The Book of Mormon Cast - Hasa Diga Eebowai

Yesterday I finally accomplished a goal of mine: to see the extremely popular play The Book of Mormon. It’s by the creators of the long-running TV show South Park, and if you’re familiar with that series then you should have a pretty good idea as to the tone of the play and this song, especially in terms of offensiveness. I would say that if you’re not a fan of the irreverent humor featured in South Park, you should steer clear of this song, because it contains all sorts of offensive material, from violence to blasphemy to profanity. I personally love that this song mixes that kind of content in with what sounds like traditional African choir music. BTW, the phrase that is repeated throughout the song (and its title) is not a real language, but it still serves its point to drive home the reminder to the presumably advantaged audience that the real problems that pervade parts of Africa are so extreme as to be outside the realm of experience and relatability.

The Book of Mormon Cast - Hasa Diga Eebowai:

Li Na - 青藏高原

This famous Chinese artist covered a traditional song literally singing the praises of the scenery of Tibet. It makes me wanna visit! I first heard this song when it was covered by Han Hong, but this version is lovely too. This is the folk singer’s most famous song, and it was used as the theme song of the Chinese TV series Heaven Road.

Li Na A.K.A. 李娜 - 青藏高原 [Qingzang Gaoyuan - Qinghai-Tibetan Plain]:

Linkin Park - Easier to Run

This song is some heavy stuff. The first few times I listened to Meteora, I didn’t pay much attention to this song, as it didn’t stand out to me. Then one day, after a LONG break from listening to the album (and I mean years), I was listening to it again and this song suddenly caught my attention. I felt a sincerity in Chester’s voice I hadn’t noticed before, and I remember thinking, “I don’t know what he’s singing about, but it sounds like he means it.” That drove me to hit the replay button to listen to the lyrics and try to understand the song’s meaning, and when I did I thought, “Hmm, this sounds like the thoughts of an abuse survivor.” Well, turns out I was dead on, ‘cause that’s exactly what this is. In fact, the lyrics weren’t even intended for a song originally; they’re taken from Chester’s therapeutic journaling.
Note: Maybe in HD you’ll hear the genuineness better!

Linkin Park - Easier to Run:

Audra Mae - Bandida

I heard about this Oklahoman artist the way many did, through her excellent vocals on Avicii’s song “Addicted to You.” A lot of her songs have an old-fashioned, traditional American feel to them. Along that vein, this song also incorporates what sounds to me like Native American music-inspired elements.
Note: HD listening is recommended, of course!

Audra Mae - Bandida:

Lee Ki Chan - 그대없이 난 아무것도 아니다

For an artist who’s most renowned for his ballads, I guess it’s weird that this is my favorite song from his 8th album, which I listened to back in high school. I can’t even put my finger on what it is that I like about this song, I just like it. I came across this through a message board for Korean music.

Lee Ki Chan A.K.A. 이기찬 - 그대없이 난 아무것도 아니다 [Keudae’eobshi Nan Amugeotdo Anida - I’m Nothing Without You]:

Janelle Monáe - Sally Ride

In honor of Sally Ride on her birthday, I bring you this song that was inspired by her life. This artist uses female empowerment as the theme for a lot of her songs, so it makes sense that she would dedicate an entire song to this accomplished female pioneer, the first American woman in space. Surprisingly, there’s a bit of profanity.
Note: HD quality!

Janelle Monáe - Sally Ride:

Outkast feat. Killer Mike - The Whole World

I remember this hip hop song getting mainstream play when I was a kid. I was inclined to interpret the lyrics as being about the nature of celebrity, but another popular interpretation I came across claims it’s about the Black experience in America. Both interpretations make sense to me, but either way it’s a good song! (There’s some profanity and suggestive content, but kids probably wouldn’t catch a lot of it.)
Note: Here the video has HD!

Outkast feat. Killer Mike - The Whole World:



And here the video has a music video:

Jennifer Hudson - Spotlight

I heard this song first when it was covered on the show Glee and I already liked it because Amber Riley’s voice is magical. This artist is a big talent too, though, and when I found out it was her song originally I got in on that. It’s about a relationship with a possessive and borderline-abusive man.

Jennifer Hudson - Spotlight:

Gackt - Solitary

Awwww shoot, I couldn’t resist posting another song by this artist… and there will probably be lots more to come. Many of his songs are over-the-top theatrical (which, admittedly, I also like), but I thought this time I’d go for something more low-key.

Gackt - Solitary:

Markéta Irglová - Fortune Teller

When I saw this Czech artist open for Damien Rice a few weeks ago, I had NO IDEA she was the same singer-songwriter who starred in the award-winning musical movie Once. I must have forgotten her name, because although I never saw the movie I heard quite a bit about it and her, and even posted a song she did for it. I also didn’t catch her name when it was announced at the concert, but her voice and piano were too pretty for me to ignore so I asked a security guard at the theatre what her name was and he gave me his printed schedule that listed her name.
Note: Thanks be to HD!

Markéta Irglová - Fortune Teller:

Blue Stahli - The Fall

I’m not used to hearing this sound out of this artist. When he goes into his high voice, it sounds so – dare I say it? – pretty!
Note: HD quality is here!

Blue Stahli - The Fall:

Lee Michelle - Without You

Sooooo apparently this K-pop video made everyone cry, but not for the reasons they usually do. This one doesn’t have pretty girls going blind or failed romance or anything like that, but instead deals with the spectre of racism that still pervades Korean society and affects many biracial Koreans, including this artist. I’ve actually already posted a song featuring this singer, as she was part of the now-disbanded group SuPearls, which never debuted. This song is the solo artist’s debut single, which is awesome!
Note: It’s K-pop, so it’s HD!

Lee Michelle A.K.A. 이미쉘 - Without You:

Rhodes - Your Soul

Can’t remember how I found this song, but it’s lovely, aye? I was originally planning to post another song of a similar genre, but decided against it and opted for this instead. It’s been waiting in my notes, neglected. This artist has opened for other British acts I’m fond of, like London Grammar and Sam Smith.
Note: HD, o’ course!

Rhodes - Your Soul:

Sally Dworsky & Michelle Pfeiffer - When You Believe

It’s VERY strange that I haven’t posted this song up until now. The soundtrack of the animated movie The Prince of Egypt among my favorites, and this song is a large contributing factor in that. I always thought it was to-die-for gorgeous, and remember being excited in elementary school when it was chosen as the song to practice in our choir program. It’s that Hans Zimmer at it again!
Note: HD is well worth it!

Sally Dworsky & Michelle Pfeiffer - When You Believe:


Here’s the part from the movie that uses the song:

Lupe Fiasco feat. Fort Minor - The Instrumental

Before The Cool came out, this easily was one my most-played songs by this hip hop artist. It seems to a lot of people, including me, to be about television (first verse) and radio (second verse), but Lupe himself has stated that it’s about some concepts that are broader and more abstract: people’s inability to escape their own ideology, and that by attempting to analyze the system you become part of it. Although it can be applied to media, its larger scope is about consumption of ideas—how you cannot escape an ideology (think outside the box) by looking for the key out within that framework, and how interpreters lend power to the framework. By observing media culture, you become a part of it, and by participating in media culture, you are giving it power because television shows and songs, for example, only have power when people infer meaning from them.

Lupe Fiasco feat. Fort Minor - The Instrumental:

Elli Kokkinou - Μασάι

I came across this Greek pop song by YouTube surfing, which brought me to a Turkish cover of it, and that eventually led me back to this. I think if Western pop songs had instrumentals that sounded more like this, even with mediocre vocals, I’d be more into them.

 Elli Kokkinou A.K.A. Έλλη Κοκκίνου - Μασάι [Masai]:

Ra.D feat. Sin Ji Soo - 오랜만이죠

Here’s some nice, soothing Korean music! I came across this by clicking around on YouTube. I wanted to find some less-than-poppy content from a country saturated with pop. If you’re looking for it, it’s not too hard to find a number of nice indie artists, although it seems like the majority of it is pretty low on energy.
Note: HD quality, and Chinese subtitles if that’s your kind of thing.

Ra.D A.K.A. 라디 feat. Sin Ji Soo A.K.A. 신지수 - 오랜만이죠 [It's Been So Long]:

Yuna - Mermaid

Sometimes YouTube surfing serves me well. YouTube recommended music by this Malaysian artist to me, and I took it. A lot of her songs are too low-key for me, but this was the first I heard and it struck me as pretty. In fact, by now I’ve listened to a few of her albums and this song still holds the top spot for me. This discovery also served as a helpful reminder that I should go back to looking to Malaysian music artists, because when I did so before I found a lot of good ones.
Note: HD again!

Yuna - Mermaid:

Rammstein - Amerika

I, like many Americans, knew this German artist’s music from a long time ago. However, today my friend sent me this song and although it sounded familiar I don’t think I’d listened to it much before. Its meaning isn’t hard to derive, especially since so much of the lyrics are in English. The U.S. is frighteningly good at exporting its culture and under the far-reaching influence of a singular nation there is a kind of global assimilation. I think the implication is that one country shouldn’t have that much power over the rest of the world.
Note: This is the official music video, with HD quality, and with English subtitles!

Rammstein - Amerika:

Imogen Heap feat. Vishal-Shekhar - Minds Without Fear

One of the best things to come out of my long, sleepless flight to the U.K. was my discovery of this song. (The plane had her most recent album available for listening.) I’ve always had mad respect for this artist, but her previous album Ellipse left me a little underwhelmed, so I didn’t exactly leap on her latest work, a concept album in which she compiled sound effects sent in by her fans to make songs, created for public release on a regimented schedule. This song is also used in the Indian TV series The Dewarists. Now, folks, brace yourself for Imogen singing in Hindi!
Note: HD listening is recommended!

Imogen Heap feat. Vishal-Shekhar - Minds Without Fear: