Sometimes a tweet is all you need to help you decide what to write. This tweet from Denise did it for me:
Lift Every Voice and Sing was first performed on Feb. 12, 1900 https://t.co/RXbwrh4hlZ
— Denise Oliver-Velez (@Deoliver47) February 12, 2018
I’ve been sensing a great weariness in myself and others, and as I was thinking about that over the weekend, I realized that music had somehow become a neglected part of my routine. It was a startling revelation, since I have so often relied on music to help me access and embrace emotions that I generally hold inside. Music can make me feel vulnerable yet invincible; sad but determined; angry but joyous. Today I’m sharing some of the songs that have become part of the playlist of my life: sometimes to strengthen me for resistance; sometimes to calm me; sometimes for the sheer outpouring of joy. Please share some of your songs in the comments.
Milck: Quiet
Vienna Teng: Stray Italian Greyhound (written after attending an Obama rally in 2007)
Gabriel Fauré: “Les berceaux” (Cradles), Op. 23, No. 1 Souzay (I prefer this sung by a mezzo, but this version on YouTube, sung by the baritone Gerard Souzay, has the advantage of captions/translation; did I happen to mention that my taste in music is eclectic?)
Lin-Manual Miranda: Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down); (maybe not the song most people would pick from Hamilton, but it moves me every time)
Johnny Clegg: Asimbonanga, as performed by Soweto Gospel Choir (this “flash mob” performance was done two days after Tata Madiba (Nelson Mandela) died; lyric translation here: Asimbonanga. And if you ever get a chance to see them perform, do it. They’re even more amazing in person.)
The Corries: Flower of Scotland (now often referred to as the unofficial anthem of Scotland)
Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon: Ella’s Song as performed by Sweet Honey in the Rock (The lyrics are drawn from a speech by activist Ella Baker; I’ll be profiling her in a later post. Lyrics here: Ella’s Song) Sweet Honey is another not-to-be-missed group.
Now it’s your turn…
{{{DoReMI}}} – I have music in my head all the time – problem is I seldom know what it’s called or how to find it. These days I tend towards instrumental stuff rather than vocal – which I also frequently don’t know what it is or how to find it. LOL. This one always works though:
If you know even a few words, google is pretty good at “Name that tune”. I use it a lot. Love that song, though. It works for me, too.
I love what Playing for Change does, and that is one of my favorites. Here’s another one they did:
Good morning, everybody and thanks for posting, DoReMi. Music has been a part of my entire life. In school. At home. I literally don’t leave home without it. My tastes are all over the map but not quite as eclectic as yours. 🙃
I’ve got some things to do today that won’t do themselves (like a needs diary to write). Jtg wrote a book and I need to clip out enough to showcase his humanness and his need. I’m still waiting on MM to get back to me.
I leave you to your musings…{{{GroupHug}}}
Ha! And here I thought I kept my selection relatively mainstream! Really, about the only type of music I stay clear of is country music, although I do like a lot of bluegrass. There’s a bluegrass mass by Carol Barnett that I just adore; my daughter got to know her when she was still writing the mass and was part of a choir that performed sections of it before it was finished…and yep, there are parts of the finished mass on YouTube: