Music and Lyrics

Songs like Shape of You and Despacito have been sweeping the world ever since their release. They have made their place in history and in people’s lips, if not in their hearts. They have made millions through social media, received awards, broken previous records and so on.

What these songs are about is anybody’s guess – songs with so much flesh, literally, but without bones to make them stand. We still talk about songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s saying they were the best. When we talk about those songs we not only talk about the music but also about the heartwarming, meaningful lyrics. Songs that could be sung at a bar or at a children’s get together. We even call some of them evergreen songs. Today most artists and promoters are doing things just for fame and money. They know what they’re doing, how these songs will affect the new generation.

Artists and musicians have written songs that have built societies, created bond among people, protested wrong-doing, exposed oppressions and so on. Musicians took pains to compose and create good music.

Hope to see musicians and artists uphold the spirit of great music that touches out heart and soul and not just our senses.

Shape of you

Things come in all shapes and sizes. You get to choose what you want. Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You won the Grammy this year and people are not going gaga over it. They are not taking this shape although the song became a super duper hit.

What does Grammy stand for? Women are humiliated and objectified indirectly even though the world talks about equality. Women are still abused and oppressed subtly in songs, advertisements, fashion, art and other areas. Shape of you is a song that lusts for a woman. Children like this song but they have no idea what it’s about.

What is the shape of you? These days songs become hit and everyone starts singing, without even thinking what’s it all about. Are we taking anything and everything that comes our way? Don’t we give it a thought before embracing? Have we lost our ability to discern?

Grammy is supposed to have people with Phds in music, who can judge a good song from a bad one, who can tell the world what good music is all about. No doubt Ed Sheeran is a great songwriter and singer but this particular song didn’t deserve a Grammy.

What you choose to follow determines the ‘shape of you’ – your personality. If you choose something just because it’s popular then you are just going with the tide. Grammy’s surely is losing its greatness.

Hope is necessary

My wife and daughter are out of town. I am alone in the house. When I come back from work there will be no one home. Hope is what keeps us going. It’s hoping to see them come back soon that motivates me even though they aren’t with me.

Hope is so essential in living life. Without it we cannot go further, especially when you see so many bad things happening in the world. Hope keeps things alive in our heart. I guess people give up when they lose that last string called hope.

The First Decision

If you think you’re having a bad day think of the decisions you make through the day. Every step we take is preceded by our decision. When the alarm goes off in the morning we have a choice to get up or snooze for 10 minutes more. That’s the first decision of the day. This decides how you’re gonna have your day.

The day is in our hands, to make it or waste it. Everyone in your office is not nice but that doesn’t mean they are gonna screw your happiness. You have to train your mind to ward off things that try to spoil your day. Saying loudly early morning ‘i will have a great day’ will propel you into having a great day, no matter how much work you’ve got to do. I used to very tired 12 years ago because I always used to say I’m tired. Now I am more active and full of energy at the end of the day. I stopped telling myself that i’m tired. I saw a video sent by a friend today that talks about the ‘first decision’ and I truly agree to the idea. I also snooze the alarm a lot. I have to get up as soon as the alarm goes off.

If I am late getting up, everything that I have planned for the day gets delayed by that much time. We get stressed and frustrated when things don’t happen as planned. I think the alarm is called alarm because that should alarm us to live every moment.

Giving them a Dream

I just finished the book on Charles Miller who introduced football in Brazil in the 19th century. He not only gave them football but also gave them a dream.

It’s very rare to find someone who will provoke you to dream, to think beyond your limited means. Before Charles Miller arrived in Brazil the Englishmen kept to themselves, mixing only with their own, playing cricket within the British community. They never thought of others as good as themselves. Charles Miller was different. When he introduced football in Brazil, he opened up to the Brazilians too. He didn’t confine the game within his own community. He ‘gave it away’ and gave those little boys a bigger world. He didn’t make a boundary to play, to think, to dream. He taught all the rules to them not withholding anything in fear of losing superiority. He was a change maker. Today football is almost synonymous with Brazil.

Giving people what they themselves can’t see is a selfless act. We cannot limit the new generation from thinking beyond what we have achieved. Very few people know Charles today but what he did was priceless – making Brazilians dream.

Outdoor Guitar Class

When it rain, things look so beautiful. I am one of those who really love the rain and I am game to go out and have a hot cup of roadside ‘chai.’ I tried something different as well today when it rained. The cool breeze, not so biting, was good enough to lure me out into the ‘world.’ Top it all I had the guitar with me.

I took my guitar and gave a guitar lesson to a new student, who picked up pretty well, being a first-timer. I realised that in winter or when the weather is nice it’s good to have guitar class outdoor. It’s so much fun to play and sing as you teach. It’s also a way to attract new students because when you play outside people come and see. Some of them might be interested to take a lesson.

Guitar, chai and rain work wonders. Rain always inspires me to do fun things, to be creative, to explore, even if it’s just going out for a walk.

Sleeping with Francis

It’s a taboo in the Western World to think of two boys sleeping in one bed. If two grown up boys or two girls walk hand in hand people will think they are in a relationship. It’s amazing how the world is changing.

There used to be times when friends used to hold hands and walk. They used to play carrying each other on their back. They would go to each other’s house and sleep over. Parents would welcome such ‘relationship.’ They encouraged that in fact. Things are different today, the opposite is accepted more. A boy seen with a girl is considered normal. In this part of the world things are taking time to change, but they are changing. Recently my old friend came and stayed with us. He lives in New York and had made a stopover in Delhi. Since it’s winter and sleeping on the floor is unthinkable we slept in one bed. It was quite awkward when I first thought about it. I realised it’s still normal here.

The old value systems are slowly fading from the world and new ‘value’ systems are taking over. The world has been changing at ‘the speed of light’ post Y2K and we shouldn’t be surprised at anything unusual that may come.

Rest a while

In our busy schedules most of us forget to schedule time for leisure and quietness. The world is getting smaller, people are getting busier, gadgets are ruling lives and individuals are becoming lonely.

Today, If you have a friend you can talk to, you’re lucky. People are too busy doing things, completing projects, visiting places. It’s so important to just sit and relax sometimes. Books can never be replaced by digital tabs or so called kindle. Shaking hands will never go out of fashion. Kicking the ball around with friends will never be replaced by virtual FIFA. Visiting your friend and giving a surprise visit still creates wonders. Goals, targets, success and status have overpowered these little things that give us so much joy. Everyone is out there to achieve something and still they don’t seem to get ‘there.’ The worst thing is if we tell the present generation they brush off our ‘old and archaic’ ideas.

I wonder what’s next that’s going to take us by surprise but I am of the old school regarding where my happiness lies – walking with a friend, reading a book, looking at the sunset, shaking hands with friends, kicking the football, jamming up with friends. What’s your take?

Parenting Happens

For my daughter, keeping her room tidy depends on her mood. She has very good interior aesthetics though. Today in our casual conversation I mentioned to her that I didn’t teach her one thing when we were raising her – to keep her toys back and tidy the room after she finished playing.

I also told her that she should take care of that aspect with her children. As I told her this I realised that parenting is so unique. No guide book or advice will suffice. Every child is unique and that’s why every parent faces unique challenges. If there was one single formula that worked for all – one size fits all kinda thing – there would be no problem raising anyone. In fact if you have more than one child you have to raise them in different ways.

Parenting is growing with the child. It happens when it actually happens. You can only share your experiences, not a formula. I guess that’s the beauty of raising children.

No Guts, No Glory – Part 2

The Englishmen considered punctuality equal to morality. They wouldn’t leave their child alone with a person who is unpunctual. Continuing from the book I am reading, this is what I found. I am sure, if it weren’t for the British, Brazil would never have got the railroad in the 18th century.

The Brazilian climate was harsh for the British coming from such cold climate of London. But they didn’t give up. Yes they also had business interest but they never did a shoddy job just because they were doing in an alien country. In fact wherever they went they built those places. Not just Englishmen but people from all over the world explored, discovered, invented, fought, worked hard and today we have a world that is built with courage and gumption. When Charles Miller wanted to introduced football in Brazil, his friends said it’s impossible to play football in that hot climate. His faith and passion pushed him to go on and today we have the luxury of watching the brilliance of Brazilian football.

Someone has said that those who have never failed have never lived. These ‘explorers’ failed many times but they pressed on. Courage is acting despite of fear and that’s exactly what the ‘oldies’ did. The faced their fear and uncertainty and overcame all the odds.