Meaningful Music
Last night I had the pleasure of checking out a wonderful musical called “What’s Going On” featuring the music of Marvin Gaye. If you are in the Los Angeles area this is definitely a play worth checking out (Click here for more info) … I was really moved and inspired by seeing these bright and promising young actors/singers/dancers doing something positive with their lives; especially considering when there are videos like “Read a Book” that would have folks believe that all young Black kids do nothing productive and don’t have the capacity to appreciate music outside of the most ignorant forms of Hip Hop. But anyways…the musical got me to thinking…remember when music used to mean something?
I don’t just mean music that had a political or socially conscious message…I mean music that reverberated through your soul and helped make sense of whatever situations you were dealing with or that captured the joy of love and life. That kind of music is really missing from the mainstream these days and it’s such a shame that most music is so pointless and shallow. That’s not to say that music has to be deep to be worthwhile, but it would be nice to have some kind of balance.
So…I just want to get a little nostalgic and a little sentimental for a moment and ask you guys…what are some songs that have special meaning to you? It can be your “theme song”,songs you put on to help you through a breakup, songs that remind you of the joy your current or a past relationship has brought you, anything that you would put on the soundtrack of your life.
I’ll start off…just to name a few and in no particular order.
*Mary J. Blige- Children of The Ghetto: This is actually a song that hasn’t been on any of her albums, but she performs it everytime she does a concert and it is just a heart wrenching song that she sings with so much emotion.
*Mary J. Blige- Good Woman Down: I know this is very chick-ish of me, but I just love the message of perserverance and triumph of
* Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On: I don’t see how it is possible to not be moved by this song.
* Donnie McKlurkin- We Fall Down: We all fall down from time to time, and this song is always provided much need inspiration
* Tupac- Keep Your Head Up: Even Hip Hop can be inspirational
* Common- It’s Your World: It’s always nice to hear hope and optimism from children
* Nas- I Can: This is a song that really resonated across the younger generation…so I have to shout out Nas for making such a POSITIVE song with a historical context that kids can relate to.
* Kanye West- Jesus Walks: All three of his videos for the song were superb and I give him the utmost respect for putting out a song like this from the heart
* Musiq Soulchild- Momentinlife featuring Cee-lo. Soulstar was an incredibly underrated album and this was one of the best tracks on the cd.
* Mariah Carey- Fly Like a Bird: The people that say that Mariah Carey have no soul OBVIOUSLY have never heard this song. This song always lifts my spirits.
So there you have my list…now it’s your turn to put in your two cents.
Posted by Reecie
Tell Him - Lauryn Hill
As (Always) - Stevie Wonder
Cause I Love You - Lenny Williams
Show Me - John Legend
A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Spottieottiedopalicious - OutKast
Beautiful Morning - Little Brother
just to name a few…
Oh and speaking of Donnie McClurkin’s “We Fall Down”… if you have never seen “The Hundred” of FAMU perform this song, here you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ8U2EBdzRs . I like FAM’s version better than Donnie’s. Nothing like 350 band members voices raised at the vocal break of that song.
Soulstar–Musiq Soulchild
Don’t Change–Musiq Soulchild
Don’t Panic–Coldplay
You–Goapele ft. Dwele: both artists seem pretty underrated in mainstream music, sad
Get It Together–India.Arie: the epitome of inspiration; it can apply to any type of situation imaginable
Ex-Factor–Lauryn Hill (live John Legend version amazing as well)
Show Me–John Legend: the Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar sound is refreshing and this track really shows Legend’s versatility as a singer
Ordinary People–John Legend: one listen and I was hooked to this man
Take Me As I Am–Mary J. Blige
Guardian Angel–Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: not hip-hop, I know, BUT it is a song that (I think) can appeal to someone who listens to any genre of music
Where Do We Go–Talib Kweli
True Colors–Fredro Starr ft. Jill Scott
Against the World–Robin Thicke
I Miss You–Incubus
Keep On Pushin’–Calvin Richardson: speaking of underrated, the definition of SOUL
A lot of today’s music, although catchy and infectious, lacks the depth and meaning. It’s sad to see that our generation’s definition of success is closely linked to money, booze, bling, and power. It’s nice to know that we still have people like Common, Mos Def, and (on occasion) Kanye West, to bring something different to the hip-hop masses.
GOOD DAY.
That FAMU performance was pretty dope! I had to put on the real thing after I listened to it though. Reach…I haven’t heard like 85% of those songs, so I’m going to have to check them out.
some songs for me are: 1.common i used to love her
2.Goapele Closer (actually helped me write my senior essaylol)
3.Pharycde -running
4.Bilal sometimes
5.Stevie Wonder ribbon in the sky
6.Kanye West Spaceship
Top of my head:
Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone
A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Magic Touch - Melba Moore
Positively 4th street - Bob Dylan
All along the watchtower - Jimi Hendrix