Two weeks ago I started doing Monday reflections on the previous days readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. In the same vein of days-of-the-week foci, I will write about music on Fridays: Friday Listening Party.
I love when different styles of music come together. My dream band would be with my friend Ben who is heavily influenced by the Edge, my brother Ben who is influenced by Iron & Wine and Pedro the Lion, and the gospel choir I was in in college under the direction of AME Reverend Judith Erwin-Neville, and a string quartet, and some of the guys who taught me to play djembe in their Ghanaian village of Sokode-Etoi. Whether you agree with the policies of our new President, you have to admit that the Sunday concert on the Mall was a beautiful picture of American music. This was fusion at its best - many styles, many people representing our common voice in song.
There was Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger singing 'This Land is Your Land.' We had Usher, Shakira, and Stevie Wonder singing 'Higher Ground.' We had Garth Brooks singing 'American Pie' and 'Shout.' We had James Taylor and John Legend and company singing 'Shower the People.' We also had Beyonce and a whole host of perfomers singing 'America the Beautiful.' My two favorite moments were Sheryl Crow, Herbie Hancock, and Will.I.Am singing 'One Love' by Bob Marley. I think they nailed it. And of course U2 performing 'Pride (In the Name of Love)' and 'City of Blinding Lights'. Bono might think he's a diplomat and I definitely respect and affirm his work on behalf of the world's poor, but he'll always be a rock star first. Case in point: during 'Pride', a song written in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he says something to this effect: 'This was not only Dr. King's dream. This is the American dream. This is an Irish dream. This is an Israeli dream...' then a long pause... 'This is a Palestinian dream.' What a moment!
Sometimes Bono's a genius.
Don't worry, your lay-theologian siblings will be responding to the prayer post one of these days--you know we have thoughts!
Posted by: Sarah | January 23, 2009 at 12:58 PM