Notes on the music they make – 1

A lot of people talk about music on their blogs. Songs they like, song’s they write and even sing themselves! I have tried time and again to pen my thoughts on the songs that mean something to me. So far I’ve been largely unsuccessful – partly because the task is gargantuan and mostly because I find myself torn between favorites. Yet, music is very close to my heart and methinks I absolutely must blog about it so I’ve decided, rather presumptuously, to write about songs as they appear in my head. True, they do randomly pop in and are hard to get out thereafter, yet mostly they follow a theme. A dull day demands a certain drone and the sun commands a peppy jig.
So in keeping with this today I will talk about my ‘faith’ songs! Contrary to assumption these are not gospel choir type songs, ok maybe one is, but mostly songs I’ve listened to during the bluesy periods of life and they’ve stuck with me, to be repeated often.

‘November Rain’ by Guns ‘n’ Roses – This song is golden. Most of the songs by GnR are not my cup of tea and I skip them but this song is just brilliant. It is intense and strikes chords I didn’t know I had! The guitar pieces are exceptionally executed – enough said, go listen!

‘Father Figure’ by George Micheal – This song has sex appeal like no other I’ve heard. It is flooded with emotion, desire and longing. I dare any hot-blooded female to listen to this song and not go weak in the knees!

‘Nigahen mastana’ from the movie Paying Guest – Im a sucker for the Dev Anand-Rafi combination, and song imbibes the romance and the innocence as beautifully and effortlessly as it plays with tune and tempo.

‘Woman in Love’ by Barbara Streisand – I grew up on this song. It is one of my mom’s favorites and even today I find myself humming it and it fills me with a warm feeling of home and peace very unlike the angst and desperation it conveys.

‘Brick in the Wall’ by Pink Floyd – my first and last of Pink Floyd. Never followed their music much but this song stuck with me. Brings back memories of lazy days with cousins when we partied and sang and laughed and cried. When my cousin got married, in honor of her wedding, we ‘performed’ a version of this song complete with a harmonium and jhanj (manjira) and people clapping to keep time!

‘Tere mere sapne’ from the movie Guide – my father’s favourite song and another one that I was raised on. A brilliant rendition by Rafi. This song has a soul of its own.

‘Mary did you know’ – I first heard this song sung by my friend and never felt the need to listen to the original. He is an excellent singer and performed this duet with another friend of his, who also has a beautiful and powerful voice (http://achintoommenthomas.net/auth/albums.htm). This song helps to soothe the disturbed soul.

‘Sacrifice’ by Elton John – The song, to me, is poetry. It is abstract, deep and penetrating.

As always, this list will be updated from time to time and other lists will be made, however, words could never do justice to the magic that is music.