Songs for Shedeur

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Shedeur will throw again. Walk tall towards the sun. 

Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes' quarterback was injured in the 17 November loss to  Washington State Cougars, 56-14. I feel bad for him, makes me think of sad songs on the radio.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 made us do things we had not done in a while, like listening to that old radio, sitting on the shelf. We seldom do it anymore because we have radio apps that give us radio stations from all over the world.

Listening to a stand-alone radio without head phones is a joy. I had forgotten that I could do many things while listening to the radio. I’m not a hostage, stuck to a chair like glue, watching television or screening online movies.

What I enjoy most about radio are the songs, especially songs about journeys, songs that explain who what why where and when, songs like Memories by Maroon 5 and Khalid’s Can’t We Just Talk? 

Memories

Somebody is at a bar and reminisces about yesterday and today, people he lost on the way and the hurt. Oh! the hurt. I wonder why we remember the pain and not the good times. That’s human nature I guess.

‘everybody hurts sometimes

everybody hurts someday.’

It’s just a song but why does it reminds me of my own broken dreams? How does the singer put it? ‘when I believed in forever.’ I don’t know why I take it personally because Memories is about the bigger scheme of things.

‘when I felt all the hatred

was too powerful to stop.’

Can’t We Just Talk by Khalid, is another song they always play on the radio. This one seems to have one theme, feelings, real or imagined, there’s a destination but it’s not defined that is why the two should talk. The will is there so things are looking up.

‘penthouse view

left some flowers in the room

I’ll make sure I leave the door unlocked’.

Easy listening, an open-ended song, full of possibilities but who knows? That’s why they have to talk. Songs are fiction right? But I still want the story. That's why Tracy Chapman's Fast Car visits me from time to time.

I even find stories in jazz: the piano, brass section, drums and even that big ole stand-up bass guitar. Call me old school -which by the way- is the new school.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Executive Blogger

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