Lyrics and the Music I Love...

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Lyrics and the Music I Love...

Postby Chupacabra » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:13 am

As years pass and my musical tastes change and evolve, I realize that my collection of music that I could say is on my "A-list" (the music that still gets regular listening and withstands the test of time), is currently composed of music from all over the world. Beautiful, sincere, rhythmic, melodic, real music in which the lyrics are in sung in languages that I don't have a clue what they're singing about! Obviously, I have no problem with that at all. I just wish I had the time and brain capacity to learn Spanish, Yoruba, Mandingue, Xsosha, Bantu, Arabic, and, and, and...

There is one language that I can try to pick up which can bridge so many; it is "The Drum"

I could be way off on this, but I believe that the reason why some of the rhythms I am trying to learn at times seem so far beyond my reach, as someone who is a Canadian of Scottish, Swiss, British and French-Canadian ethnicity, is due to the fact that they are originally based on the vocal patterns of a language that I don't know and rarely, if ever, hear spoken. Conversely, I couldn't imagine listening to any of the music that I hold near and dear being sung in English, it would never sound right!

The point I am getting to is this: Taking Afro-Cuban rhythm concepts as one example, would it be beneficial for someone like myself who is attempting to become reasonably competent in playing the folkloric styles to learn some Spanish, some Yoruba and any of the other languages of the cultures in which the musical styles emanated from?

Reflecting on this, I am utterly amazed how over the course of just over 2 years I've changed from "Just gimme the F-ing drum an let me hit it" to inquiring about cultural considerations and the impact on playing technique as a beginner.
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Re: Lyrics and the Music I Love...

Postby Congadelica » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:49 am

Same Path here my friend .
I try to learn as much Spanish as I can have been learning since my first every visit to spain 30years ago .
I am pretty competant at asking for directions and general stuff . But yes I do feel that you can learn the language but like the drum there is no hurry .
As I started this thing is not to stop learning .
I also agree with you on the music this particular musci Folkloric Arfo Cuban is and allways will be timeless its not going anyplace soon , it will be around long after we have moved to the other side. which is good for music , Im sure popular chart music will continue to morph and loop as fashions do . But for me Afro Cuban music is not a fashion or a fad .
The learning culture I find very interesting and enlightening to some also .

Keep learning is the key never stop . :)

Marco
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Re: Lyrics and the Music I Love...

Postby windhorse » Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:14 pm

Yep, same here too..
I'm learning as much of the lyrics now as possible..
For Yoruba, I suggest the book "Orin Orisha, Songs for selected heads," by John Mason.
It has English translations of almost everything we sing to bembe.
I'm slowly learning a tiny bit of spanish from the songs we sing,, but I'm not that motivated to take a Spanish class. I could see how you might get into it, and become a traveler, thus have a need to learn it.

Dave
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Re: Lyrics and the Music I Love...

Postby KidCuba » Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:20 pm

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