The Story Behind the Song: The Exclusive Personal Stories Behind Your Favorite Songs".
David has written about the story behind "Stand And Be Proud" on pages 60-64. There is also a picture of David
Stand and Be Proud
Written by David Cassidy and Sue Shifrin-Cassidy
Recorded by The Voice of the City choir accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra for Rebuild LA
My wife, Sue, and I were working at the time with our friend Bob Ezrin, the renowned music producer of such artists as Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Kiss. He had gone through enormous changes in his life, as had we. He had helped to change the lives of many people in need.
When the riots broke out in Los Angeles in 1992, I had just come off tour. "Lyin' To Myself" was in the Top 20 and I was writing and recording my next album. "Stand and Be Proud" was in its infancy. Musically it was finished, but it hadn't been developed enough lyrically.
Bob Ezrin immediately went to the First AME Church in south central Los Angeles, in the heart of where the riots were taking place, and began helping individuals and families who had lost their businesses and homes. Amongst other things, he was directing food drives there.
Some time in the next day, Bob called us and said that we needed to do something more to help. Sue and I immediately joined him at the church. The moment that we arrived, the faces of the people and the destruction of the structures and people's lifelong possessions spawned the idea that we could make a significant contribution to help to pull the community together. The lyrics evolved from that tragedy.
The rest of the story is on pages 60-64
Order here (USA) or here (Europe)
Listen to "Stand And Be Proud".
Lyrics
