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“Women of the World: Acoustic” by Putumayo World Music
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Music review by Margaret Sarfehjooy, W A M M
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Women of the World: Acoustic is an exploration of acoustic music by some of the world’s leading female artists. When I first listened to this CD, I enjoyed the smooth transition of instrumentals and vocals as the sounds crossed the continents. What really caught my attention was the haunting emotion of the voices, and I wanted to listen again, realizing that each artist had a personal story to tell. As I listened again while reading the liner notes, which describe each singer’s background and translate each song of the compilation, I fully appreciated the culture, history, and poetic beauty of each artist’s contribution.
Through their music, all of the women share personal stories that also form a common bond with all women of the world—loss of love, a mother’s love, a sister’s love, the joy of life, the sadness of life, a yearning for peace, a striving to make a difference, and a hope for a better world.
In “One Voice,” Canada’s The Wailin’ Jennys sing: “This is the sound of all of us / Singing with love and the will to trust / Leave the rest behind, it will turn to dust / This is the sound of one voice / One people, one voice / A song for every one of us.”
On “Bida Mariadu” (Bad Life) Lura sings in Cape Verdean Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African languages) of a mother’s advice to her son, urging him to endure life’s challenges. “My son, tighten your belt / Don’t lose heart / Life never kisses your hand / You must have willpower / In poverty / You must be patient / And arm yourself with courage in everyday life.”
On “Tucá La Louna” (Touch the Moon), Croatian Tamara Obrovac sings of her people’s quest for hope and salvation. “Sitting on the moon / I watch the world / Falling backwards / Everybody on top of each other / Is stretching out to the moon / The two of us like feathers / Placed on the church tower in the night / We are the white serenade.”
Cameroon’s Kaïssa’s “Wa” is dedicated to her beloved deceased sister, a song about love, separation, grief, and hope. In “Paula Ausente,” inspired by Isabel Allende’s book Paula, Colombia’s Marta Gómez sings of the depth of a mother’s love for her child.
On a personal note, as a WAMM member who sometimes wonders if we make a difference in the scheme of things, the soulful song by Marta Topferova of the Czech Republic gave me hope. “Grano de Arena” (Grain of Sand), sung to the background of a Venezuelan harp and drums, translates: “I’m just a grain of sand / On the dunes next to the sea / Or in the clock inside the glass / I’m no more than a candle / Able to illuminate / A little bit of darkness.” If we as WAMM members are no more than a candle, at least our candles are illuminating a little bit of darkness. We need our candles.
Women of the World: Acoustic was released on International Women’s Day, and as a tribute to this tradition Putumayo World Music is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this album to the Global Fund for Women (www.globalfundforwomen.org) in support of its efforts to promote and defend the human rights of women and girls around the world.
For more information about Women of The World: Acoustic, go to: www.putumayo.com. |
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Word UP
I don’t know a more irreligious attitude, one more utterly bankrupt of any human content, than one which permits children to be destroyed.
—Daniel Berrigan
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
—Edith Wharton
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© 2007 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete April 2007 Index - click here
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