A Merry Minuet for the New Year ...

They're rioting in Africa
They're starving in Spain,
There's hurricanes in Florida
And Texas needs rain.
The Whole world is festering iwht unhappy souls
The French hate the Germans, the Germans hate the Poles
Italians hate Yugoslavs, South Africans hate the Dutch
And I don't like Anybody very much.

But we can be tranquil and thankful and proud
For man's been endowed with a mushroom-shaped cloud
And we know for certain that some lovely day
Someone will set the spark off-
And we will all be blown away

They're rioting in Africa
There's strife in Iran
What nature doesn't do to us
Will be done by our fellow Man.

Merry Minuet, the (1958)
Song: Sheldon Harnick
Artist: The Kingston Trio

A fifty years old song to celebrate the end of 2008 and onset of 2009!
And here is the trailer of the movie to watch in the New Year.

Welcome 2009!

Inspiration

Dyuti sent me link to this video.

Umqombothi is an African beer. And Yvone, the singer is one of the most famous African artist. She's often called princess of Africa. African music are very rich in percussions and the rhythm is simply amazingly vibrant. Apparently this song was used in opening sequence of Hotel Rwanda. It seems this is one of the biggest hit songs of Africa.

The funny part will reveal is when you listen to this video:

Its a Bengali band - Chandrabindoo performing a Bengali nonsence-rock.
I have no qualms with someone "copying" someone else's music, It is hard to differentiate between copying and getting inspired! Inspirations are always welcome, if you acknowledge your inspirations very good; if you don't, well, you are insecure and scared of your own capabilities! Anyway, this is not about copying someone's music.
I appreciate Chandrabindoo for their urban, satirical and nonsensical lyrics. But this time the first line of their song phonetically matches first line Umqombothi in an uncanny way! I mean, being a Bengali if I listen to Umqombothi, I'll hear the first lines of the song as "Brahma Janen, Gopon Kammo ti" ... and this is such a weird Bengali line, it can spun a beutiful nonsense poem in the hands of a good lyricist. I wonder if that's how this song worked for Chandrabindoo!

We MaDlamini

Uph'umqombothi (3x)

Verse
I work hard every day
To make my beer
(Umqombothi)
Wake up early every morning
To please my people with African beer
(Umqombothi)
I make sure the fire burns
To make my beer
(Umqombothi)
My special beer Umqombothi
(Umqombothi)
Is African beer

...more

How lazy I've become

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!

When I'm stuck a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh!

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

But I'm optimistic.

Lonely Runway

For last couple of weeks I was at a remote place on official field duty, so remote that there was nothing in the ten kilometer radius of the guest house. The place where we used to go to work was again five kilometers away form guest house. Every morning a car used to come to take us to the field. When we returned from the field it would have been 8pm in the evening. So boring, so hectic the days were, that either we would be found slogging in the field or sleeping in the guest house.
Only good thing was a runway! We had to cross a deserted runway on our way to our site of work. Years ago it must have been full with activity, now the concrete slabs of the runway has cracked giving way to saplings. There is nothing all around, only trees and bushes and the runway lying between them.
Last day when we finished our work early in the afternoon, I started walking along the runway on my return to guest house. Everybody else were waiting for the car to come. As I walked and walked along the almost-two-km-long runway I was getting engulfed in it. A plethora of sights of sounds hitherto unnoticed came to my senses; chirping of unknown birds, insects; sunset on the horizon, group of birds flying back to home, few birds looking out for their prey in the cracks of the runway ...
I remembered one of my favourite songs. I never realized how real the imagery of the song could be. But this runway gave me that feeling. The lyricist must have been in a place like this.

Fast Car

I was flying by Indian from Bangalore to Pune. I was tired. After boarding the aircraft, I was feeling sleepy. The aircraft was still awiting for clearances and a low tuned soothing instrumental was playing inside. I yawned few times and was almost dozing off, suddenly I heard a familiar tune. The tune just made me awake. It was an old song by Tracy Chapman, 'Fast Car' - A real neat story of a young girl bored of routine mediocre life. The song seemed to change the ambience of the aircraft for me. Unexpected familiarity - that's what makes you happy all of a sudden without any specific reason!

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car'

I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Anyplace is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
But me myself I got nothing to prove
You got a fast car
And I got a plan to get us out of here
I been working at the convenience store
Managed to save just a little bit of money
We won't have to drive too far
Just 'cross the border and into the city
You and I can both get jobs
And finally see what it means to be living
You see me old man's got a problem
He live with the bottle that's the way it is
He says his body's too old for working
I say his body's too young to look like his
My mama went off and left him
She wanted more from life than he could give
I said somebody's got to take care of him
So I quit school and that's what I did
You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so we can fly away
We gotta make a decision
We leave tonight or live and die this way
I remember we were driving driving in your car
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
And I had a feeling that I belonged
And I had feeling I could be someone, be someone,
Be someone
You got a fast car
And we go cruising to entertain ourselves
You still ain't got a job
And I work in a market as a checkout girl
I know things will get better
You'll find work and I'll get promoted
We'll move out of the shelter
Buy a big house and live in the suburbs
You got a fast car
And I got a job that pays all our bills
You stay out drinking late at the bar
See more of your friends than you do of your kids
I'd always hoped for better
Thought maybe together you and me would find it
I got no plans I ain't going nowhere
So take your fast car and keep on driving
You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so you can fly away
You gotta make a decision
You leave tonight or live and die this way.

Again Little boxes ...

I was standing in the security chek-in queue in Pune airport. There was a TV just beside the queue. I was watching carelessly and then again the same advertisement came up - 'Little boxes on the hillside ...'.
After security chek I proceeded to the departure queue, boarded the aeroplane and then the gas turbine engine started roaring.
This was my first flight! The plane moved to one end of the runway, then took a turn, rested awhile just like a sprinter concentrating and gathering breath to start a fiery run, and then zoooooooo....it started lifting its nose towards the sky. Soon we were leaning backward as it kept on climbing. I looked through the glass. The ground below was retreating fast. The aircrafts standing on the runway looked small. The houses surrounding, the grounds, trees, everything's looked smaller and smaller. Then the western ghats came in the sight. Pune is surrounded by it. The hills from the top looked just like a geographical map! There's a contour line that passes throgh the hilltops making a vein-like picture! In between there are small houses on the valley. They look as small as matchbox. They look identical. Its like a scatterd collection of boxes. Little boxes. I wonder, was Malvina Reynolds on a aircraft when she first rhymed it?

Little boxes on the hill side, little boxes made of ticky tacky.
Little boxes, little boxes, little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky, and they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses all went to the university
Where they were put in boxes, little boxes, all the same.
And there's doctors and there's lawyers, and there's business executives
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini dry
And they all have pretty children and the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp and then to the university
Where they all get put in boxes and they all come out the same.

And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family
In boxes, little boxes, little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

Little Boxes

Evening. I was watching TV at one of my friend's house. It was a tea break in a cricket match. I don't watch cricket, but I watch the advertisement. Then I found suddenly the famous Seeger song 'Little boxes' strted playing on TV with a visualization where people clad in boxes literaly following the lyrics. The full song was sung and then behind the boringly box clad men appeared a sparkling red car. It said its for the people who are outside the boxes.
I was awestruck by the idea.

Cryin' in the rain ...

I've been very busy in very worldly matter for last couple of weeks. My veranda was, as if, blocked. Today I came from office early to bid farewell to Subhradyuti's parents who were vacationating at Pune staying at my quarter. Then I had planned to go to Nasik to Ashwini to escape from the boring world. Uncle and aunty left at four-O'Clock. I rang up Ashwini to confirm his availability during this weekend. He fumbled, mumbled, and then told he has an appointment to keep at Mumbai ...
Tired, I relaxed on the bed. When I came to my senses it was twilight. But Pune doesn't get dark at five-thirty. I came to verandah. It was not twilight, but clouds. It was so blank. I was feeling vacant. I made a cup of liquor tea.
Sometime when you are suddenly out of your things-to-do-list, you feel empty. It seemed that I have nothing to do. I was just spending this week with the aim of going to Nashik in the weekend. Now what should I do? There are two days totally free of any pre-planned work. It felt relieving and vacant at the same!
The red Palash (flame of the forest) flowers were looking gloomy. A cat climbed through the parapate and cornice to get into the balcony of the first floor of the house opposing me. It meowed. A boy from inside opened the balcony door slightly and it went inside. And rain came. The lady in the first floor of my building started watering plants in their balcony. I came back in my room, put the following playlist in Winamp and went back. It was dark by then. It was raining steadily, and my mind was blank.

1. Rent - Seasons Of Love (2:51)
2. Annie - Maybe (2:47)
3. Annie - Tomorrow (2:07)
4. Annie - You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile (3:06)
5. Hair - Easy to be hard (3:26)
6. Oliver! - I'd Do Anything (3:46)
7. Oliver! - Who Will Buy (4:29)
8. John Denver - Take Me Home Country Roads (3:12)
9. John Denver - Annie's Song (3:00)
10. John Denver - Farewell Andromeda (4:04)
11. John Denver - Fly Like An Eagle (4:00)
12. John Denver - No One (6:22)
13. John Denver - Rocky Mountain High (4:42)
14. Don Williams - Crying In The Rain (3:04)
15. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (2:45)
16. Don Mclean - Empty Chairs (3:27)
17. Don Mclean - Streets Of London (4:08)
18. Petula Clark - Downtown (3:11)

A Familiar Face Across the Street

One of the most sweetest moment in a unknwon city is a familiar face across the street.
Well, Bangalore, in no sense , is an unknown city to me. But still the it is not my city. And when I meet an old friend in a sunday morning market, it feels wonderful. Exactly this is what happened today. Two times!
Almost after two years I met them and when I first saw Tarakda in the morning, I just shouted 'arrre tumi!?...' and then we started all ol'timely talks.
The second one was Bhaskar, I saw him coming a little far away and he too. When we approached near, it was no surprise, as if we knew we will meet here; and started talking just like old days.

I came into this lovely city about three weeks ago today,
and I've been trying to find someone that I can talk to, a friendly face to turn my way.
I walk these streets in silent sorrow, I walk my feet into the ground,
and all I see are cloudy, cold, suspicious faces, I swear to God it brings me down.
Is there no one with a smile for me, no one with a hello in their eyes?
Is there no one who will love me and help me through the dark and lonely night?

The park's so green and full of flowers and lovers lying on the lawn.
I wish I had a lady here that I could laugh with, sweet Jesus Christ, it hurts me so to be alone.
Is there no one with a smile for me, no one with a hello in their eyes?
Is there no one who will love me and help me through the dark and lonely night?
Singing la la la la la la, Singing la la la la la la.

This life is hard and full of trouble, it's painful just to live from day to day.
But if you're weary and afraid don't turn away now,
there's no reason why we have to feel this way.
Is there no one with a smile for me, no one with a hello in their eyes?
Is there no one who will love me and help me through the dark and lonely night?

Singing la la la la la la, Singing la la la la la la.

I just need someone to talk to. It hurts to be alone.
I just need someone to laugh with. It hurts to be alone.
I just want someone to love me. I need someone to talk to. And it hurts to be alone.

Singing la la la la la la, Singing la la la la la la.
Singing la la la la la la, Singing la la la la la la

(John Denver)

Ideal Idology for Idleness

...

Sitting in the morning sun
I'll be sitting when the evening comes
Watching the ships roll in
And I watch 'em roll away again

Sitting on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
I'm just sitting on the dock of the bay
Wasting time

I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the 'Frisco bay
'Cause I had nothin to live for
And look like nothing's gonna come my way

So I'm just...

Look like nothing's gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same

Sittin here resting my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home

Now, I'm just...

(by Otis Redding)