CHILDREN OF THE DRAGON

The Story

June 4, 2009 is the 20 year anniversary the Tiananmen Square student protests.

This song was written on June 4, 1989 while I was at the hunger strike on the steps of the Denver capitol building in Colorado. I was there to meet a Chinese student in Denver protesting the massacres in Tiananmen Square on June 4th, 1989, referred to in Chinese as "the June Fourth Incident".

When I arrived at the capitol I saw only one person on the steps. I sat down next to him and said "Are you the only one here?" He said, "Yes", and I replied, "Well, you're not alone now."

After the first 3 days different student groups from other universities started getting involved. After he and I left the capitol there were hundreds of other protesters on the steps.

The next day I returned to the Denver capitol building with my friend Ron Erickson, a gifted, heartfelt songwriter from Denver, who was also touched by his story, where we performed a short peace concert at the end of the strike. Although this song, Children of the Dragon was written and performed on the steps of the capitol in 1989, it was not recorded until 1991. The events surrounding the 2008 Beijing Olympics inspired the latest recorded version of this song.

-Lisa

The Lyrics

IN THE DARKNESS THAT REIGNED IN BEIJING
THE CHILDREN OF THE DRAGON RISKED EVERYTHING
TO BRING AN END TO GREED AND TYRANNY

IN THE DARKNESS THAT REIGNED IN BEIJING
THE STUDENTS IN THE SQUARE GATHERED PEACEFULLY
TO HUNGER STRIKE AND FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY

IN THE DARKNESS THAT REIGNED IN BEIJING
A STATUE OF THE GODDESS OF LIBERTY
HELD HIGH HER FLAME OF FREEDOM FOR ALL TO SEE

BUT JUST AS MOST STARS CAN’T BE SEEN IN THE DAYLIGHT
WE SHINE OUR BRIGHTEST IN THE BLACKEST NIGHT
THE DARKNESS MAY TRY BUT CANNOT QUENCH THE LIGHT
OF THE FLAME THAT IS BURNING DEEP INSIDE
OF THE FLAME THAT IS BURNING DEEP INSIDE

IN THE DARKNESS THAT REIGNED IN BEIJING
SCORES OF OTHERS WHO FELT THE SAME
JOINED THE STUDENT MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT MAY

BUT IN THE DARKNESS THAT REIGNED IN BEIJING
ON THE FOURTH OF JUNE-THE SOLDIERS CAME
THOUGH MEN AND WOMEN TRIED TO BLOCK THEIR WAY

AND IN THE DARKNESS THAT REIGNED IN BEIJING
THE CHILDREN OF THE DRAGON WERE CRUSHED AND SLAIN
AS TANKS AND TROOPS BROKE THROUGH THE BARRICADES

WHILE NATIONS PLAY GAMES IN BEIJING
TIENANMEN SQUARE STILL BEARS THE STAINS
OF THE BLOOD THAT WAS SPILLED BY THE ONES THAT WERE
KILLED THAT DAY

THOUGH SANCTIONS WERE PLACED ON BEIJING
THEY PLACATE BUT THEY CAN’T ERASE
THE IMAGE OF THE BOY WHO STOOD BEFORE THE TANKS

THE DARKNESS STILL REIGNS IN BEIJING
BUT THE GODDESS OF LIBERTY’S GHOST REMAINS
TO HAUNT YOUR HEARTS AS SHE WALKS THE SQUARE TODAY

BUT JUST AS MOST STARS CAN’T BE SEEN IN THE DAYLIGHT
WE SHINE OUR BRIGHTEST IN THE BLACKEST NIGHT
THE DARKNESS MAY TRY BUT CANNOT QUENCH THE LIGHT
OF THE FLAME THAT IS BURNING DEEP INSIDE
OF THE FLAME THAT IS BURNING DEEP INSIDE
SO REMEMBER TIENANMEN
REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THEN
ON JUNE THE FOURTH 1989

All original songs copyright RANKIN and HUNSUCKER---BMI
All vocals - Lisa Rankin and Galen Hunsucker
All instruments played by Lisa Rankin and Galen Hunsucker