More Music & Synchronicity

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

iseecolor "Songs with the Best Lyrics"

Lynetta White is so great to have started up the group, "MEMORY LANE: R&B Oldies, 60's-80's Classic, Rare, Smooth & Mellow Music."

"My Greatest Inspiration" by Teddy Pendergrass is playing now on Lynetta's profile. She started a discussion this afternoon that I couldn't resist responding to: "What songs captured your heart because the lyrics were so touching?"

My response:

• "Street Life" by The Crusaders
  
• "I Will Be Here for You (Nitakungodea Milele)" by Al Jarreau
  
• "Poetry Man" by Phoebe Snow
  
• "Portuguese Love" by Teena Marie
  
• "Sarah, Sarah" by Jonathan Butler
  
• "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" by Mint Condition
  
• "Sensitivity" by Ralph Tresvant.
  

Growing up, I always said that I didn't care that much about lyrics. Songs just needed to be cheerful with a beat. And it's also true that not all of the songs on this list necessarily would have been included if they hadn't also had such great melodies.

What makes people feel an affinity for one another, akin?

For school earlier today, I was writing about synchronicity and society for an assignment:

I feel in synchronicity with society as a whole when I see or hear a great piece of art that is not of the mainstream, and yet somehow makes it to sufficient prominence that I’m graced with seeing or hearing it.

I feel in synchronicity with society when someone from the margins is allowed to lead....I feel in synchronicity with society when I’m among people in a beautiful, public natural setting, or when I’m exercising among random members of society.

I love these feelings. Feeling in synchronicity is to feel like an insider.

I feel out of synchronicity with society as a whole around the issue of same-sex marriage. I feel that my humanity is not recognized; otherwise, it would be legal worldwide....I feel vulnerable at best and at worst, erased. When I’m not synchronous with society, I feel like an outsider.

And then Lynetta's profile serenades me with The Manhattans' "Shining Star" and I'm an insider again....And then Cameo's "Sparkle" comes on and I'm included among this world's beauty. As I've written here before, music is the balm.

Inspired by Michael Baisden

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

Reprinted from iseecolor.com


Touched by your leadership

* Posted by Sarah Siegel on November 3, 2008 at 5:21pm

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent my employer's positions, strategies or opinions.

Recently, I heard Cornel West on your show, praising your leadership. I was first impressed by you when you played "I'll Be Around" by the Spinners when discussing helping gay, (lesbian, bisexual and transgender) youth to feel less alone. [Ed. Note: Thinking more about this, I think Michael Baisden was referring to how parents, or older relatives, could react lovingly to gay (GLBT) kids coming out, and then he announced this song and then played it.]

In 1987-90, when I lived in Chicago, I was a youth group advisor for a GLBT youth group and I know that all of the youth would have loved the inclusive message you sent by playing that song in the context of the discussion you were leading.

Tonight, on my way home to Montclair, New Jersey from Westchester County, I listened to you tell a caller that you're not interested in erasing color, but rather in continuing to notice it. I agree. Part of your point, I think, was that it'll never not be noticed anyhow.

My reason for wanting not to erase color is purely affirmative: It's the same as my not wanting to erase any differences among people. How boring the world would be if all of us tried to assimilate to a particular standard.

Please keep your strength and keep going with your messages!

Sincerely,

Sarah Siegel (http://sarahsiegelstories.blogspot.com)

Tags: color, difference, glbt, inclusion, race