is never the answer. Only love,” wrote the band on their Facebook page, quoting Martin Luther King: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Here’s MMJ’s complete statement about the song.

violence is never the answer.
only love.
we all need to be a part of the discussion.
part of the solution.
how long will it take before we realize-
we are all the same.
this is not idealistic dreaming.
this is a fact-
we all want only to love and be loved.
to nuture and protect those we love.

hate comes from the illusion that we are separate and cut off from
one another by factors like race and religion but this simply is not true.

it does not matter your race/creed/sexual orientation we are all filled with the same beautiful blood- a mix of old and new generations… past present and future…we are all in there somewhere…in the blood lines together…all of humanity.

a beautiful mix of male and female and all the colors rolled up into this wonderful gift we call life.
a gift that should be celebrated like the beautiful rainbow that it is- not riddled by bullets and cut to pieces spilling and wasting that precious blood.

I don’t pretend to think that a song can fix or change the world instantly, and I don’t pretend to know the ins and outs of the political landscape and proper gun control legislation-
BUT if we say nothing then nothing will ever change.
and things have got to change.

so maybe if we all sing out-
if we all speak out- for peace. for equality. for justice. for an end to the violence…then perhaps we can together change the world for the better-
create a world of true peace, love, and acceptance where our differences are celebrated because we realize they are in fact all just shades of the same wondrous human rainbow.

dare to dream. dreams can come true.

no one said it better than Dr. King:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
here is a wish from us to you for peace,love, understanding, and an end to the violence.

we hope you enjoy this song that basically says
there can be a solution…
but none of us can do it alone.
we have to get together.

peace and love,
my morning jacket

“Magic Bullet” has a bouncing, stuttering synth driven funk groove, and plenty of Jim James’ scorching guitar work. Take a listen to the song, read the lyrics below.

LYRICS:

AIN’T NO MAGIC BULLET COME FROM MAGIC SHELL.
NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT. FAR AS I CAN TELL.
AIN’T NO WAY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM OF THE STREETS.
WITH AN ITCHY TRIGGER FINGER…
SERVANT OF DISEASE.
I MEAN COME ON…

HEAR IT FROM THE PEOPLE. READ IT IN THE PRESS.
LEARN IT AT THE STEEPLE. FORGET IT IN DISTRESS.
LOOKIN FOR SALVATION…JUST A LITTLE HELP.
BUT IT NEVER SEEMS TO FIND ME…
I’M GONNA TAKE IT FOR MYSELF.
I MEAN C’MON….
(THERE’S GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY)

THAT LOW FEELIN STARTS TO GET TO ME-
NEED TO FIND ESCAPE.
SO SMOKE IT FILLS THE LUNGS…
AND DRINK CORRUPTS THE BRAIN.
AND MORALS GET CONFUSED…
IN A DESPERATE MIND.
AND THERE AIN’T NO WRONG OR RIGHT…
IN A DESPERATE TIME.

BUT I KNOW THERE’S A SOLUTION-
DEEP WITHIN MYSELF.
BUT I AIN’T NEVER GONNA REACH IT…
WITHOUT SOMEBODY’S HELP.
I MEAN A COME ON…