Diana Ross: "Hope is an Open Window". A song whose time has come.

[TNSUN]

This song applies to the nation's current state.
Cities and states are not being bailed out now like The FED is pumping up Wall Street!
This is causing Social Unrest.
This means people are not being heard.
We need hope, money and jobs.
I know this because in my town crime is going up and it is not on The News!
What do we as a society need right now?
How is your neighborhood doing?

[lucky2012]

So many songs from Diana Ross can speak to our current state. Hope Is An Open Window is certainly one of the finest she ever did.

[captainjames]

A good message song and I am surprised that it just slipped by unnoticed.

[Ollie9]

I never liked the song finding it rather dull and plodding. The lyrics are just a ‘tad to preachy for my own taste. IMO It seemed TOTALLY out of place on the EDIAND album. Might have worked better on the FBTP album......Perhaps.
A similar song that i think works much better is “Force Behind The Power”.

[lucky2012]

I don't find it plodding or preachy. It has one of the more uplifting words, feel and sound of the songs on the EDIAND album. Still, I appreciate EDIAND as one of her most soulful, heartfelt albums.

[Ollie9]

For me personally EDIAND is a really good album bogged down by two songs. This one is cheesy and does not fit in with the style of the other songs on the album. The other is “Someone That You Loved Before” which I find utterly depressing. I have replaced those two songs on my playlist with “Free’ I’m Gone and “Drop The Mask” which give the album a bit more pep.

[lucky2012]

It's not about the end and ruins of a failed love relationship, like most of EDIAND. It does speak of hope and courage, and at the end of the album. I was of the impression it was part of a poem. [[I don't know why). It appears to have been co-written by Diana Ross. I found the words interesting and the chorus uplifting. It may be a bit of a sermon, but I don't find it cheesy. [[Lol. There are other songs she's done I would call "cheesy").

[sansradio]

It's not about the end and ruins of a failed love relationship, like most of EDIAND. It does speak of hope and courage, and at the end of the album. I was of the impression it was part of a poem. [[I don't know why). It appears to have been co-written by Diana Ross. I found the words interesting and the chorus uplifting. It may be a bit of a sermon, but I don't find it cheesy. [[Lol. There are other songs she's done I would call "cheesy").

The spoken introduction and bridge portions are indeed poetry performed by the author, legendary Black Arts Movement figure Sonia Sanchez.

[Jaap]

An Anthem [[1987)
Sonia Sanchez

Our vision is our voice
we cut through the country
where madmen goosestep in tune to Guernica.

we are people made of fire
we walk with ceremonial breaths
we have condemned talking mouths.

we run without legs
we see without eyes
loud laughter breaks over our heads.

give me courage so I can spread
it over my face and mouth.

we are secret rivers
with shaking hips and crests
come awake in our thunder
so that our eyes can see behind trees.

for the world is split wide open
and you hide your hands behind your backs
for the world is broken into little pieces
and you beg with tin cups for life.

are we not more than hunger and music?
are we not more than harlequins and horns?
are we not more than color and drums?
are we not more than anger and dance?

give me courage so I can spread it
over my face and mouth.

we are the shakers
walking from top to bottom in a day
we are like Shango
involving ourselves in acts
that bring life to the middle
of our stomachs

we are coming towards you madmen
shredding your death talk
standing in front with mornings around our waist
we have inherited our prayers from
the rain
our eyes from the children of Soweto.

red rain pours over the land
and our fire mixes with the water.

give me courage so I can spread
it over my face and mouth.

[sansradio]

An Anthem [[1987)
Sonia Sanchez

Our vision is our voice
we cut through the country
where madmen goosestep in tune to Guernica.

we are people made of fire
we walk with ceremonial breaths
we have condemned talking mouths.

we run without legs
we see without eyes
loud laughter breaks over our heads.

give me courage so I can spread
it over my face and mouth.

we are secret rivers
with shaking hips and crests
come awake in our thunder
so that our eyes can see behind trees.

for the world is split wide open
and you hide your hands behind your backs
for the world is broken into little pieces
and you beg with tin cups for life.

are we not more than hunger and music?
are we not more than harlequins and horns?
are we not more than color and drums?
are we not more than anger and dance?

give me courage so I can spread it
over my face and mouth.

we are the shakers
walking from top to bottom in a day
we are like Shango
involving ourselves in acts
that bring life to the middle
of our stomachs

we are coming towards you madmen
shredding your death talk
standing in front with mornings around our waist
we have inherited our prayers from
the rain
our eyes from the children of Soweto.

red rain pours over the land
and our fire mixes with the water.

give me courage so I can spread
it over my face and mouth.

Yes! Thank you and àse.🙏🏽

[lucky2012]

Thank you, Jaap! These words feel so appropriate at this time.

[Ollie9]

The poem is fine, i just don’t like the song. I find “If We Hold On Together” and “All For One” far more melodic and inspiring then this one. Just personal preference. Nothing sinister lol.

[benross]

This song is a stand-out, powerful enough to exist on its own. Some songs [[whether recorded by Diana Ross or another performer) work only within the context of an album, likeable enough as filler that one half-listens to and accepts but would not seek out for individual merits.

I selected this song for inclusion on one of my many [[70 or so) holiday mix-CDs, each of which incorporates at least one Diana Ross song. All of the CDs feature mostly Christmas songs, along with some tunes establishing moods and themes, and there are very few repeats except for the various versions of White Christmas, Silent Night, Auld Lang Syne and Oh, Tannenbaum that pop up occasionally.

In this case, I paired Hope Is An Open Window with Johnny Rivers' fine version of the Oscar Brown, Jr. gem Brother, Where Are You to set the stage for holiday material relaying the apprehension many feel about the forced, artificial seasonal joy and the compulsion to buy expensive, unaffordable presents, while surviving in a competitive city and in a country where too many have too little and are saddened by the commerciality one encounters. The song concentrates in its way on the true meaning of Christmas, beyond the tinsel and the toys and the oppressive attitude of our leaders.

[Circa 1824]

instrumentally, it is as flat and dry as a pancake.

Give me a love or heartbreak song any day.
You can keep the Sunday preaching songs.

[lucky2012]

The poem is fine, i just don’t like the song. I find “If We Hold On Together” and “All For One” far more melodic and inspiring then this one. Just personal preference. Nothing sinister lol.

We do have our preferences . I like all three songs. Also, Leave a Little Room, Let Somebody Know and Only Love Can Conquer All.

Give me a love or heartbreak song any day.
You can keep the Sunday preaching songs.

I love love songs but I will take and keep a good song that reaches out, too. One or two sermon songs per album is fine with me.

[Circa 1824]

Leave a Little Room I loved. It was not preachy.

[daviddh]

Nice track but the entire album was over looked..
not over you yet was slamming.hot.

[Ollie9]

We do have our preferences . I like all three songs. Also, Leave a Little Room, Let Somebody Know and Only Love Can Conquer All.

Not forgetting of course “Reach Out And Touch”. Another of my inspirational faves is “We Stand Together” From the WO album.

[smallworld]

I have replaced those two songs on my playlist with “Free’ I’m Gone and “Drop The Mask” which give the album a bit more pep.

Who are the writers and producers for "Free"? The Genius listing for the song credits the writer and producer of the 1995 "Gone," which of course is a different song.

[nomis]

Who are the writers and producers for "Free"? The Genius listing for the song credits the writer and producer of the 1995 "Gone," which of course is a different song.

Christopher Ward/ Timothy Tickner/Ross

[smallworld]

Christopher Ward/ Timothy Tickner/Ross

Ah, so the same team behind "Drop The Mask." Thanks.

[REYnoldo Chavez]

"Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoo"

"Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoo" Comes to mind.

[after you]

This song of messages heaven sent hopefully her new album can match this intense feeling

[Spreadinglove21]

I love Hope is an Open Window. That song like so many o fDiana Ross' songs have helped me. She is the voice of the heart. She is the voice of love. She is the voice of hope. I hope her new album will be full of songs like this. The world needs more love. The world needs to heal. Diana Ross can help heal the world.

[after you]

This song is absolutely the best it is about love and the need for more love and in no way possible this song is boring only a hater would say that she sings to the mountains to the oceans to the peoples of the world when she sings She sings❤️🌷💚🌷💙💜🌷💛🌷🤎💛🌷💜🌷🧡🖤