Wonderful Songs, Jan'06
31 Dec 2005 03:16 AM / Filed in: Music
Welcome to the sixth edition of Wonderful Songs, my monthly blog entry outlining ten exceptional songs I listened to during the past month.
During the last few years, I've became increasingly aware that people are growing fearful of their fellow humans and the World(tm) that we, humans, shaped to our liking.
We are capable of many things but currently, we seem to focus (solely?) on the bad things that others (not us) make/do to us. We've all learned -to some extent- that we should never speak to strangers. But what really defines a stranger? Someone different from oneself? How do you quantify the amount of difference above which a person fits in the stranger category? Is difference so bad a thing that we should go to great extent to avoid it, sometimes at any cost?
If we should retain a single thing from the Evolution Theory, it has to be that diversity is the key to survival (and sometimes to happiness whatever that means, but that's not in the original theory). It is time for us to stop fearing and start opening up to integrate and absorb diversity. Just look at History in every direction and you'll get the idea, whether it is History of Art, Science, or whatever. Our short-term memory is failing us pretty badly. And it makes us, with the help of some groups that pretend to help us in our quest for happiness, very bad at assessing risks and thus endlessly revolving around our own selves, fearing all externalities.
Yes, we are capable of very very bad things and that's what the media is about. Good news are not news because bad ones are much more rare. Instead of filling your heart with fear, use your mind to free it up so that you can fill it with other good feelings. Need an incentive? Nice you stopped by, because I have one for you: Music.
I've carefully selected this month's songs to make you relax while feeling the beauty that your fellow humans can create. Exceptionally, I won't comment the songs and I will let the music speaks for itself through the voice, the instruments and the lyrics when applicable. So sit back, relax, enjoy the music, dismiss your fears and Happy New Year!
[Folk] Breakdown, Jack Johnson
From the album In Between Dreams.
[World] Kanawa, Habib Koité & Bamada
From the album Baro.
[Reggae] Vampire, Sinéad O'Connor
From the album Throw Down Your Arms.
[Vocal] Fire, Lizz Wright
From the album Salt.
[Jazz] Soul Shadows, Niels Landgren & Joe Sample
From the album Creole Call.
[Reggae] Money Barrier (Skully version), Leroy Brown
From the album Color Barrier.
[Folk] It's The Nighttime, Josh Rouse
From the album Nashville. Available from eMusic
[Pop] He Lays In The Reins, Iron And Wine / Calexico
From the album In The Reins. Available from eMusic
[Jazz] Pena De Mim, Vinicius Cantuaria
From the album Silva. Available from eMusic
[Reggae] There For You, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
From the album Welcome To Jamrock.
During the last few years, I've became increasingly aware that people are growing fearful of their fellow humans and the World(tm) that we, humans, shaped to our liking.
We are capable of many things but currently, we seem to focus (solely?) on the bad things that others (not us) make/do to us. We've all learned -to some extent- that we should never speak to strangers. But what really defines a stranger? Someone different from oneself? How do you quantify the amount of difference above which a person fits in the stranger category? Is difference so bad a thing that we should go to great extent to avoid it, sometimes at any cost?
If we should retain a single thing from the Evolution Theory, it has to be that diversity is the key to survival (and sometimes to happiness whatever that means, but that's not in the original theory). It is time for us to stop fearing and start opening up to integrate and absorb diversity. Just look at History in every direction and you'll get the idea, whether it is History of Art, Science, or whatever. Our short-term memory is failing us pretty badly. And it makes us, with the help of some groups that pretend to help us in our quest for happiness, very bad at assessing risks and thus endlessly revolving around our own selves, fearing all externalities.
Yes, we are capable of very very bad things and that's what the media is about. Good news are not news because bad ones are much more rare. Instead of filling your heart with fear, use your mind to free it up so that you can fill it with other good feelings. Need an incentive? Nice you stopped by, because I have one for you: Music.
I've carefully selected this month's songs to make you relax while feeling the beauty that your fellow humans can create. Exceptionally, I won't comment the songs and I will let the music speaks for itself through the voice, the instruments and the lyrics when applicable. So sit back, relax, enjoy the music, dismiss your fears and Happy New Year!
[Folk] Breakdown, Jack Johnson
From the album In Between Dreams.
[World] Kanawa, Habib Koité & Bamada
From the album Baro.
[Reggae] Vampire, Sinéad O'Connor
From the album Throw Down Your Arms.
[Vocal] Fire, Lizz Wright
From the album Salt.
[Jazz] Soul Shadows, Niels Landgren & Joe Sample
From the album Creole Call.
[Reggae] Money Barrier (Skully version), Leroy Brown
From the album Color Barrier.
[Folk] It's The Nighttime, Josh Rouse
From the album Nashville. Available from eMusic
[Pop] He Lays In The Reins, Iron And Wine / Calexico
From the album In The Reins. Available from eMusic
[Jazz] Pena De Mim, Vinicius Cantuaria
From the album Silva. Available from eMusic
[Reggae] There For You, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
From the album Welcome To Jamrock.