Simon & Garfunkel

Photo's from here.

Simon & Garfunkel  is a succesful american  folk duo of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. The duo was born already at school though then it was called "Tom and Jerry". At 1970's the duo splitted up but they have performed afterwards few times aside their solo carreers.

Duo's most popular tracks are "Mrs. Robinson" and "Bridge over troubled water".

Most intresting I find  the storylike song in the early phase like "A most peculiar man" and the song that I picked for this time "Richard Cory".  Both are bit ironic songs and totally brilliant I find. If you think about the feeling of the tracks then the absolutely best songs are "Somewhere they can't find me" and "Sound of silence".

Check also: "I am a rock", "We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin'", "Bye bye love".

RICHARD CORY

They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town,

With political connections to spread his wealth around.

Born into society, a banker's only child,

He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style.

But I work in his factory

And I curse the life I'm living

And I curse my poverty

And I wish that I could be,

Oh, I wish that I could be,

Oh, I wish that I could be

Richard Cory.

The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes:

Richard Cory at the opera, Richard Cory at a show.

And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!

Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he's got.

*But I work in his factory … *

He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch,

And they were grateful for his patronage and thanked him very much,

So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:

"Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head."

*But I work in his factory .. . *

Mari Boine

photo is from here

Now before new latin artists we head to the North. More closely to the North of Norway. Mari Boine Persen is Sámi singer whose music is somewhere between folk, jazz, rock and world music. Sámi singing is called joik which is the Northern native way to sing. In her music you can also find traces of African traditions. Along with solo career she has composed music inter alia for a German fairytale film adaptation of "Hans and Greta".

In her music Mari Boine has influences of Laestadian movement for her first musical experiments she had inside that group of believers.

The latest album Sterna Paradisea was released in 2009. She has also English tracks but most of the tracks Mari Boine sings in her native language because her lyrics have deep meanings. She also has thought "maybe too much" about her lyrics which are normally about the nature or the struggle between the nature, traditions and the western world. Mari Boine has performed in Europe and USA.

Check also: It šat duolmma mu ("You don't step on me no more"), Idjagiedas ("In the Hand of the night"), Gula Gula ("Hear the voice of the tribe's mothers"), Mu Ustit Engeliid Soglas ("My friend of angel tribe"), Songs & Lyrics & Videos,

LENE MÁJJÁ
text: Rawdna Carita Eira/Mari Boine
melody: Mari Boine/ Svein Schultz/ Ole Jørn Myklebust

Lene Májjá jorada
Johkagierragis riegádan
Lene Májjá diehtá sus ii leat go jođašit 

Guoikkaniski geasuha
Stuora geavgŋá hástala 

Go gullá amas jiena doppe huradeame

Lene Májjá jorada
Buđđosajis besada 

Lene Májjá oaidná movt dál earát jorbbodit
Ii leat mihkkege všalaš 

Son gal dovdá gamus dan
Su čuorvu amas jietna, ii leat ovdal gullan dan

Gii su spihčče 

Gii su vuojet
Álo mannat olgolii
Gii su spihčče
Gii su vuojet
Álo mannat iige bissánit

Lene Májjá jorada
Mággárušša, niegada 

Lene Májjá diehtá áigi hurgá johtlilit
Erát sihtet orustit
Lene Májjá jaskkodit!
Go gullá amas jiena, son bidjala fas

Lene Májjá jorada
Jeagonheapmi, juonalaš
Diktá, atn`al earát jodofierpmis gišvvardit
Joga njálmmi meattilda
Gullá mearra máraida
Son juksá amas jiena, ja suinna juoiggasta

Gii su spihčče 

Gii su vuojet
àlo mannat mannat fal
Gii su spihčče 

Gii su vuojet
Álo mannat iige bissánit



LENE MAJJA

Lene Majja keeps on swirling,
She was spawned at the river's source.
Lene Majja knows she was born to move.
The great waterfall challenges her.
The rapids summon her
As she hears a new humming.

Lene Majja keeps on twirling,
Gets past the weir in the river.
Lene Majja sees others confused.
There is no danger:
She knows deep inside
She has never heard the voice that calls her now.

What is that drives her?
Who is that keeps her moving?
What is that always compels her
To go further and further right to the limits?
Who inspires her to continue and never to settle for less?

Lene Majja keeps on whirling,
Not giving up but dreaming.
Lene Majja knows that passes swftly.
The others try to stop her
And keep her silent!
She hears that enchanting voice and moves on.

Lene Majja keeps swirling.
Disobedient and cunning,
She leaves others to wriggle into the weir net.
She passes the mout of the river,
Hears the roaring of the sea.
She reaches that magical sound
And their voices become one

What is that drives her?
Who is that keeps her moving?
What is that always compels her
To go further and further right to the limits?
Who inspires her to continue and never to settle for less? 

(The lyrics and the translation are from "Sterna Paradisea" album of Mari Boine.)

Faudel

Faudel (Belloua) a raï singer and actor French-Algerian. He has got a  nickname "le petit price du raï"  means "the little price of raï". He joined in a group "Les Étoiles de Raï" ("The stars of raï") in 1990 when he was only 12 years old.

At the age of 18 Faudels first solo album Baïda was released and next year in 1998 he collaborated with his friends of the old band and the album 1,2,3 Soleils was born. Two documents about the young rising star was made in 1995.

Faudel has played with Audrey Tautou in "Le battement d'ailes de papillon"(Happenstace, 2000) and  he has also acted in a TV serie called Sami, le pion.

In 2001 Faudel was in les Enfoirés the masssive francophonic musical group.

"The little prince of raï" sings both in Arabic and in French and his latest  album "Bled Memory was published this January.

Faudel has made an arabic raï version of "Ne me quitte pas" ("Don't leave me") of the great Belgian singer Jacques Brel (1929-1978).

Check also: Tellement je t'aime/Tellement n'brick ("So much I love you"), Je veux vivre ("I want to live"), Baïda mon amour ("Baïda my love"), Zine Li Atak Allah, Live concert, Interview (in French),Que je t'aime feat Arabic Mood ("That I love you"),

MON PAYS

Je ne connais pas ce soleil
Qui brûle les dunes sans fin

Je ne connais pas d'autres terres
Que celle qui m'a tendu la main
Et si un jour je pars d'ici
Que je traverse le désert
Pour aller voir d'ou vient ma vie
Dans quelle rue jouait mon père
Moi qui suis né près de Paris
Sous tout ce vent, toute cette pluie
Je n'oublierai jamais mon pays
Jamais mon pays

Et si demain comme aujourd'hui
Je dois faire le tour de la terre
Pour chanter aux mondes mes envies
Voyager des années entières
Moi qui suis né tout près d'ici
Même si je quitte mes amis
Je n'oublierais jamais mon pays

*Troooop
De souvenirs gravés qui courent
D' écoles et d' été
Trop d' amours pour oublier
Que c'est ici que je suis né
Troooop
De temps abandonné
Sur les bancs de ma cité
Trop d'amis pour oublier
Que c'est ici que je suis né
Que c'est ici que je suis né*

Je ne connais pas ce parfum
De menthe et de sable brûlant
Mais seulement les embruns
Où les rouleaux de l'océan
Et toi qui me trouve un peu mate
Pour ses rues bordées de prairies
Un peu trop blanc couleur d'‘Euphrate
Pour ses poèmes que j'ai appris
Tu es bien le seul que j'oublie
Telle l'étoile fidèle a la nuit
Je n'oublierais jamais mon pays
Jamais mon pays

*Troooop....

Et comme toi j'attends la pluie
Pour lui dire toutes mes peines
Tout comme toi, je lui souris
Quand elle tombe sur la plaie
Quand elle tombe sur la plaie

*Troooop...* 

MY LAND

I don't know the sun

That burns the dunes endlessly

I don't know other lands

Than the one that gave me its hand

And if one day I leave this

To cross the desert

For to go to see where my life is from

On which street my dad played 

I, the one who's born near Paris 

In all those winds, in all those rains

I'll never forget my land

I'll never forget my land

And if tomorrow like today

I have to go around the world

To sing my desires to the world

To voyage whole years

I, the one who's born here near

Though I leave my firends

I'll never forget my land

*Toooo much

Important memories

Of passed school years and summers

Too much love to forget 

That this is where I have born

Toooo much

Wasted time

On the benches of my city

Too much friends to forget

That this is where I have born

That this is where I have born *

I don't know that perfum

Of mynth and burning sand

Only the snorts

In surf of ocean

And you who regard me  as a little tame

For these bordered roads of prairies

A little too white for color of Euphrat

For these poems that I've learned

You are the only one I'll forget

Those stars fidel to the night

I'll never forget my land

My land

*Toooo much...*

And like you I wait the rain

For to tell it all my sorrows

All like you, I smile to it

When it falls to the plain

When it falls to the plain

*Toooo much...*

Pascal Obispo

Picture is from here.

Pascal Michel Obispo aka Pascal Obispo is a French singer,composer and lyricist. He is known for his bold head and low profile when media comes along.

Though Obispo started with salsa is his genre nowadays pop. His voice is surprisgly high and clear.

He has collaborated with the most popular French singers as Patricia Kaas, Natasha St-Pier, Garou, Calogero, Faudel and Christophe Maé (I'll tell you more about Calogero, Faudel and Maé later) and other world celebrities as Céline Dion, Lionel Richie and Youssou N'Dour.

Obispo has released eleven albums starting from 1990 and the latest "Welcome to the magic world of Captain Samouraï Flower" was published in 2009.

In 2001 he won the Best French Male Artist -NRJ Music Award.

Since 1997 he has been one of les Enfoirés which is a enorme group of francophonic artists.

Check also: Lucie, Tombé pour elle ("Fallen in love with her"),Sa raison d'être ("Her/His reason to be"), Personne ("No one"),Les meilleurs enemies ("The best enemies"), La valse des regrets ("the walz of regrets"), Live performance in TV2 in "Le grand soir d'Eliane et Francis" with Christophe Maé, Mourir demain with Natasha St-Pier("To die tomorrow"), Interview (in french), Another interview (in french), Interview in Le Grande Journal.

This song is very touching and I myself start to cry almost everytime I hear this. The melody is so melancholic, sad and dreary. The english translation does not sound as dramatic and beautiful as the original lyrics, sorry that.


ASSASINE

Tant de jours, de mois passés
Effacés et classés
Les maux et moments
Des plaisirs dépassés
Aux cimes de mes désirs
Ton ventre se dessine
Assez de simagrées
Tu m'as choisi pour cible
Assassine
Si je te suis des yeux
Ne crois pas que c'est un jeu

*Mais si tu m'assassines aussi souvent
Mais, le couteau dans la plaie trop souvent
Je préfèrerais que tu m'assassines
Pour de bon maintenant
Je ne supporterai pas longtemps
Que tu m'assassines autant*

J'en ai le souffle coupé
Je suis touché de plein fouet
Tu persistes et signes
C'est lourd les regrets
Assassine
C'est sublime mais il m'assomme
Ce bébé, mais c'est un beau prétexte en somme
Comme si l'amour ne durait tout le temps
Maintenant, je te fuirai des yeux
Même si mon coeur brûle encore le feu

*Si tu m'assasines.."

MURDERER

So many passed days and monts

Plain and classed

The pains and moments

Of obsolate pleasure

To the top of my desires

Your tummy draws

Enough fake gestures

You have chosen me as your target

Murderer

If I follow you with my eyes

I don't think it's a game

*But if you murder me as frequently

But – the knife in the wound too frequently

I prefere that you murder me

For good now

I will not endure much longer

That you murder me so many times *

From there my breath is cut

I am hit with all the forces

You persist and sign

It's a heavy sorrow

Murderer

It's lofty but it strikes me to the death

That baby, but it's a beautiful pretext I say

Like if love not endures all the time

Now I escape from you with my eyes

Though my heart still burns fire

*If you murder me...*

Ruslana

Ruslana (Ruslana Stepanova) is a singer and songwriter from Ukraina. In 2004 she won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Wild dances". She sings both in English and in Ukrainian though still in Eurovision her English was infantile. She is graduated as a classical pianist though her songs are more pop , dance, world music and folk for in her music are impressions from an Ukrainian tribe. Her clothes are wild and animal like mostly made of leather - and she is very known about her clothes of perform.

Check also: listen to the tracks, Dance with the wolves, Overground,
Dance with the wolves, Kolomiyka, The same star, Heart on fire,

I'LL FOLLOW THE NIGHT
I'll follow the night
To wake up the day
To be with you,
Na na na na na na ney,
You'll give me the light
I need on my way,
You'll do,
Na na na na na na ney,
I'll follow the dream
We both have seen,
You know it's true,
Na na na na na na ney,
I'll follow the light
To breakthrough the night
For you,
Na na na na na na ney.

I'm all alone,
As the night is covering the sea,
Behind the storms
I am lonely, but I know I'm free.
An endless road fading down the hill ahead of me,
It makes me strong,
It shows the way to where I wanna be.

*I'll follow the night... *

You'll take my hand,
Cause the road will bring me back to you,
You'll understand everything I wanna say or do.
It just takes time,
We remember where we wanna be,
You will be mine,
You will tell me, that you stay with me

*I'll follow the night... *

Gjallarhorn

Gjallarhorn is a Finnish Swedish musical group from Finland. The lead vocalist is Jenny Wilhelms who also plays fiddle and hardanger fiddle. From the left in the picture are Petter Berndalen (percussion), Adrian Jones (fiddle, mandola, kalimba) and Göran Mansson (flutes, the pipe of Härjedalen, contrabass).

Gjallarhorns musical style is finnish folk songs mostly in Swedish but also in Finnish and other nordic languages. This ethnic group mixes finnish folk songs for example to the australian instrument - didgeridoo. Sounds funny and creepy but it fits very well like theese two supposed to be combined together. Gjallarhorn has published four albums and the latest was released in 2006 called Rimfaxe a horse from scandinavian mythology. Their albums are sold in whole Scandinavia, the Central Europe, Great Britannia, USA, Canada and even in Mexico!

The name of the band comes from a scandinavian mythology's magical bugle - the gjallarhorn.

Check also: Dejelill och Lagerman, Suvetar,Konungadöttrarna, More about Gjallarhorn

RAMUNDER 
(music:Gjallarhorn / text: trad.)
Ramunder vore en bättre karl
Om han hade bättre kläder
Drottningen gav honom kläderna ny
Av sammet och silke det fina
-Detta gör mig nästan strång, sade Ramunder
-Jag får nog stig min jämna gång, sade Ramunder

Ramunder gick sig I berget in
Där alla små trollorna såto
Och alla små troll som I berget satt
De månde för Ramunder gråta
-Gråten int' för mig, sade Ramunder
-Jag lo' aldrig åt er, sade Ramunder

Ramunder började raska och slå
Liksom en modiger hjälta
Och alla små troll som I berget satt
De månde till jorden ned falla
-Här inne råder jag, sade Ramunder
-Här inne står mig mycket bra, sade Ramunder

Ramunder gick sig ett stycke fram
Där fick han se storjätturen stånda
Och jätturen tog I och Ramunder tog I jätturens skägg
Så slet han bort köttet från tändren
-Väl illa grinar du, sade Ramunder
-Desto värre ser du ut, sade Ramunder

Ramunder drog sitt stora svärd
Som han kalla dumlingen dyra
Och hugger så jätturens huvud å
Så det for tre spanska milar
-Jag tänkte att det inte skulle ta, sade Ramunder
-Men det nappa lika bra, sade Ramunder

Ramunder lastade skeppena sju
Med guld och ädlaste stenar
Och segla tillbaka till drottningens land
Med skatten från trollornas grotta
-Detta gör mig nästan strång, sade Ramunder
-Jag får nog stig min jämna gång, sade Ramunder 

RAMUNDER

Ramunder would be a better man if he had better clothes
The Queen she gave him new clothes of velvet and finest silk
-  This almost makes me strong, said Ramunder
- I will walk my steadfast way, said Ramunder

Ramunder went into the mountain where all the small trolls sat
And all the small trolls sitting in the mpuntain wept for him
- Weep not for me, said Ramunder
- I never smiled at you, said Ramunder

And Ramunder began to swing and to slay like a bold hero
And all the small trolls sitting in the mountain fell to the ground
- Here I am the master, said Ramunder
- Here is a good place for me, said Ramunder

Ramunder went further and saw the grat giant standing,
And the giant grabbed him and Ramunder grabbed the giant's beard
Then he tore the flesh from the giant's teeth
- What an ugly grin thou hast, said Ramunder
- All the worse dost thou look, said Ramunder

And Ramunder took his grat sword that he called his precious tonker
And struck the giant's head off so that it flew three Spanish miles
- I thought it would not take, said Ramunder
- But it caught very well, said Ramunder

Ramunder he loaded seven ships with gold and jewels
And sailed back to the Queen's land
With the treasures from the troll cave
- This almost makes me strong, said Ramunder
- I will walk my steadfast way, said Ramunder

(Translation is from Gjallarhorns album Ranarop)

Susheela Raman

Susheela Raman is a Tamil - English - Indian singer, songwriter and composer. In her music you can hear the mixture of jazz, ambient, folk, trance, blues, carnatic and a hypnotic sound that captures you. while you're listening. She has released four albums, the latest in 2007.

Grewing up she learned Indian classical music and later blues-like voice techniques. She has been teached by Shruti Sadolikar "one of the greatest living Hindustani vocalists"* and she has collaborated with many musically gifted musicians all over the world.


Check also: Maya, Bolo bolo, Love Trap Live, Mahima, Mamavatu, Voodoo Child, MySpace, Ennapane Live, Listen to tracks of Susheela Raman, Awards for World Music, Raman tells.


Here is what she has wrote of the song Woman that I have selected for today:

Woman is a song about someone in a destructive relationship who is looking for the way out. As Susheela urges her on, the song transforms into a mesmeric chant invoking the Goddess Kali, a kind of archetype of feminine power. Susheela’s family has long tradition of Kali devotion and the intensity that comes through shows it. The song also describes situations she can relate to in her own family history. Indian woman have often had to endure a lot…family and social structures are very patriarchal and women are expected sometimes to sacrifice their own happiness on the altar of family honor. Woman features the amazing Egyptian percussion virtuoso Hosam Ramzi (who has played with many artists including Peter Gabriel and Page and Plant).

Woman

Woman, where’s your dignity?
How can you lie there while the lover destroys you?
He doesn’t know your worth
But you bear his burden and make it yours
Why do you cry?

Woman, don’t be tortured by a madman
You’ve got to get out
The prison door is open

Woman
Oh, woman why do you rest here?
Is your love an ignorant sacrifice?
Roles you learned to play
Conspire against you and hold you down
Why don’t you fight

Woman, don't be tortured by a madman
You've got to get out
The prison door is open

Um Krim Kali e Nama

Zap Mama

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ZAP MAMA is a Belgian band from early 1990s. The band is a mixture of world's music, soul, jazz, pop, funk, reggae, hip hop and R and B. The founder and the leader vocalist is Marie Daulne borned in Congo and then grown up in Belgium. In Bruxeilles she sang in the jazz cafées and tried to make music that binds her native continent to the Europe where she was living. She found girls like her with the mixed background and Zap Mama was born. Their record studio wanted to make a pop girl band of their group so the co-operation stopped and Zap Mama found a new record studio. Zap Mama combines many musical styles and costumes making a interesting mixture of many cultures.

Now Zap Mama has released seven albums.

Check also: Damn Your eyes, Show me the way (live), W'Happy Mama, Toma Taboo, Alright, Sweet Melodie, Rafiki, Supermoon (live), Bandy Bandy (live), Zap Mama activity, MySpace, Records,

MISS Q.IN.

When I was a little child I dreamed to be a princess
When I tried to be this princess I dreamed to meet a prince
When I was this princess I dreamed to be like a queen
When I was this princess I dreamed to meet a prince

*Travelling from the north to the south, southern stories
South to the east.
East to the west
we're all looking for the best
Travelling from the south to the north, northern stories
North to the east
East to the west
we're all looking for the best*

When I met this prince I dreamed to be a queen
When I tried to be this queen I dreamed to meet a king
When I was with this prince I dreamed to be a queen
When I was this queen I did not know what to do with this prince

*Travelling from the north ... *

When I was this queen like society tell us to be
I reliezed that I was empty - I was empty inside
When I was this queen for by collected the area
I realized that I wanna be
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be me

*Travelling from the north .. *

Dont try to be somebody else
Dont try just be