I am a LOVER of music, not just any music, soul music that can be felt resonating in the corridors of the heart when ingested! The other stuff, the earphone fillers and stroll music or power walk music or jump in the club music and of course the deafen the whole neighbourhood with that bass kind of music, all serve their own purpose for different individuals.
I have always marvelled at the impact of music on individuals and of course society at large. Recently, I was watching TV with my family and at the end of the show, there was some music to go with the credits and my 10 month old cousin (lets just use that description to avoid long stories about the exact way in which we are actually related) just started moving her body in all sorts of directions, dancing as it were. Now, believe me when I say in my ears that was no music at all, but to her, there was a rhythm, a melody, a beat so what more is there to talk about, lets dance! It just made me realise the connection we have to music as humans, it transcends logic, its innate, in my mind.
On that note, there are few artistes who really make soul music because, you know times have changed. A lot of the music now barely scratches the surface; no real depth. I, on the other hand seem to be evolving in the opposite direction, my taste in music seems to be getting more unique and soulful! So it should not surprise you that I only developed an interest in India Arie towards the end of last year! I got hold of all her albums and started listening, one song at a time. Oddly enough, I seem to be stuck on just two of the albums and haven’t gotten round to the other two cause I am so hooked on these ones.
Of the two my current favourite is obviously the one in the title of the article, Testimony vol.1, released in 2006, 5 years before i ever gave it a listen, but boy am I glad I did. Listening to this album can only be likened to sharing deep inner reflections with an akin soul. It’s like, she gets me, and the lyrics have a lot of things to teach. Dont even get me started on the melodies and rhythm. It’s rare for an artiste to make a real dent in your character, but this album, this particular album, what can I say, it holds a treaure of little anecdotes you might call them, that could easily be missed out on, but when heard and meditated upon, build a very peculiar sort of character. The kind that TRULY LIVES TO THE FULLEST.
That being said I think its only fair that I share those little pockets of wisdom, hope they inspire you.
- It all begins with the Intro: Loving. A mixture of the serenity prayer; ” God grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference” and a lovely vocal rendition that consists of this one line “I wanna love with an open mind”. What I learnt: if you can live your life as an answer to those prayers, the richness and beauty and fullness of life will most definitely not elude you.
- The follow-up is a song called, These Eyes. The chorus encapsulates the lesson brilliantly; ” These eyes never saw you leaving this heart, is in need of some healing, these arms are letting you go, our life is the greatest story never told”. What I learnt: we have expectations, sometimes we get disappointed, we need to accept and heal. Only becoming stronger in the end. Remember the past, experience the emotion, learn the lessons but don’t be weighed down, move on!
- Then, one of my biggest favourites in the album, her rendition of The Heart of The Matter. Such true words. The excerpt that got me thinking; ” The people in your life who’ve come and gone, they let you down, you know they hurt your pride. Gotta put it all behind ya cause life goes on, you keep carrying anger, it will eat you up inside”. What I learnt: our world is cold and dark, full of pain because we are all carrying the baggage of our past around and letting it determine who we are to be today, forgive and watch how your life can become a ray of positive sunshine in an otherwise saddened world.
- Then a brilliant ode to acceptance and realisation of the current circumstances surrounding your own existence and the emotions that manifest along with it, Good Mourning. From ” Good mourning to the pain in the centre of my chest” to ” Good mourning independence or is it loneliness” to ” We made a promise to stay destiny got in the way” to “Good morning acceptance, good morning inner strength” to “Good morning optimism, good morning to my faith” to “I lay down my pain and i am moving on so it’s a good morning after all” What I learnt: Denial will get you nowhere. When life deals ou one of its harsh blows take time to come to terms with it and accept the reality. Only then can you make lemonade with those lemons!
……………………Gotta say to be continued. It’s quite a long album, stick around for the rest of the anecdotes.
xoxox Temmy101
MY COLLOQUIUM 