Wednesday, December 4, 2013

language part 2 - musica

one of the best ways to fall in love with a language is to listen to it's music.
but i've actually been having a bit of a problem with this.
i do enjoy a lot of latin-american music, but there's some days that you just don't feel like listening to love songs or marc anthony (especially if your neighbours are enjoying him for you on repeat)... and salsa all day every day just gets a little over-stimulating.
and in the meantime, recuperating from the constant adjusting that happens outside my door, has driven me to create a haven of familiar sounds in my home... but alas this works against my purpose of gaining some momentum in the world of spanishness.
so, in an attempt to immerse myself further, i've embarked on an extensive search for some fresh spanish-speaking musicians who have the elements that i love. soothing tunes, great imagery. lyrics i can really delve into.
and this week i struck gold with these guys. vetusta morla.


i've always had a thing for this style of writing, layers of meaning, possibly incomprehensible, but delicious nonetheless (therefore, my undying love of crowded house). these guys definitely have something good going. and i love that the guitar work is simple enough to learn... :)

ive spent the past few days wandering around my apartment singing snatches of this song, finally breaking through the wall of english.

in fact, i've become so enamored with this band's poetic style, last night i got inspired and wrote a whole song of my own in spanish. (set to brazilian music of course- there has to be compromise somewhere). all the ideas that i'd stored up for a long time, which couldn't find a home in english, just came pouring out. turns out spanish is full of fun alliterations which lend themselves very well to lyrics. and there's a freedom in trying to express yourself in a new language... not tied down to preconceptions about how things should be structured.
this could be an exciting new branch of songwriting...
letting the words roll off my tongue is the happiest part.

singing is still much easier (and more confidence building) than stumbling through a conversation... *sigh*. i feel like i'm an awkward teenager all over again.
the strange part of language is it's comings and goings. some days, it's crisp and clear in mind, ready to use, sentences flow freely, i know how to say what i want.
other days, it's more like sailing through a thick fog. totally confused as to where i am and where to go.
the inconsistancy is the hardest part. but we all have days like that in english too, right? or times of day...
(see post about mornings. it still applies.)

but i'm enjoying the breakthroughs that do come (great relief), and finding a few new things to love and make my own.

little ways of making the hard work just a little more... fun ;)

peace out.


(coming soon, a new album of love songs by sail. written entirely in spanish. guest appearance by marc anthony.)


(i wish...)



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