by Nomad
As you know by now, the sources for our music for Sanity Sunday breaks are diverse. This week we turn to an Algerian singer of Berber descent, songwriter, and guitarist, Souad Massi.
One doesn't get much more eclectic than Massi. From her Wikipedia entry:
Massi's music, which prominently features the acoustic guitar, displays Western musical style influences such as rock, country or the Portuguese fado but sometimes incorporates oriental musical influences and oriental instruments like the oud as well as African musical stylings. Massi sings in Classical Arabic, Algerian Arabic, French, occasionally in English, and in the Berber language, Kabyle, often employing more than one language in the same song.Back in 2006, when Massi won that year's World Music award, BBC Radio described her as a series of wonderful enigmas.
She's an Algerian superstar who has never played a note of rai music. She's a Muslim woman who refuses to act as some kind of self-appointed spokesperson on womanhood and Islam. She's a Berber of Kabyle origin, but has never been a flag-waver for the Berber cause.
...But the world loves an enigma, and enigmas rarely come as talented, beautiful, honest and courageous as Souad Massi.
Ghir Enta, which, I believe, means "Not You."
"The Storyteller"
Here's a translated excerpt from that song.
I'm about to tell a story
We'll be far from this world
I'm about to tell a story
Every one of us has a story in his heart
Narrate and forget we're adults
In your mind we're young
Tell us about heaven and hell
About the bird that never flew in his life
Make us understand the meaning of the world.
Don't Cry"
To round things off, I have included a medley of songs from a TV performance.
I hope this music brings both comfort and strength. Have a great Sunday and a super Easter.