1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: In Raffie learned something that shocked him. He'd gotten to 2 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: hear talk about beluga whales at the Science Center in Toronto. 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: Raphie had loved these whales since he first saw one 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: named Kavana at an aquarium a decade earlier. Kavna inspired 5 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: him to write his most famous song, Baby Beluga, Baby 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: Deep Bluega in the deep Blue Sea swims so wild, 7 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: then you swim so keavn. Rafie wrote it at a 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: time when they Save the Whales movement was just starting. 9 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: Baby Luga, Baby Luga is the water. People don't want 10 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 1: to hear anger or sadness or frustration at how things 11 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: may have got to They want to hear and they 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: are inspired by the love in our hearts, especially the 13 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: love for our young. And I thought, instead of writing 14 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: a lament, I would write a beauty of a love 15 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: song for a magnificent creature, the bluga whale. You know 16 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: what you love, you care about, and you want to protect. 17 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: But at the Science Center, Ralfie learned that beluga whales 18 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: were dying at an alarming rate. Their legion covered bodies 19 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: were washing up on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, 20 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: just two hundred miles from Toronto. Industrial pollution had turned 21 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: the whales into hazardous waste sites and left them with cancer. 22 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: Ralfie was devastated. If this was happening to the Beluga whales, 23 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: the very animal he made famous in his song, what 24 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: were all these toxins doing to the children living near 25 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,559 Speaker 1: the river. He wasn't sure if he could ever sing 26 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: Baby Beluga again. You know, it was one thing to 27 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: think about children with love and to sing loving songs 28 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: with them and for them. But if the world that 29 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: we all live in, if our children's future is compromised 30 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: unless we change our ways, well what's the point of 31 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,239 Speaker 1: just singing? I said to myself. I mean, songs and 32 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: music are great, but they only go so far. You 33 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: need to take care of the theater in which we 34 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: are singing. If you will right the home theater, Raffie 35 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: began to question everything, his identity, his relationships, the world. 36 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: I'm Chris Garcia and this is Finding Raffie, a ten 37 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: part series from My Heart Radio and Fatherly in partnership 38 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: with Rococo Punch, about the life, the philosophy, and the 39 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: work of Raffie, the man behind the music. By the 40 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: late eighties, Raffie was tired and burnt out. He'd been 41 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: touring NonStop. His creativity felt limited, and he was angry 42 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: and despairing. He needed a break from playing to young children, 43 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: so he made a pretty big decision that stunned everyone 44 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: around him. He decided to take a year off, no concerts, 45 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: no touring. Instead, Ralphie spent a lot of time learning 46 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: about the world, and he found himself reading about one 47 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: environmental disaster after another. Acid rain are growing hole in 48 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: the ozone layer, the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. This 49 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: was also when he discovered the radio series It's a 50 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: Matter of Survival, which might sound familiar. It was made 51 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: by his good friend David Suzuki, and it had a 52 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: huge impact on Raffie. It said that unless we as 53 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: a species collectively acted in a timely manner to reduce 54 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: greenhouse gas emissions, we risked they're reaching a point where 55 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: the warming is irreversible, and that would be catastrophic. So 56 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: when I heard the word irreversible, I had a major 57 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: meltdown within myself because that's the appropriate response. Actually, I mean, 58 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: that's major fear. Oh my god, it would get so 59 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: bad that we couldn't do anything about it. That ought 60 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: to scare you to the core, and it did me. Meanwhile, 61 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: Raffie and his wife deb split up. He moved out 62 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: of the house they shared and found a bachelor pad, 63 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: and he returned to an earlier hobby of his painting. 64 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: In his autobiography, Raffi wrote that he filled the walls 65 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: with his own art, oil pastels of abstract images and 66 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: female nudes. He was kind of spreading his wings. Well. 67 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: There was a year of introspection and a year of 68 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 1: a year that lead to new songs. I wrote, Our 69 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: dear dear Mother, I get teary when I hear our 70 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: dear dear mother, Daily provider, Earth be your name. The 71 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 1: time has come to honor you, to know you, and 72 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: to show our love. Our dear dear mother, Daily provide 73 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: be your name. The time has come to an to 74 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: know you and to show our love. Raffie emerged from 75 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: his sabbatical with a focused mission to protect the planet, 76 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: and he had a new album, Evergreen, Ever Blue. It 77 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: was his wake up call to the destruction of the Earth. 78 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: It was a big shift for Raffy. His earlier children's 79 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: songs had hinted at environmentalism, songs like all I Really 80 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: Need and thanks a lot. But now Ralf he had 81 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: an entire album devoted to the planet and the song 82 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: is called Voices from the Jungle Say Never. As it 83 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 1: was beginning, You've got this time, Ralph he wanted to 84 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: connect with adults and teens, the people he felt could 85 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: stop climate change, not his typical fans toddlers who struggled 86 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 1: to sit quietly through his performances. So Ralph, he said, 87 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: his sights on MTV music videos were all the rage. 88 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: They still are in some ways, but that's what you 89 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: required and in order to for people to get to, 90 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 1: you know, see your your song. The reason I tried 91 00:06:56,720 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: it was I felt so passionate about this planet that 92 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: needed all of us too. You know it's it's up 93 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: to you, It's up to me, so called. At the 94 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: same time, I felt it wasn't five year old's job 95 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: to help the Amazon stay intact. You know, it's up 96 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: to me. It's up RAPHI filmed the music video for Evergreen, 97 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: Ever Blue and an old growth forest on Vancouver Island. 98 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: In it, he sings and plays guitar beneath the giant 99 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: canopies of Douglas furs and Sita spruce. He has a 100 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: group of people singing with him, young environmentalists, tribal members, 101 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: and the Raging Granny's, a group of grandmother activists. It 102 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: kind of looks like a nature documentary, kind of like 103 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: a music video made for PBS. There are shots of 104 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: waterfalls and sunlit dappled leaves. At one point, Raffie hugs 105 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: a moss covered tree and passes around a crystal ball. 106 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: He says it was a metaphor for the future of 107 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: the planet being in human hands. And then the video 108 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: takes a turn and cuts to Raffie standing in a 109 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: barren field in front of a pile of tree stumps. 110 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: When we made the Evergreen, Ever Blue video, I was 111 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: taken to some cleer cutting sites just to experience what 112 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: a clear cut forest is like. It feels like you're 113 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: standing in death. Clear Cuts are horrible and a really 114 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: stupid idea of a bottom line money worshiping culture. That's 115 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: why I was so passionate in making the Evergreen, Ever 116 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: Blue album, trying something new for you know, slightly older 117 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: kids audience. You know, I was basically jumping through hoops 118 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: to try and make a difference. In true Raffie style, 119 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: he thought about every detail on his new album Whenever Green, 120 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: Ever Blue is released in nine record stores are transitioning 121 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: from selling vinyl to selling CDs, and the easiest way 122 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 1: to do that was to put CDs in long boxes, 123 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: those tall, skinny boxes that are about twice the size 124 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: of a CD. That's so they could be displayed in 125 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 1: the existing record bins. The problem was that meant CDs 126 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: came with a ton of unnecessary packaging. Ralphie put his 127 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: foot down. He was one of the first artists to 128 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: refuse to sell his music in wasteful packaging, but it 129 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 1: cost him. Some record stores wouldn't carry his album, and 130 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: that didn't go according to the plan. In the end, Evergreen, 131 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: Ever Blue was far from a smash hit. MTV never 132 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: aired his music videos, and radio stations didn't give the 133 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: album much play. Ralphie said he heard from angry parents 134 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,439 Speaker 1: who were upset that the music wasn't appropriate for children. 135 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: I was too well known as a children's artists to 136 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: be played on adult music video stations. It wasn't possible 137 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: for that children's icon, as people considered me at the time, 138 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: two then change his audience. It just wasn't possible. This 139 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: was all a crazy irony to Raffie. In his autobiography, 140 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: he questioned how kids who grew up on his music 141 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: could watch quote, junk sex footage and macho rap, but 142 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: not his ecology music video. Rafy was frustrated and demoralized. 143 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: He was reading the news and listening to dire warnings 144 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: by scientists about the damaged humans were doing to the planet. 145 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 1: He felt there was no time to wait. Evergreen, Ever 146 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: Blue was his immediate response to climate change. Why didn't 147 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: his fans understand, like, how much clearer doesn't have to 148 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 1: be a warning to humanity. It's like it's like some 149 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: sci fi movie where you had some alien ship lands 150 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 1: and there's this warning to humanity, like Hello. Every year, 151 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: this Union of Concerned Science would come out with another 152 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:17,319 Speaker 1: version of this warning. Well, what warning will we need 153 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 1: next to convince us? What will it take? Do we 154 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:42,559 Speaker 1: love enough? That's my question. I'm still trying to picture 155 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: a Raffi music video on MTV in the early nineties. Evergreen, 156 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: Ever Blue on rotation with Nirvana smells like teen Spirit 157 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: or Can't Touch This by mc hammer. Look, I give 158 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: him credit for trying, but I'm thinking maybe he underestimated 159 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: how hard it would be to transform his image and 160 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: get his message out, and Evergreen ever Blue misses everything 161 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: I love about Raffie. In his earlier stuff, he was 162 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: playful and genuine. It was infectious because he was having fun. 163 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: If Baby Bluego was candy, this was vegetables. Here's what 164 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: I mean. Listen to the ending of Willoughby Wallaby Wou 165 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: from single Songs for the Very Young Willoughby Wallaby, when 166 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:33,839 Speaker 1: an elephant set on Ken and Willoughby Wallaby Whaffy set 167 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: on RAFFI now compare that to we Are Not Alone 168 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: from Evergreen Ever Blue. We're crying shut the spread out amicas. 169 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: We're crying shut clear haze. We're saying no more? Can 170 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,559 Speaker 1: we be that it's safe to hide our heads in 171 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 1: the sand to understand the Oh It just doesn't sound 172 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: like Raffie. He's trying so hard, but his words and 173 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: his whole vibe feel forced, like he's playing a character. 174 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:26,439 Speaker 1: It cool it who this planet down? We can't give 175 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: it up. WI rap with Christophe more we get to 176 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: get done. Overall, the album feels a little lost. There's 177 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: pop music mixed with folk and reggae, but unlike his 178 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: earlier music, this doesn't sound cohesive. It sort of feels 179 00:13:53,679 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: like he's searching for something, maybe even for himself. Now, 180 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: I am not a music critic, and I respect what 181 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: raf He was trying to do. He was calling out 182 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: the harsh realities of climate change. He was done singing 183 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 1: about happy blooga whales because that didn't get people to 184 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: protect them. We are literally breathing, drinking, and eating the 185 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: nourishment that our mother provides. So do we really not 186 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: understand connection between Mother Earth and us her children? Do 187 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: we really not understand are very dependents on the air, water, 188 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: soil quality of this beautiful planet that we call home. 189 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: Raphe's fans weren't the only ones confused by Evergreen Ever Blue. 190 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 1: The press didn't understand his new direction either, and I'll 191 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: admit the newspaper articles were rough. In The Washington Post 192 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: ran a piece called Rafe's Growing Pains. The reporter wrote, 193 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: the new Raffie writes angry music for adults now. Time 194 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: magazine questioned why the most popular children singer abandoned his audience. 195 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: Evergreen ever Blue, the magazine said, was not merely inappropriate 196 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: for toddlers. It is a warning screech of apocalypse that 197 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: had to hurt Rafie devoted a big chunk of his 198 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: autobiography to these articles. How he felt the media dismissed 199 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: his environmental awakening. He says he was chopped up to 200 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: being a madman or having a midlife crisis. Adopting an 201 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: environmental message and appealing to an older audience was a 202 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: big gamble. Dorian Lynskey is the author of thirty three 203 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: Revolutions per Minute, a history of protest songs. Dorian reminded 204 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: me about the Dixie Chicks, or the Chicks as they're 205 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: now known, and what can happen when an audience doesn't 206 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: go along with an artist transformation. So a really extreme 207 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: example which which interests me, is in two thousands three 208 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: when Natalie Maines in the Dixie Chicks criticize the Iraq 209 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: War and George Bush on stage in London instead, I'm 210 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: ashamed President the United States and Texas got a huge 211 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: cheer in the room, and that line was quoted in 212 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: a review which got picked up by talk radio and 213 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: Fox News and so on, and they became demonized by 214 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: conservatives but also by the country scene, and they were 215 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: pulled off the radio, and that these kind of ceremonial 216 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 1: you know, smashing of their c d s. They were 217 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: viciously attacked, and I think that's an example of what 218 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: happens where the audience and your scene violently reacts to 219 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:57,359 Speaker 1: your politics. I don't think people are reacting to Raphae's politics. 220 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: I think they just didn't like his new vibe. He 221 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 1: literally changed everything that people loved about him. Still, it's 222 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,160 Speaker 1: risky for an artist to release protest music. Dorian says 223 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: it's successful when audiences are also feeling upset or uneasy, 224 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: like when the economy is tanking or the world's on 225 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 1: the brink of a nuclear war. The problem is Raphie 226 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: released Evergreen, ever Blue in the economy is fairly stable. 227 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: They were not worried that democracy itself is under threats, 228 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: and you know, the planet is burning. It's a very 229 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: optimistic time, and so to the end of apartheid, and 230 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: it's the end of the Cold War. It's not really 231 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: a time of crisis when people are looking for crisis art. 232 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: Even with the critical reviews and the angry feedback from fans, 233 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: Raphi was undaunted. He felt the world was heading in 234 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: the wrong direction. In he traveled to the United Nations 235 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,880 Speaker 1: Earth Summit in Rio de jann Arrow with environmentalists. David's 236 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 1: is Juki and his daughter seven. Seven was twelve years 237 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: old at the time, and gave a speech to a 238 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: packed audience, and by the time her five or seven 239 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: minute talk was done, she got a standing ovation, and 240 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: al Gore walked all the way over to where seven 241 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: was sitting, reached out his hand, he said, seven, that's 242 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: the best speech I've heard all week. Wow. What was 243 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: it about this speech that had caused such a stare 244 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 1: and had such an impact on these adults? She said, 245 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: I came five thousand miles to tell you, adults, you 246 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: must change your ways. She said. You say you love us, 247 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 1: and I challenge you, please show us, please reflect that love. 248 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:52,719 Speaker 1: She said, in your choices. Pretty powerful, I challenge you, 249 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 1: she said, reminiscent of Greta Turnberg today, Ye who's challenging 250 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,479 Speaker 1: adults to not get in the way of the healthy 251 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: future that she and all the world's children, all of 252 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 1: us deserve. Pretty potent. That is exactly what Severn called it. 253 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 1: Suzuki said at the age of twelve, realizing the hypocrisy 254 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 1: of adults was something Raffie could relate to. From his 255 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: own childhood, he felt like his parents would tell him 256 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: one thing, but then do the opposite. He grew up 257 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: feeling like he couldn't trust them to tell him the truth. 258 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: And there was something else. Severn was just twelve years old, 259 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 1: and there she was speaking to the United Nations. She 260 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: was supported and empowered by her parents. She had everything 261 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: Raffi wanted as a kid to be seen and heard 262 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: for who she was. Maybe finally, as an adult he 263 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:18,440 Speaker 1: could be too. You know, not a lot of people 264 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:21,360 Speaker 1: were talking about climate at that time that had such 265 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: a platform as him. The Two Earth Summit and Rio 266 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,679 Speaker 1: had a big impact on Raffie. He soaked up as 267 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: much as he could. He rubbed elbows with then Senator 268 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: Al Gore, and he was blown away by conservationist Jacques 269 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: Cousteau's warnings about the degradation of the oceans. But it 270 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: was severn callis Suzuki speech that really resonated with Raffie. 271 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: He was awed by the power of a child's voice. 272 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,959 Speaker 1: Maybe kids could be the change makers. After all, Rafie 273 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: left Rio vowing to support these young activists. His legacy 274 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: is one that I certainly relate to. Again, this idea 275 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,640 Speaker 1: that we're all in this together and we all need 276 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 1: to protect the world. Philippe Cousto is Jacques Cousteau's grandson, 277 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: and he's following in his family's footsteps as a filmmaker, author, 278 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: and environmental activist. You probably know this, but Philippe's grandfather, 279 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: Jacques was a badass. He helped invent scuba diving. His 280 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: films about marine life sparked an understanding of what's deep 281 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: in the oceans and why we have to protect them. 282 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: He was a huge inspiration to Raffie too, And my 283 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: grandfather always said, you know, before we can talk about conservation, 284 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: we have to talk about education. We have to talk 285 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: about how we reach beyond the converted and start to 286 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: provide opportunities for young people to engage in Any social 287 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: movement in history, if it's successful, it's successful because it's 288 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: driven by a younger generation working with young people and 289 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: supporting and nurturing their ambitions. That's something both Philippe and 290 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 1: Raphy share. In two thousand five, Philip co founded Earth 291 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: Echo International. It's an organization that works with kids to 292 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,360 Speaker 1: inspire environmental activism. What I see in young people all 293 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: the time is they don't know the meaning of the 294 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,400 Speaker 1: word no. Young people have this and this wondrous ability 295 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: to cut through the bs and get to the root 296 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: of the problem and question the very nature of why 297 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: things are the way they are and how they work. 298 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: And that's such just a wondrous, inspiring attribute that young 299 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: people have, that that we as adults could learn a 300 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 1: lot from. Instead of getting caught up in what isn't possible, 301 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: we should spend a lot more time being caught up 302 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: in what is possible. Philip says that sometimes as adults, 303 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,479 Speaker 1: we just have to get out of the way. We 304 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: have worked with young people who helped to draft legislation 305 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: in South Florida to require solar panels to be built 306 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: on new buildings, and it passed. People forget that it 307 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:14,920 Speaker 1: was a young girl, probably not much old and twelve 308 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: and thirteen years old, that petitioned Maine, the state of Maine, 309 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: to ban styrofoam in fast food, particularly McDonald's take out. 310 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: It passed the legislature because of her fearsome advocacy for this, 311 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:30,479 Speaker 1: and then McDonald's was like, well, we're not just going 312 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 1: to create a separate container for one state, and they 313 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: eliminated star foam from their entire takeout chain. One light, 314 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 1: one sun one sun lighting everyone. How do we help 315 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: them recognize that they can be powerful. I think that 316 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: the despondency, the sadness, and the despair that happens for 317 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: so many people is when you've one feels like one 318 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 1: doesn't have an impact, one has no power, one has 319 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:08,480 Speaker 1: no agency in the world. And that's not true. I 320 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: think all of us can feel sad and despairing at times, 321 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 1: But dispairreer is not an energy to give ourselves over too. 322 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: We feel it, we noted, and we've set it aside 323 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: because we've got work to do. Our children need us 324 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: to do the work. And if we can show people 325 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: around the world why nature is valuable to their lives, 326 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: then they're going to protect it in their own enlightened 327 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 1: self interest, which is the best thing we can do. 328 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: This is sang. He runs an organization called Conservation International. 329 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: They do a lot to protect the earth, like working 330 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 1: with communities on sustainable farming practices and planting trees to 331 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: counter deforestation. For Jin, it all starts with placing a 332 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,719 Speaker 1: value on nature, something he learned early on growing up 333 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: in Sri Lanka. When I was born, my grandmother took 334 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: me to see an astrologer and the astrologer told me that, um, 335 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,160 Speaker 1: I told my grandmother that I would die by drowning, 336 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: so they kept me out of the water. They didn't 337 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: want me to swim in the ocean. In fact, I 338 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: wasn't even allowed to take a bath. They would literally 339 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: pour you know, cups of water over my head. Wow. Right, 340 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: And it made some sense, some logical sense. My grandmother 341 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: loved me, and she was very aware of how little 342 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: time I had, and so what she wanted to do. 343 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: She wanted to protect me. But when Sangin was nine, 344 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 1: his mother secretly taught him how to swim. My mother 345 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 1: isn't any great swimming, but she taught me how to swimming. 346 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 1: Had changed my life. And since then, I've literally gone 347 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 1: diving in almost every ocean on the planet, from the 348 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: Arctic to you know, raja Ampat, Indonesia to the Solomon 349 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:58,399 Speaker 1: Islands the coast of California. Right. And I wondered often 350 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: like why my mom broke with tradition and took that 351 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:03,360 Speaker 1: risk and taught me how to swim in it? And 352 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: what I can think about that is that my my 353 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:08,679 Speaker 1: grandmother loved me, and so I wanted to protect me. 354 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:12,919 Speaker 1: My mother loved me, but she also valued my life. 355 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: She started investing in me, and that's the guiding kind 356 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 1: of star that has always guided my work and my career. 357 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 1: So I know, I hate to say it this way, 358 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: but I don't think love alone is enough to actually 359 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: make anything stick. You also have to value it if 360 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: it's going to be sticky over the long period of time. 361 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 1: Working to protect the planet isn't Sandon's only job. He's 362 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 1: a new dad like me, with a little daughter at home. 363 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 1: How do you plan to talk to her about climate 364 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: change when you have a child. I think that you 365 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: want to protect this kid. We do owe it to 366 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: that next generation not to completely be so engulfed in 367 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: our own doom and gloom they we forget the beauty 368 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:05,120 Speaker 1: and wonder and the resilience that this planet has, And 369 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,439 Speaker 1: don't forget reinforcements on the way. You know, when I 370 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: look at my daughter, when I look at kids in school, 371 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: I am blown away by the level of intelligence, sophistication, tech, 372 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,879 Speaker 1: savvinus care that they have. So I do have some 373 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 1: faith that this next generation is going to be the 374 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 1: rescue generation. I just don't want to spoil it so 375 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: much that she can't get to also enjoy it. There's 376 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: a fine balance between being a savior and savoring something, 377 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:39,439 Speaker 1: and you've got to do a bit of both. Him, Raffie, 378 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 1: how are you? I'm good? How are you? Can you 379 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: see me? Awesome? I called Raffie one morning last fall. 380 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 1: I'd read about the historic rains that we're forcing people 381 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: from their homes not far from him in Canada. How's 382 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 1: everything with the floods up there? Are Are you safe? Um? 383 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: I've been Um, I've reading about it and following along. 384 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:05,640 Speaker 1: Is everything okay up there? Thank you? It's fine for me. 385 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 1: I'm one of the lucky ones. Mother Nature's fury um 386 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 1: has been devastating for communities in my province of British Columbia. 387 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:22,399 Speaker 1: There's no question that the climate emergency were in is 388 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: exacerbating and bringing about these extreme weather conditions and will 389 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: continue to do so. I mean, you don't have to 390 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 1: be a rocket scientist to get how perilous the situation 391 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: is and that bold climate action is the only way 392 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: forward to address it. Rafie was tired. The floods arrived 393 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: just a few months after extreme heat and wildfires had 394 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: ravaged the region. It's been over thirty years since he 395 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: released Evergreen, Ever Blue, and not much has changed. Raphe's 396 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: worries haven't changed either. What does your daughter Sonny need 397 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: in this world? She needs, uh, intact, ancient forests for many, 398 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: many reasons, including their beauty. I mean, it's astonishing to 399 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: me that we have to fight for the protection of 400 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:19,719 Speaker 1: beauty and these trees that soak up carbon. That's what 401 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: we want, We need these people doing carbon offsets plant trees. 402 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,239 Speaker 1: How about keeping the ones we already have, like the 403 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: giant ones. You know, Sorry, I just went on a 404 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: bit of a runt there. No, I completely understand, and 405 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: I appreciate the passion. Sometimes I will um think about 406 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 1: the future and the present moment and sunny and what 407 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 1: kind of world she's going to live in. And sometimes 408 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: I just feel like I lose hope, or I'll stay 409 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 1: up an extra hour at night tossing and turning. Do 410 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: you ever feel like that we have seen tragic escalation 411 00:29:54,040 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: of summer wildfires, of enormous intensity, of precedented wake up people, 412 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:11,479 Speaker 1: wake up to this climate threat. It's our children, the 413 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: world we love, all of this, all of this. Raffie 414 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 1: has always been open to reinvention, so maybe it's not 415 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:31,479 Speaker 1: a surprise that he'd circle back to his young fans 416 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 1: and to the idea of respect, that core value that 417 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: launched his career in the first place, because Ralphie was 418 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: discovering that maybe there was a link between protecting the 419 00:30:43,080 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: planet and how we raise our kids. Next time on 420 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 1: Finding Raffie, this philosophy which essentially woke me up from 421 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: a sound sleep with those two words sort of suspended 422 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: in the air, child honoring. I knew in that luminous 423 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: moment that I was being given something that would be 424 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: the work of the rest of my life. Finding Raffie 425 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 1: is a production of My Heart Radio and Fatherly in 426 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: partnership with Rococo Punch. It's produced by Catherine Fenalosa, Meredith Hannig, 427 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 1: and James Trout. Production assistance from Charlotte Livingston. Alex French 428 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: is our story consultant. Our senior producer is Andrea Swahe 429 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: Emily Foreman is our editor. Fact checking by Andrea Lopez Crusado. 430 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 1: Raphae's music is courtesy of Troubadour Music Special thanks to 431 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: Kim Layton at Troubadour. Our executive producers are Jessica Albert 432 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: and John Parotti at Rococo Punch, Ty Trimble, Mike Rothman 433 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: and Jeff Eisenman at Fatherly and Me Chris Garcia, thank 434 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 1: you for listening. We're just living and grooving with one another. 435 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 1: You know, it's just this is real life, folks. This 436 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 1: ain't just like just somethings I'm concerned about. This is 437 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 1: real life.