Writing 101:day three. Three songs for

Write about the three most important songs in your life — what do they mean to you?

Overall my favourite music is electronic in the mode of Bargrooves & Tiesto’s In Search of Sunrise.  I relax to that type of music.  Next to that I love Reggae & Steel Drum or Pan music and then the island party music of Soca & Calypso.  I love all types of music and especially music that is new to me.  I’ve recently acquired a taste for electro-swing music which is the old time swing music with a a new electronic beat to it  Will Magid is a local artist that really gets it and performs it very well.  You can find him on Soundcloud.  I love the Cajun/Dixie band music.  The Louisiana music with a beat.  When it comes to trying to define three favourite pieces of music I find myself drawn to music that has a certain feeling and to be honest I can only listen to it when I am in the right mindset.  So here goes on that info.  I added the Youtube stuff afterwards so you could get a taste.

The first song that comes to mind for this assignment is ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ from the soundtrack for The Mission.  I don’t typically remember in depth details about a movie not am I particularly drawn to soundtracks.  When a movie or a soundtrack captures my attention though, I take away the spirit of that movie or soundtrack.  In the case of the both the movie and this particular song from the movie the feeling that sticks with me what I perceived to be the message of the movie.  The basic premise of the movie was a conversion mission of a South American people by the Jesuits.  Gabriel the Father in the movie winds up being transformed himself and in essence, to my sense, he realised the people he was trying to convert were more valuable and precious than the conflict over the conversion and he himself had a transformation of character and spirit.  He didn’t quit believing in God but the movie made it seem that his understanding of God was enlarged and enhanced by virtue of the people he was trying to convert and this resulted in a more inclusive appreciation for God for all of them.  To me this is the journey we all make in one way or another whether we believe in God or not.  Somewhere along the way there is a conversion moment where we allow more in our heart than selfishness and appreciate others around us in a new way or grow in a trans formative way.  I do believe that our minds as humans are naturally moved to be more than we are.  This piece of music, Gabriel’s Oboe always touches my soul and makes me remember that there is more in this world than myself!

The second song that comes to me as important is ‘Honey’ by Moby.  I love the whole album ‘Play’ by Moby.  The album kind of has a Gospel music flare and is upbeat and though the words are kind of monotonous on this track the feeling for me is one of upbeat forward movement.

The third song would have to be ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ by Mighty Sparrow.  This is a calypso/soca piece of music that focuses on Grenada’s Coup in 1979 where the Prime Minister Eric Gairy was overthrown.  March 13th 1979 is the day I am reminded of specifically.  You can read a bit about my experience that day here.  If you listen to the song you’ll hear about the Mongoose – a word for the Prime Minister’s Army.  Obeah is the quasi-religous belief he subscribed to along the lines of voodoo.  So the song brings back vivid memories of home, Grenada which I miss very much.