Title: Tightrope
Artist: Datemonthyear
Language: New Zealand English
Like the morning mist, silence descends upon their house. They speak only in glances, gestures, and grunts; ever afraid that they'll slip and crash. Breaking the glass of this home-less structure. Left alone with only each other.
---
As he unravels himself from the chains of sleep, he listens and hesitates. A creaking door. A clanking pot. Rain against an open pane. All signs of a tightrope day.
***
This song along with several others by Datemonthyear can be purchased here.
As you have noticed, I have been taking a break from this blog. Unfortunately, that break is not over yet, but have no fear--I'm not quitting this blog just yet, and I promise to be back with some amazing foreign music in the next month or so.
Title: Kumeun Haengbok Black Happiness
Artist: T (Tasha) AKA Yoon Mi Rae
Language: Korean (feat. English)
Reflecting the glares of over a dozen pairs of eyes, the summer sun is both physically and mentally scorching. It magnifies antagonistic whispers and illuminates every disapproving scowl.
Trembling at the unwanted attention, she feverishly clambers to the swing set. As she carefully adjusts herself on the flimsy blue plastic, she hears a mother whisper to her child, "That girl there is a half-breed." In response, she clutches the chains on either side and thrusts herself into the air.
She swings as hard as possible, sending herself closer to the sun each time. She silently prays that the rush of wind which follows her will dry the tears welling up in her eyes. When it does not, she finds all she clings to is the music of her father.
Closing her eyes, she lets the melodies flow into her--pervading her until they are nearly tangible. With each lyrical line, the sun becomes less menacing, the whispers more of a distant memory, and she is brought closer to a reality in which she doesn't have to cry because of who she is. A reality in which she is loved by the world and, more importantly, by herself.
When I hate the world,
The music soothes meSo you gotta be strong,
you gotta hold on and
love yourself.
When I hate the world,
The music raises me up So you gotta be strong,
you gotta hold on and
love yourself.
*** This narrative was especially inspired by the
English translation of the song given in the video.
This song can be purchased in the iTunes music store.
Danger sprouting from the most intimate parts of your being. Like Liana vines, it ascends your body, weaving you into a grass net of fear each time he walks into the room.
With each motion of his hands and flickering of his eyes, you wonder if he will notice something you've done wrong. If he will simply yell or if he will beat you.
After years of flinching at every askance look turned your way and at even the lightest touch, you find that once it's over and done you are numb to the anxiety. When he marches out the door, you find the tears no longer come and the pain no longer debilitates.
Lying on the floor, you feel disconnected from it all. The present is dimmed by the image of a young girl giggling as a handsome boy asks her out and all you can think is, "Don't go with him..."
***
This song along with five others by Ximena Sariñana can be purchased here.
Title: Being KonG
Artist: Twinkranes
Language: Irish English
Everything sounds distant. Muffled. You struggle to open your eyes, but find that it doesn't make the world any clearer. You're surrounded by smoky haze.
Teetering through the dark lights, you try to make a path through the clashing bodies but get caught amidst them. Swaying back and forth, you lose focus and begin gyrating of your own accord. The feeling of heat that arises from the tangled mass of bodies is gloriously intoxicating. So much so that you hardly notice a petite coquette rubbing her body against yours. The two of you dance together for at least a minute before you make eye contact. When you do, she expels a cloud of psychoactive smoke so strong that you stumble.
As the drug perforates your system, you lean back and look forward to the collision with the ground. The world seems to have slowed down again, and you can't deny that you like that. But a firm hand kidnaps your happiness and pushes you back into the fast-paced confusion.
When you snap forward, something in your brain recharges and everything makes sense again. Your heart begins pounding in your ears as you thrust your way through the crowd squinting to make out faces. With each beat, your anxiety grows.
Where did he take her? What did he do to me? What is he going to do to her?
Before your mind can conjure answers to these question, you spot them across the bar. Your heart doubles its rate as you swim against the crowd and your mind explodes in thought. He's got her cornered. Whatever he plans to do he'll do it now. You've got to protect her!
You make your way around the bar finally, but find that you are frozen to the spot. She is caressing his cheek endearingly and now she's...kissing him.
All sounds and emotions vaporize as you stare at them. And you can't help but wish you had fainted when you thought you were going to.
***
This musical experience was highly inspired by the trailer for the movie Cherrybomb, which can be viewed here.{Yes, that is "Ron Weasley/Rupert Grint} To purchase and download this song (along with another song from the band), click here.
Title: Beautiful World
Artist: Utada Hikaru
Language: Japanese
Standing in front of the mirror, you find you cannot look yourself in the eyes. Every time you try to glance up, you are assaulted by glaring failures, chains of anxiety, and half-covered scars. Overwhelmed, you cast your eyes down once again and fret over everything you've tried and planned to do, but have not been able to.
Tears lining your eyes, you turn to walk away, but are stopped by a firm yet soothing voice. "Why can't you look at yourself? Don't you like yourself?"
Unable to speak, you turn so as not to face her. Slipping her hand into yours, she whispers reassuringly, "No matter what it is, give everything a try. Even if you get hurt, it's a valuable experience."
Clutching onto her hand tightly, you warily turn back around toward the mirror. You lift your head slowly, but to your surprise the deformities that formerly filled the mirror are gone. Now, all you see is yourself wearing a most shocked expression and your new friend looking pleased. She gently removes her hand from yours and slips her entire arm around you waist, "You don't know yet, just how beautiful you are."
Title: Vra Jou Artist: Face of Change Language: Afrikaans (Language of Southern Africa particularly Namibia and South Africa)
Desperation. Underneath the riffs and vocals and man-made thunder, desperation is what it's about. Desperation, pain, chaos and uncertainty.
There's a losing of oneself in all of the layering. Guitar, drum, bass. Family issues, work issues, intrapersonal issues. It all clumps together, burying you until you can't even see the sky anymore.
You try to climb your way out, but there's just too much. Inevitably, you begin to accept that there's no way out. But before you do, something calls to you. Sympathetic yet aggressive, it asks if this is really what's best. Giving up. Submitting to the chaos and the pain. Letting it consume you.
It's compelling. Very compelling. But the pain is crippling. If you continue to fight against it, how do you know you will ever get out? But if you submit to it, then an end to it all is absolute.
"I don't know what to do!" You scream to the voice. But it's only answer is, "Ask yourself.
***
You can download this and two other songs from Face of Change's upcoming album for free here.
Let me enter
And don’t say anything
Don’t say anything more
And don’t say anything
Subtext: I know what you think about us being together. I know that you think we wouldn't last. I wouldn't last. But please put all those doubts aside and just let me in.
But upon entering
We’ll be close
And I won’t let go
Of your hand
But upon entering
We’ll be closer still
With hand in hand
I’ll squeeze more tightly
Subtext: If you let me in--into your heart, into your head, into your soul--I will stay close to you eternally. I will hold your hand and never let go.
Part 2: Chorus 1
And if I have nothing to say
And if I have nothing to sing
In order to lose time like this,
Whether or not that is settled,
This is settled now.
And if I have nothing to say
And if I have nothing to sing
In order to lose time like this
Whether or not that is settled
This is settled now.
Subtext: And even though I cannot always express it, I want to lose time with you. Whether or not you see that, I need you to know that I love you. And you cannot change that.
Part 3: Verse 2
Let me enter And don't say anything Don't say anything more And don't say anything
Subtext: So please open your heart, and do not doubt me.
Part 4: Chorus 2
And if I have nothing to regret
And if I have nothing to ponder
In order to lose time like this
Whether or not that is settled
This is settled now.
And if I have nothing to regret
And if I have nothing to ponder
In order to lose time like this
Whether or not that is settled
This is settled now.
Subtext: And even if I cannot shed all of my burdens, in order to be eternally with you, you must accept that my love for you is immovable. My love is set in stone.
Conclusion: I love you despite what you think.
***
The original lyrics can be found here. I created the English translation (so please forgive any errors) with much help from this site. You can purchase this song online here or through the iTunes music store.
Title: Fantasy Artist: Elisete Language: Hebrew {To listen to this song, click here.}
Watching the road from her sixth story apartment, Chastity feels empty. Though a month has past, Pele's words still ring in her ears: "I can't stay here anymore, Chassi. I love you--you know I love you--but this place is just too small. There's not enough here for me anymore."
Clutching the envelope that smells of Pele's perfume, she strains to find something pleasant to think about. Anything to stop the tears from coming! But in utter revolt, her brain conjures only images of Pele.
Their day at the lake.
Their impromptu forest adventures.
And, of course, the first day they met.
In one deep breath, she closes her eyes and rips open the envelope. She opens her eyes warily, expectant of another life-changing declaration--this time through a card, but instead she finds that the envelope is filled with pictures.
As she gingerly removes the first image, she notices something written on the back. Flipping the photograph, she is greeted by Pele's beautifully hasty handwriting: Chassi, I saw an old woman selling raspberries on the street in a town nearby. They reminded me of the time we made raspberry cocktails and roamed until sunrise.
Despite herself, Chastity laughs aloud at the memory. When they were just below the state of drunken immobility, they tottered out of the apartment building twirling and giggling down the road until Celino found them and, with a struggle, drove them back home.
Somewhat eager, she retrieves the next photograph. One hand reflexively grazes her back, as she flips it over: People here ask me about my tattoo, and I always laugh and tell them that I got it because someone wanted to spite me.
Chastity smirks at the thought of their nearly identical butterfly tattoos. It was her impromptu plan to prove to Pele that she had a good pain threshold. Of course, that was a lie, and she cried like a five-year-old through most of the ordeal; but she forced herself to sit through it until the last "e" in Pele was etched over the design.
As a consolation offering, Pele got an identical tattoo with "Chassi" etched over the art.
When she views the next picture, memories bombard her. She flips it over cautiously, afraid the words will bring back the tears:
There's an open field at the edge of town. I've explored it with some friends, but some nights, I just want to stay out there forever--falling asleep in a blanket of grass. It wouldn't be the same , though, without you.
Chasity feels her eyes brimming as she recalls the many nights the two of them spent lying in fields and watching the stars. The day before Pele declared she was leaving, they slept outside. Counting clouds until sunset and stars until midnight.
When she pulls out the last photograph, she is slightly surprised. Because it is Pele--beautiful as always, but less vibrant than she recalls. The back contains more words than any of the other photos:
I know what you said, and I know what I said, but, Chassi, I still love you, and I can't live totally cut off from you, like this. I'm not asking you to leave, because I know you can't; but I am asking you to not give up on me. I love this big city. I love this life. But it'll never be complete without you.
One day, I'll find a place small enough for you and big enough for me with a nice open field for us to explore and we can live there until we're old and gray. But until I do, don't lose hope in me--in us.
Love forever, Pele
Through her tears, Chastity smiles. She was planning to wait all along.
***
All photographs are the intellectual property of Clara (AKA bippla). To view more of her work, click here.
***
Unfortunately this song is not yet available for purchase; however, you may sample and buy Elisete's other songs by clicking here.
She flies through the Parisian streets in her white 80s convertible. The wind weaves through her dark bobbed hair as the afternoon sun warms her, and she is trying. She is trying to be happy. Trying to be content. Trying to be satisfied with this city of fashion and love affairs. But there is something inside of her--something that has been subdued by the gray sobriety this world has offered her, and she can't help but crave something more. Something out of fashion. Something uniquely vibrant and alive. Something almost mystical.
She craves Lilly Town.
In Lilly Town, children dance through the streets and buildings. In Lilly Town, the sky is sketched with faces and hopes that inspire incessant poetry and song. In Lilly Town, she can be everything she every wanted but never had the chance to be.
***
This short prose was heavily inspired by RMJ's English translation of this song which can be found here.
***
Unfortunately, at this time, I have not found a place where one can purchase this song electronically; however, you can sample and order the entire album through Amazon.com or download some of Alizée's other songs here.
Artist: Gaudi and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Language: Punjabi (A Pakistani/Indian Language)
The song begins like a flower slowly unfolding as the sunrise caresses it awake. As the drum beats build, you feel something unfolding in yourself as well--like a creaking door opening--until finally you're propelled into another world.
The reggae rhythms consume you in a light, contentedness, and the Punjabi flute serves as a wind-like spirit guide throughout the beautiful desert you've embarked upon. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's vocals indwell you and form a spiritual connection with the Punjabi melody which rocks your own spirit into a sleep-like state of motion filled with serenity and passion.
Then suddenly you find that night has crept up on you as the moon ever so gently calls the wind spirit back unto herself, but not before it lulls you to sleep.
***
If you enjoyed this song, you can download it for free from Amazon.com here along with five other popular songs from India.
