I was able to attend my second Ani DiFranco concert on Saturday night. I have been a fan of Ani's for close to 10 years and I have to say that seeing her live is a pretty awesome experience. She is full of energy, spark and she can play the guitar like no one I have ever seen.For those of you not familiar with Ani here's a good description that I read in a SL Tribune article written earlier this month: "DiFranco is not easily pigeonholed or categorized. Calling her just a folk singer does her a disservice. Her music defines her as a literate, experimental multi-instrumentalist who melds the aggressiveness of alternative rock with the political scalpel of folk. She doesn't sing about being a hobo on a train but writes incisively about racism, sexism, poverty and abortion rights."
I'll be the first to admit that I don't agree with all of Ani's ideals and politics, but what I admire about her is her amazing talent and conviction to take a stand for the things that she believes in.
I have found that even though I have pretty conservative views I don't always agree with conservatives, the same goes for me with many liberal ideas. I find it interesting how much we can learn from all sides of the table, conservatives and liberal etc. Challenging the way we think about things helps us to better define what we believe. For me the key is knowledge.
The great thing about Ani is that she isn't trying to force feed anyone her ideals, she is just encouraging people to think, to stand up and be counted for whatever your cause may be. As I watched her preform and listened to what she had to say, I was struck with how amazing this
country is, how awesome our freedoms are, and how much we can do if we try. It sounds cheesy but it was kind of an inspiring experience for me. It really made me think about what I'm doing with my own life and how much more I can do with it. Anyone can make a difference, it's about believing in change, and I think that change can start within us. By becoming better people to positively influence those around us, to stand up for truth, to fight for good causes, to take the gift of life that we have been given and do as much as we can with it.
Here are some lyrics from one of Ani's new songs, I'd never heard it before this concert (she hasn't released it yet). I liked it a lot...a very beautiful sounding song and these lyrics will give you a taste of her style.
The Atom
The glory of the atom, begs a reverent word.
The primary design, of the whole universe.
The smallest unit of matter, let us bow our heads in prayer
At the magnificent consciousness incarnate there.
The smallest unit of matter with its orbiting electrons
Echoing off the solar system like a hawk in the hills at dawn
The smallest unit of matter, uniting bird and rock and tree and you and me.
Oh holy is the atom, a truly intelligent design.
To which all of evolution is graciously aligned.
The one single structure to which everything distills
The air, the wood smoke there and the hills.
Leave me here surrounded by everything that's real.
Far outside the boundaries of the digitized ordeal.
Leave me here awake, leave me here to heal.
Human beings are a cross between monkey's and ants.
You can see us from your spaceship
melting the polar ice caps with our arrogance.
Summon a congress of angels, dressed in riot gear
We've got a serious problem down here.
I have a great great uncle, who worked on the atomic bomb,
He got a noble prize in physics and a place in this song.
And I bet there were no windows and no women in the room
When they applied themselves to the pure science of doom.
Yes messing with the atom is the highest form of blaspheme,
Whether you are making weapons, or simply electricity.
Someone fashion me a pulpit we have been called to engage
With the maniacal heretics of the nuclear age.
Let the religious get religion
Let the consumers get a clue
Let the scientists get perspective
Let the activists get their due
Let the industry get a conscience
Let the earth inherit the meek
Let the divinity of nature speak.
The glory of the atom deserves a reverent word
The primary design of the whole universe.
Let us sing its praises, let us bow our heads in prayer,
At the magnificent consciousness incarnate there.
3 comments:
ANI is amazing! I love the lyrics, so creative and in depth. And she totally rocks out on the guitar.
Glad you enjoyed the concert. i had a gleeful time at the wedding (drinks all around). But hey, i think you're the bestest sis ever!!!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing…sharing a little about a performer and quite a bit about your philosophy and appreciation of life. I agree with most all of your feelings and they are inspirational. Here are a few of my thoughts:
Learning from all sides of the table and challenging the way we think is important. More important is being able to discern the truth which allows knowledge to grow into wisdom. Maybe the name of this post "Squint Your eyes and Look Closer" (an Ani lyric, I imagine) is applicable here.
Change is what life is all about, but valuable only if it leads away from the tendencies and ideals of the natural man.
We can make a difference even if it is small. The challenge is to discover the best causes to champion and discover the talents we’ve been given and the best ways to use them. Then it’s just a matter (ha!) of developing those talents, prioritizing the use of time, working and sacrificing, etc. etc. etc.
I think you said it all with “becoming better people to positively influence those around us, to stand up for truth, to fight for good causes…”
As for my opinion of “The Atom” as a poem (I haven’t heard the music or any of Ani’s music that I know of, so you’ll have to share something audio, too!), I would give it a thumb’s up. Although rhyme isn’t always exact (particularly the 1st verse) the near or half-rhymes work. The rhythm patterns are inconsistent and bothersome, but I’m sure the music helps. I like the simile of a “hawk in the hills at dawn” and the expression “digitized ordeal” and the use of “no windows in the room”. The subject of the atom is fascinating and the “cause” (concern about atomic bombs) is worthwhile. I think the message loses some strength by bringing in other causes. For me, the poem/song would be better without verses/stanzas 5 and 8…too preachy, not subtle, and off on different tangents. I think Ani is force-feeding here. It would be just as powerful or even more powerful without them. I’m intrigued by stanza 4, but not sure how it applies…I need to think about it. Sometimes I just like songs because of the poetry and music. I admit that I’ve enjoyed quite a few with quite questionable lyrics, on that basis, and now at my stage in life, I’m feeling somewhat ashamed. After reading about Ani’s ideals and politics on the internet, I’m not sure I could be a fan of most of her music or want to have the lyrics floating around in my head. But I do appreciate poems/songs that aren’t superficial, that (like you) make me think and examine my beliefs, and you can see that this one has done that for me. The freedom to express thoughts and opinions is a great gift, one we often take for granted. It’s been really great to share ideas with you on this post…I’ll look forward to other, similar conversations!
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