Music

It’s been a long time since my last blog…I’ve been pretty busy.
I also wasn’t really feeling very inspired by anything. Then today I was listening to some music, and I felt that feeling. I don’t know what it is about music that is so powerful, but it moves me in a distinct way.
So this blog is dedicated to a few Spanish songs that awake in me a longing for right action and justice in this world. While the lyrics are sometimes fuerte and hard to swallow, I love the fact that there are other people in this world that feel similar to me. Their music and lyrics water my seedling of hope for the world and its community of people.  So I decided that I would share a few of these songs with you!

Latinoamerica by Calle 13 Featuring  Susana Baca y Maria Rita
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkFJE8ZdeG8

This song is pure genius both musically and lyrically. Even the music video is amazing. It describes the Latin American land and people, stressing the pride and power that exists within them despite all the difficulties that have and still are occurring in this part of the world. The words are haunting but contain so much truth. Here are samples of some lyrics accompanied by my translations. (Side note: my translations unfortunately do not contain the beauty of the original rhyming and rhythm.)

“Soy lo que dejaron, soy toda la sobra de lo que se robaron. Un pueblo escondido en la cima, mi piel es de cuero por eso aguanta cualquier clima…Soy América latina, un pueblo sin piernas pero que camina.”

“I am what they left, I am all the leftover from what they robbed. A people hidden on the summit, my skin is leather that’s why I can deal with any climate…I am Latin America, a people without legs but that walks.”
-----
“Tú no puedes comprar el viento. Tú no puedes comprar el sol. Tú no puedes comprar la lluvia. Tú no puedes comprar las nubes. Tú no puedes comprar los colores. Tú no puedes comprar mi alegría. Tú no puedes comprar mis dolores.”

“You can’t buy the wind. You can’t buy the sun. You can’t buy the rain. You can’t buy the clouds. You can’t buy the colors. You can’t buy my happiness. You can’t buy my pains.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Días de Amar byGuardabarranco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E_s0xraZHo

This song was written by a Nicaraguan brother and sister duo. The brother has since died, but I was able to see the woman (Katia Cardanal) at a free concert last year. Quite a few of their songs touch on topics of treating other people with love, respect, and equality, but Días de Amar calls to me specifically because of the way it talks about the relationship between humans and the Earth.Here are thelyrics:

“Vienen ya días de amar la casa que  habitas, días de amar la tierra vegetal flor y animal.
Vienen ya ríos con agua sin envenenar, aguas que beben los que tienen sed igual que usted.
Vienen ya bosques pulmones de la gran ciudad, selvas que aroman en la oscuridad, noches de paz.”

“The days are coming when you will love the house in which you live, the days of loving the earth´s vegetables, flowers, and animals. They are coming, rivers with water free of poison, water that thirsty people drink, just like you. They are coming, forests the lungs of the great cities, jungles that perfume in the darkness, peaceful nights.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Milonga de un Moro Judio by Jorge Drexler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZqnTBEvSxQ

Drexler is from Uruguay, and his lyrics are fascinating.  This song, especially, many times moves me to tears with its beauty. I love the radical nonviolent stance that he takes, and the fact that he sees the great importance of respecting individual human life and dignity. But despite the worth of each individual life, he also looks at the world as something of one inclusive community that must work to live together in harmony.Hereissomesamples of his genius.

“Yo soy un moro judio que vive con los cristianos. No sé que dios es el mío ni cuales son mis hermanos.”
“I am a jewishmuslimthatliveswithchristians. I don´t know what god is mine nor who are my brothers.”
------
“La guerra es muy mal escuela, no importa el disfraz que viste. Perdonen que no me aliste bajo ninguna bandera.”
“War is horrible schooling, it doesn´t matter the disguise it wears. Excuse me that I won´t enlist myself under any flag.¨
------
¨Y a nadie le dí permiso para matar en mi nombre. Un hombre no es más que un hombre, y si hay dios así lo quiso …Y no hay pueblo que no se haya creído el pueblo elegido.¨

¨And I never gave permission to anyone to kill in my name. One man is no more than another man, and if there is a god, that´s how he/she wanted it…And there is not a people that has been created as a chosen people.¨

Well…that’s a few songs for you all. What an amazing combination of strength to speak out and the creativity to do it through music, right!? If anyone else finds any great songs, please let me know!