"What Matters" Benefit Single by Randi Driscoll

"What Matters" Single Benefits Anti-Hate Organizations

When Randi Driscoll heard about Matthew Shepard, a young man who was brutally murdered because he was gay, she was — like many of us — saddened and outraged. Unlike us, however, she chose to pour her feelings into the writing of a song called "What Matters". The song, more about Matthew's life than his death, was recorded and released in early 1999 with the help of many San Diego artists, residents, and businesses. All of the proceeds go to anti-hate organizations such as the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Because the message of the song is so universal, it strikes a deep chord with just about everyone and the reaction has been profound.

As a result of "What Matters", Randi has been invited to sing at many of the gay pride festivals throughout the US and in Canada, including the Millenium March in Washington DC and the premiere of the powerful documentary "Journey to a Hate Free Millenium". She was also invited to meet with Matthew's mother Judy — a woman who was also a huge inspiration to Randi because of her grace and determination to use Matthew's death as a banner in the fight against hate and especially hate crime.

It's amazing that, in this day and age, there are still so many people with so little tolerance for another's religion, color, sexual orientation, or any other unique characteristic. The most powerful weapons available to us are education and awareness.

For more information on how you can join the fight against hate crime, please visit:

http://www.matthewsplace.com/

http://www.newlightmedia.com/

http://www.hrc.org/

We encourage you to purchase the CD single here through the "order a CD" link. The song lyrics to "What Matters" are below.

WHAT MATTERS
by Randi Driscoll

You were the brightest angel
heaven had ever seen
you walked in with a story to tell and ten thousand tongues to scream and you said
doesn't your heart beat the same as mine
haven't I told you a thousand times
isn't the air in my lungs the same air you breathe

so who cares whose arms I'm all wrapped up in
who cares whoes eyes I see myself in
who cares who I dream of
who cares who I love.

Heaven help me for I am lost
what a price my love did cost
but here I am standing strong and I am free
and didn't we share the same sunrise and sleep in the same moonlight
isn't the blood in my veins the same blood you bleed, so...

when I die
and they lay my body down
the peace that I will find is the peace that brings you all around
doesn't my mother cry like everyone
my father grieve for his lonely son
isn't my rainbow a little brighter because...

so who cares whose arms I'm all wrapped up in
who cares whose eyes I see myself in
who cares who I dream of
no it doesn't matter who I dream of
'cause in the end it only matters that I was loved and am loved...

love has no face.

For Randi's personal comments on the Matthew Shepard tragedy, click here.

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