A group of musicians, African, American, European, came together this past week and recorded a song about one mother's story in Sudan. The musicians did not know each other before, and were connected by a diverse set of musical networks. The resulting sound is Afro-Celtic, with lyrics in English and background vocals in Bamanankan, a language of Mali.
It's called "Sudan."
Here is a link to a site hosting an MP3 of the recording and a written copy of the lyrics. This version is hosted by the Berkman Center. The recording is also being hosted by Music For Amerca, thanks to Josh Koenig by way of Zack Rosen, but I don't have the link yet. Will update when I get it.
The song and the recording have been released into the "commons" by being licensed under a "Creative Commons" license, which makes it free and legal to download and distribute the recording in any creative way you can think of as long as the use is non-commercial and you make attribution to the artists.
..another way to get the word out.
I’ve listened to the song three times: each time it carves into me a little deeper, allowing more emotion to flow from my heart into my eyes that tear, my stomach that knots, my mind that battles, and my soul that pulses with compassion. The layering of the voices is masterful … the woman’s voice almost like a mother’s lullaby, cradling the listener in a certain sweetness, peace, hope – even when the lyrics, the reality, is so devastating – and then the man’s voice, full of anguish but fighting on, off in the distance, fading away … and we wonder if he'll ever return.
Thank you for telling this story.
Peace,
3
Posted by: 3 | July 23, 2004 at 04:00 PM
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I am from Antigua and too bad know English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "blue razor scooter handle grips."
THX :P, Manya.
Posted by: Manya | September 05, 2009 at 01:09 AM