City of WALL-E (Directive)

[bnewman]

There's something profoundly Jewish about Pixar's WALL-E — the theme of exile, represented visually by broken city-scapes; the way that salvation is communal and primarily concerned with returning to right relationship with the land; and certain very Biblical narrative tropes which I hope to explore in more depth in another post else-web. Running through it all is EVE (the name is not a coincidence, of course) and her "directive", as close to "mitzvah" in robot-speak as we could hope. So (besides the word "wall" being right there) it seemed appropriate to choose "City of Walls", Neshama Carlebach's haunting prayer for Jerusalem, as the base for a WALL-E song.

lyrics by Benjamin Newman

ttto: "City of Walls" by Neshama Carlebach

listen to this song
 

/ G - D - / Em - C - / 1st / C - - - /

 

I do what I must for this planet of dust

But I just can't clean up all that's been left to rust

Once this was a home, now I'm all alone

In this city of WALLs.

 

You came from afar, I don't know who you are

But I can't help my heart -- I'll pin my hopes on a star

Let me find what you seek, the secret you cannot speak

In this city of walls.

 

/ F G C F / / Dm - CF G / F G Am - /

I can see that you want to hold my hand

I love you, too, but please understand

There's a Directive I must obey

I can't let love stand in the way

 

When you do what you're told, are you really yourself?

You've been put on hold, and put on the shelf

But I love you so, I'm not letting you go

In spite of the walls

 

Are you really sure you want to tread my path?

Do you know whom I serve?  Have you seen their wrath?

I have my Directive, I know my task

I cannot give you what you ask

 

City of lies, your polished disguise

Can't hide the truth from these innocent eyes

Though you may deny, there's a dream that still thrives

In the cracks in the walls

 

When you're on the run, you have to hug the dirt

I didn't want you here, I didn't want you hurt

I know my Directive, but I have to stay

Without your love I've lost my way

 

/ F G - A / F G - F / C - G - / F G - A /

 

Can you see my face?  Can you hear my cry?  

This is not our place -- we're in exile!

Wake up, smell the coffee, and fight the fight

It's time to live -- not just survive!

 

-BREAK-

 

If some grace restores the love I thought I'd lost

I can earn my name, never mind the cost

I have my Directive, and I have you

We both know what we have to do

 

Let's lift up the first green shoot of the land

So the people can see that the time is at hand

Remember your worth, return to the earth

And tear down the walls