#indian love songs mash up

[ghostcurse]

@ispyspookymansion tagged the whole world in this and i am one of the world

rules: answer and tag nine people you want to get to know better or catch up with

fav color: i guess it's technically magenta but i like it more along the lines of burgundy, not to be pretentious

last song: last song i willingly listened to was "bollywood apologetics" by black wing, but my lyft driver was listening to simple plan and "anywhere but here" was playing as i was crying in his backseat trying not to puke bc i had a sippy sip of the devil's water (unrelated 2 the crying, i was being so brave about it)

currently reading: i haven't read any of my books in a while but i have The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones next to me - he's Blackfeet native and it's a horror novel centered around Blackfeet natives and it's Very Interesting. afaik they all had a sort of Incident involving elk and the book starts with them being haunted by their past. there Is ghost elk, and it's fun. i like his writing style. would recommend so far.

currently watching: i have amanda the jedi's newest video queued up for uhhhh Under Paris? i love her, i can listen to lesbians talk about movies forever

currently craving: chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes

coffee or tea: tea, coffee makes me shit bad )o: i like earl gray the most but i love a cold jasmine milk tea, as well. been trying fruity tea at work, too, love that shit

tagging: @labgrownmeat @huldrekarl / @stromkarl (idk which one you prefer to be tagged my b!) @stupidpunk @i-say-spooky-you-say-scary oh no i'm forgetting what friends do things like this............ i also tag... You

[wonderkat11]

My ideas for Just Dance 2 Animal AU

It’s Raining Men/Lari = Turtle.

TikTok/Kayla = Shiba Inu.

A-Punk/Thomas & Mia = Dog & Cat.

I Got You (I Feel Good)/Benjamin = Kermode Bear.

When I Grow Up/Lady = Flamingo.

Toxic/Ivy = Siamese.

Idealistic/Neona = Bat.

Girlfriend/Amy & Matilda = Fox & Rabbit.

S.O.S./Anzia = Coyote.

Dagomba = Asiatic Golden Cat.

Move Your Feet/Charlie = Iguana.

Proud Mary/Mary = Ostrich.

Hot Stuff/Nelly & Benny = Apes.

Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)/Laura = Hippopotamus.

I Want You Back/Thor = Quagga.

Iko Iko/Arizona = Crocodile.

Katti Kalandal/Veena & Manjul = Elephants.

Holiday/Goldie = Hyena.

Call Me/Samara = Labrador.

Sway (Quién Será)/Arista & Quinn = Swans.

Satisfaction/Isaac = Leopard.

Hey Ya!/Moses = Monkey.

Mugsy Baloney/Nia & Callum = Gazelle & Dolphin.

Baby Girl/Matthew (Matt) = Owl.

Jungle Boogie/Harry = Cheetah.

Crazy in Love/Anjia = Poodle.

Soul Bossa Nove/Aleena & Sam = Parrot & Red Wolf.

D.A.N.C.E./Lime = Toucan.

Sympathy for the Devil/Auli'i = Devon Rex.

Rasputin/Boris = Bull.

Jump in the Line/Caroline & Alexa = Giraffe & Arctic Fox.

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go/Eric = Gazelle.

Walk Like an Egyptian/Rula = Camel.

The Power/Khalid = Otter.

Jump/Momoe & Graham = Gray Foxes.

Monster Mash/Frank = Elk.

Take Me Out/Pyra = Octopus.

That's Not My Name/Jane = Rabbit.

The Shoop Shoop Song/Marie & Svetlanta = Gazelle & Coyote.

Cosmic Girl/Mariana = Panda.

Body Movin'/Juliana = Venom Snake.

Viva Las Vegas/Sebastian = Crab.

Alright/Amanda & Dan = Siamese & Monk Parakeet.

Rockafeller Skank/Kevin (Or you can call him DJ DNC3) = Skunk.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?/Rob = Red Wolf.

Funkytown/Oob = Darwin Frog.

Jai Ho! (You are my Destiny)/Kammi = Indian Leopard.

Firework/Icy = Fox.

Pon de Replay/Yui = Hyena.

Barbie Girl/Diva & Rex = Swam & Wolf.

Pump Up the Volume/Mikey = Hedgehog.

Maniac/Isabella = Flamingo.

Born to be Wild/Wolf = Wolf.

Professor Pumplestickle/Zeka & Pumplehead = Coyote & Frog.

Crying Blood/Miranda = Dalmation.

Down by the Riverside/Jennifer = Dove.

Fuetbol Crazy/Alice = Savannah.

Kung fu Fighting/Master Mantis & Dawn = Goat & Tiger.

Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of Monika)/Steve & Elsa = Bear & .

Nine in the Afternoon/Mona & Jake = Cat & Dog.

It’s not Unusual/William = Pug.

Chicken Payback/Louis = Jersey Giant Chicken.

Crazy Christmas/Santa = Reindeer.

Skin to Skin/Perry = Parrot.

You Can’t Hurry Love/Gigi & Lily = Dolphins.

Why oh Why?/Michelle and Howard = Bear & Red Robin Bird.

American Boy/Taio & Julia = Owl & Jaybird.

Come on, Eileen/Soraya & Lucky = Fawn & Mouse.

Song 2/Zack, Bianca, & Josh = Deer, Penguin, & Arctic Wolf.

Spice Up Your Life/Jazzy & Pink = Peacock & Squirrel.

Here Comes the Hotstepper/Shaun = Rabbid.

Movin' on Up/Mindy = Snake.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

More than two miles long and 1,142 feet tall, Uluru, the red sandstone rock formation in Australia’s Northern Territory, wows travelers during the day.

But now, a new night spectacle Wintjiri Wiru illuminates the darkness adjacent to the monolith in a way that reveals Indigenous culture while dazzling with high-tech sound and lights.

“Humans are drawn to light—just think of how compelling sunsets are,” says Melbourne light artist Bruce Ramus, who designed the work in collaboration with the local Anangu people and Voyages Indigenous Tourism.

Wintjiri Wiru is just the latest offering—and newest technology — in the tradition of son et lumière (sound and light) shows, grand public spectacles projected on to (or close to) historic buildings and natural wonders.

These mash-ups of pageantry, culture, and art are experiencing a boom fueled by digital advances and tourist sites looking to attract visitors after dark.

Here’s where to see the latest shows, plus why visitors love these “virtual campfires.”

How did sound and light shows start?

Paul Robert-Houdin created the first sound and light show in 1952 at France’s Château de Chambord.

Music and narration played while slide projectors splashed colored lights on the 16th-century palace.

“We had the feeling that a new way of discovering and understanding monumental heritage was perhaps being born,” one observer wrote in Le Figaro newspaper.

The concept was a hit.

“Standing in the dark and being immersed in sounds and images creates a sense of enchantment,” says Jane Lovell, a professor of tourism at Canterbury Christ Church University in England.

In the following decades, other storied sites harnessed that magic, such as the Red Fort in Delhi, India, and Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

“There were captive audiences for these attractions, so the efforts were minimal—just light up these beautiful things that already existed,” says California light show producer Ryan Miziker.

Early technology was expensive and bulky: sofa-sized slide carousels, finicky stereo speakers that malfunctioned in bad weather.

The storytelling, if mostly historically accurate, could be clunky and lecturing.

At Egypt’s Pyramids at Giza, the still-running circa-1961 show features the Sphinx “narrating” a lofty spiel about ancient life as murky colored lights wash over the monuments.

https://youtu.be/anLYLqMyK1I

How tech took over light shows

“Son et lumieres started out as pretty rudimentary things—a castle would be lit up and a soundtrack would say, ‘this tower was built in 1592,’” says Ross Ashton of London’s Projection Studio, which designs extravaganzas for attractions from Welsh castles to Indian fortresses.

But by the 1990s, innovations in video, lasers, and audio meant creators could screen riveting, mind-bending shows.

“Digital video changed everything,” says Miziker.

“We had software to do 3-D mapping, which takes a round object like a globe and flattens it, or wraps any structure in overlapping, blending geometry.”

Sound evolved, too.

“Bells, spoken voices from different directions, or a fireball rolling, you can layer sound up, so it feels like a tapestry,” says Projection Studio’s sound artist Karen Monid.

Today’s sound and light shows are like mini action movies screened on historic buildings or natural wonders.

San Antonio’s The Saga wraps the 18th-century San Fernando Cathedral in sound effects (mariachi ballads, cannon blasts) and painterly images (folk dancers, renderings of the Alamo) to tell the story of the Texas city.

In Jerusalem, Israel, the ancient Tower of David has two night shows, one on city history and the other about the biblical shepherd-turned-ruler that gave the site its name.

Wintjiri Wiru harnesses LED lights, lasers, sound, and 1,100 drones to recount a legend from the Anangu, who consider Uluru sacred.

The show depicts mala (wallaby-rabbit) beings battling a gigantic devil dog spirit.

“Combine light with sound—in this case Anangu songs and other effects—and it’s like the desert is speaking,” says Ramus.

Other projects are more abstract, such as the new Aura Invalides show at Les Invalides in Paris, which fills the grand interiors of the historic military monument with surreal rays of colored light and outlines architectural elements in laser graffiti.

“People move around within the building, making it more like a 360-degree immersion than something didactical,” says Manon McHugh, a spokesperson for Moment Factory, the studio that created the show.

Why travelers love spectacles

Experts think people are drawn to these shows for their sense of wonder and spectacle.

“Sound and light shows are like fireworks—it’s impossible to look away,” says Miziker.

"Since audiences are sitting in the dark, there’s cognitive dissonance, with the atmosphere almost becoming its own entity,” says Lovell.

https://youtu.be/FV3XdOda3zM

Plus, in this age of Instagram, sound and light spectacles make ideal selfie backdrops or video ops.

“When Moment Factory started doing shows, we didn’t want people to have their phones out,” says McHugh.

Now, other digital production studios build in elements like photo booths to encourage participants to share their experiences.

How sound and light shows help tourist sites

Sound and light shows can be expensive and time-consuming to design.

(Wintjiri Wiru was developed over several years and cost $10 million.)

But many tourist attractions and cities are willing to shell out.

“They produce new income streams,” says Ashton. “People normally go home at night, but if you sell them a ticket to an illumination, they’ll come back.”

Many sound and light experiences in public, urban spaces — outside cathedrals, on city halls, across skyscrapers — are free, but paid for by cities to give visitors an excuse to stay an extra night.

“We used to think of tourism as a daytime activity, but there has been this tourist-ification of the night,” says Andrew Smith, a professor of urban experiences at England’s University of Westminster.

“Now cities want to attract people and keep them in town. It’s a commodification of the night, a way to extend economic and cultural activity.”

Studies indicate that these shows might even make city downtowns feel safer. “It starts to dematerialize the buildings,” says Ramus.

“You just see the lights, and our cities become transparent. They feel gentler.”

[40sandfabulousaf]

大家好! I returned to Song Yue, the restaurant Pa introduced me to, with LL, the expat friend from China, in tow. Both Song Yue and Din Tai Fung serve dishes from Taiwan island, but they couldn't be more different. The latter is famous for la mian xiao long bao (handpulled noodles and soup dumplings); the former specialises in jia chang bian cai (homestyle cooking). We had pork ribs and radish, poached cabbage with fish maw and egg floss, as well as ginger duck, their specialty dishes. LL especially loved the pork ribs and radish, as did I, although everything was excellent. I also collected the Legend Age moisturiser and eye cream which I'd ordered. LL included a foundation FOC for me to try, as well as a facial mask sheet. Yay!

A new stall serving Western-style meals opened near our office and they offered a promotional price for teriyaki grilled chicken to mark their opening: $6.90 (regular price $9). SC, ML, MI and I decided to try it. I asked for teriyaki sauce on the side but ended up not touching any: the dish was tasty on its own. The chicken looks large but it's pretty flat and quite crispy whilst remaining tender and juicy. The meal came with 2 sides: 4 onion rings and buttery mashed potato. This was undeniably good, but $6.90 good, not $9 good. I won't be ordering it once the promotion ends. The quantity of chicken doesn't justify the price tag.

Another week, another bowl of zha jiang mian (pork noodles in bean sauce). The stall I was at seemed to be owned by Malaysians rather than China nationals. I decided to give them a try and requested for additional vegetables to go with my noodles. Instead of shredded carrot and cucumber which are usually served with this dish, there was... a mound of lettuce. I was disappointed but tucked in anyway. Honestly, it wasn't bad. The noodles were quite smooth and slurpable and the tasty sauce coated each strand without being too salty. My main gripe is, the soybeans were too hard and chewy instead of soft and palatable. It isn't something I'll specially return for, but it was decent. I'll try their tomato egg noodles next time if I happen to be within the vicinity and have a craving for some.

I'm not a fan of coleslaw because many places add too much mayo and the mixture ends up gloopy, but I needed my veggie fix during WFH lunch this week. Coleslaw was the only veggie menu item at the stall serving local western style meals near my home, so I ordered it along with chicken spaghetti. The portion was pretty reasonable for $3 and it was actually good! The thinned out mayo didn't overwhelm the crunchy sweetness of fresh carrots and cabbage. I polished off the little dish before tucking into the chicken and spaghetti. This still isn't my favourite way to eat vegetables, so it will remain a last resort. On the bright side, I know where to get some coleslaw that isn't gloopy now!

It's been another eventful week as more nations signal their displeasure against the war in Gaza, from Chile joining developing countries rallying behind the genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, France banning Israeli companies at a weapons exhibition, Maldives banning Israeli tourists to Ghent University severing ties with all Israeli academic and research institutions. I hope this brings some comfort to Palestinians in Gaza, where children are once again suffering from malnutrition following Israel's invasion of Rafah. The above video shows very disturbing images of sickly, emaciated children. One can only hope their nightmare ends soon and this war finally comes to an end. Stay strong Gaza! 下次见!

[artistbookings]

DJ Amit - Bollywood Style

As an experienced DJ with nearly two decades of experience in the industry, DJ Amit is dedicated to delivering unforgettable music experiences to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The ability to break through and mix the music seamlessly to keep the party going is his specialty!

He crafted his skills and started DJing, transitioning into the mobile DJ scene performing for weddings, school dances, corporate & other social events. Now he is a highly trained professional who brings along many years of experience performing for a variety of events.

Whether it’s a cultural or western event celebration, DJ AMIT and his team surely know how to cater.

Music Genre: Bollywood, Traditional and Contemporary Indian Music

Size: Solo

Buy Music: Mixcloud

Hire For: Weddings, Private Events, Corporate Events

Equipment Supplied: Yes

Languages: English, Hindi

Covered by the Artist Bookings 100% reschedule/replace/refund guarantee

"DJ Amit assisted us with our needs on song mash-up for our wedding reception intro. He produced it exactly the way we wanted. Highly professional and a simple person with a bright smile. Highly recommend his services to anyone seeking solid entertainment. He is more than a DJ package himself alone..."  -- Shalend P. "Worked with Amit for our wedding reception - great service, extremely reliable and friendly. Couldn't have asked for someone better!"  -- Vaishali S. "DJ Amit did an exceptional job for our wedding reception. He catered to the guests and ensured that everyone was having a good time. Amit went above and beyond our expectations with the cold sparks and cloud effects. We highly recommend him to any couple for their special day!"  -- Angela P. "Thank You DJ Amit for providing excellent entertainment. Amit played a nice variety of music. Throughout our planning, he stayed in touch about what we wanted for our party. He listened to our requests and put together a killer playlist. He cared about the subtle details and showed that he wanted to make our experience unique and matching to our theme/tone. The dance floor was full the entire night and our guests loved the variety of music. Highly recommend!"  -- Sneha S. "DJ Amit is the best! He was the DJ at an event for 700 people and he rocked it!!!! He played the tunes for my show, was so easy to work with and very talented! I highly recommend booking him for your event."  -- Nick B. "Thank you so much for and absolutely amazing and entertaining night for my dad's 50th birthday. We thoroughly enjoyed it!"  -- Shikha M.

[quarantinegirls]

Who the f*** are the Arctic Monkeys?

Late on a winter night in 2016, while reviewing for our supply chain management final together, my friend started playing music in an effort to stay awake. Fluorescent Adolescent was the first song that came on, and it was like - all senses came alive. I was inducted into what was apparently Rock music.

My understanding of music was uneducated and naive, at best. I'd thought that Rock listeners were pretentious - a series of indistinguishable words mashed with fast notes and loud, busy drumbeats, it's like, what do they got to prove? It's all so similarly aimless and void of emotion other than what 'being yelly' could convey. The Asian music I grew up listening to was melodical, lyrical, and oftentimes followed a predictable but comforting path. As a college student, my playlists barely ventured outside of the soothing-sobby-acoustic-bluesy-jazzy family.

I think everyone has a few of these moments in life - discovering something they thought was 'too strong' and 'not for them' was actually meant for no one but them, like Indian food, like skiing, like the first Arctic Monkeys song.

Accidentally stepping through a dimension, and forever lingering there.

The next two years, I listened to their songs enough times to memorize all the words, some of which I'd come to forget and relearn. Then TBHC came out in 2018 and it was nothing like the sound AM fans were used to. Alex Turner combed back his hair, exchanged leather jacket for English suits, and rock was gone from their music. Not even one song acknowledged the kind of music that had catapulted them to that point. I, like many fans, was confused, listened to it a couple more times, and went back to AM.

Until 2020, when suddenly, The Ultracheese and Four Out of Five seemed so fitting in a world full of despair and anxiety. I lived alone, unsure how long it'd be before I'd see my parents again, and far away from all my friends in Dallas. One night, I laid down on the living room floor, turned off all the lights, and played TBHC in its entirety, and for the first time, got it.

I wish I could say that the years spent loving Arctic Monkeys made me a more sophisticated listener of music. Truth is... it didn't. I still have whole genres of music on my to-know list, some of which are embarrassingly familiar to about 90% of American households. But it did make me more open, informed, appreciative, loving, daring, and full of wonder.

Not so long ago I learned that birdwatchers become birdwatchers with what they call a 'spark bird': a bird that suddenly just made sense, a bird that opens up the world of birdwatching for them. And I thought, wow, what a beautiful thing.

Liking this band has felt like catching up in many ways. The spark bird moment for me was 3 years after they released their most successful album, and TBHC made sense to me 3 years after its release, too. It's almost like they do a decent job pivoting away from leather jacket-wearing teens into 30-something adults that have families to raise. At Red Rocks last week, they each occupied a large slice of the stage. The light on Alex would dim, almost intentionally, and Matt would look like he was in the center instead, smashing away on his drums on full throttle.

And screaming 'yelly music' with 10000 other people, I felt almost, almost! caught up.

-R

[lifeworksstudios]

Top 9 songs for bridal entry that you shouldn’t miss in 2022!

We have the best and unheard song recommendations for your bridal entry! It’s gotta be exclusive! Not going to spam you with 20+ Best Indian Bridal Entry Songs. or Top 30 Songs For Your Grand Bridal Entry. or 30+ Trending & Popular Bridal Entry Songs To Add To Your Wedding Playlist.

If there is one feature of Indian weddings which has always kept us enthralled, that is the entrance of a bride. Isn’t it?

With Best pre wedding photographers in India the entire world coming to a standstill due to this unprecedented situation sparked by the novel coronavirus, it seems that bonds have gotten stronger than ever in the quarantine.

One of the primary shifts in tectonics which the current love stories are witnessing is marriage behind closed doors. Sounds a bit untoward? Well, let’s face it, safety is paramount while loving tags along. So where do we come to in these times of confinement?

We come to the weddings at home. Intimate Weddings.

The Best wedding photographer in Gurgaon new trend but a very effective one that holds up the ritualistic ethos and concurrently bonds you and your partner in an eternal dance of life.

Before we delve into the core of this piece, let’s have a look at the pros and cons of weddings at home. The pros are as eternal as ever, a simple ceremony that sees two love birds, coming together forever in a heavenly bond in front of the most important people they care about.

Shrinking the event down to a cozy, intimate 40-50 guests size guarantees you’ll love where your money goes and have tons of memories with every single guest.

Elegance blended in perfect proportions with beauty, graces down the podium to the beats of love. Now, for Destination wedding photographers these beats of love have be a cliche for some time now as almost the same songs are being played over and over again.

Well, at times, if you peek behind the curtains, the crowd present doesn’t hesitate to twist their face in disapproval.

Now with a limited gathering, you have to be extremely choosy in picking up your song for bride entry.

It has to be perfect that encapsulates your grace, Wedding photographers in Delhi    

your heartbeats in love, and most importantly leave the guests starstruck.

So if you are going to take our word for songs, maybe we can give you a very carefully hand-picked collection that has been exclusively chosen only for you.

Samjhawan/Mitwa/Mahi ve – Acoustic cover by Bryden-Parth ft The Choral Riff

Classical music has been like an unputdownable vein in the culture of Indian weddings. However, not everyone can connect to the depth of such beautiful music.

Now Pre wedding photographers in Delhi NCR there is always a bridge between young and old as this cover brings you exactly the perfect blend of classical and modern. Played on a guitar and a flute, this mash-up of three songs brings close to you the essence of love almost without speaking one single word.

The three songs chosen in this mashup are probably the most apt ones that your heart craves for to hear from your loved one.

It would be an absolute wonder for an Indian bride to walk down the ramp, to the tones of these love numbers, punched into one with a beautifully concocted tune of classical and modern fusion.

2. Latthay di Chaadar – Hari & Sukhmani

Folk isn’t really a much chosen genre when you are coming to the crowd. This song however, is like a rainbow.

A folk song with very lively tunes to tap your feet to, Laththay di Chadar will also give you the groove to dance in your wedding.

The song is mostly off-beat that makes it a perfect song of wedding, where you can showcase your elegance, your picks which comes with a touch of effortless simplicity.

Love is best noticed when spoken in the simplest tunes.

1.      3. Madhaniya – Neha Bhasin

Another Punjabi folk that is a must for wedding songs, mainly tracing its roots in North Indian weddings is Madhaniya.

Neha Bhasin’s intoxicating voice brings this song super close to you as it sprawls itself all over you and casts a magical spell of enchantment on the limited gathering of your closed ones for your grand Indian wedding.

We have seen wedding photographers in India capture artificial moments of joy. However, this song makes you smile without even you knowing and guess what, no snap can be better and happier than a candid that flaunts true love and eternity.

4. Dilbaro – Namita Choudhary

When your best man is father, is there a song better than this? #Wearenotcryingyouare. ?

This track from Razi found its way into the hearts of Indians right after it hit the silver screens.

A song for your most loved ones, this can be interpreted in several ways. However, in this scenario we are going to recommend this as an anthem for your entry.

The soothing tone of Namita Choudhary takes you to a glade of imagination where you caper freely around with your most beloved one, reprieved of all the grave thoughts of life.

A wedding is like that eternal bond that divests you of all your worries and place an eternal hand of assurance on your shoulders.

When you make the entry as the bride, and the gentle beats of this song caresses the hearing senses of the audience, it is a feeling forged right in your heart.

Din Shagna Da – Jasleen Royal

This song won its popularity as an Indian wedding song for brides when Anushka Sharma (Bollywood actress) walked down the aisle in Italy at her wedding with Virat Kohli (Indian Cricketer).

Again it was a very intimate wedding and the videos that came out will only make you awestruck and even drop a tear.

Jasleen Royal’s reposed voice makes this song extremely intimate to you that chronicles the heart and soul of two lovers Professional offbeat wedding photographers in delhi. 

Imagine you and your soulmate prancing to this melodious number without caring one bit about what the world has to say. The song is so effortlessly beautiful, that it propels you in your feet to grace the limited gathering with your angelic presence.

Samjhawan Unplugged by Alia Bhatt

Probably a love song of the decade, Samjhawan is a tale of love, very carefully crafted by the love Gods.

The intonation and the intimacy of the unplugged version, makes it one of the best songs for bridal entry.

A love story must have all the fragments of emotions which floods our life. Similarly, Samjhawan has its traces of inert beauty which wonderfully speaks volumes about the love story of two souls ready to take the flight of life.

Dilbaro/ Din Shagna da/ Madhaniya – Akriti Kakkar

We have already suggested all of these songs before, however, you should try this incredible mash-up by Akriti Kakkar.

Her powerful voice blows life to these songs along with the much-needed sweetness and happiness which these songs have always accompanied us with.

The best part of this wonderful mash-up is the grace in Akriti Kakkar’s voice which enlivens the souls around you and fills you with hope of a lovely love story that awaits you in the near offing.

 Wedding Mashup – Namita Chaudhary

This mashup is a compilation of four lovely songs, sung exclusively by the enigmatic voice of Namita Chaudhary.

Destination wedding photographers in Delhi  It starts with Laththay di Chadar that spans on for a minute and helps you to very gracefully come down the ramp, flexing your elegance. The song then very tactfully drifts to Kabira which is absolutely nailed by Namita Chaudhary, putting in all the joys of love in your wonderful life.

With your limited gathering and with such a mesmerizing collection of songs being sang one after the other,the audience would go absolutely gaga for you to walk into the eternal bond of love.

3.      9. Nachdi Phira – Shutterdown version ft Jasleen Royal

Jasleen Royal once again made the cut for perfect bridal entry songs.

May it be a walk down the memory lane or may it be a promise of the future, this version of Nachdi Phira is absolutely unputdownable for a bridal song.

Capturing the most intimate moments of one’s eternal walk of love. This song gives you the leeway to be effortlessly beautiful in front of the limited gathering that you can afford during these times of lockdown.

Though the wedding won’t really have its signature grandeur of weddings in India, it would still have its salience of impressing people with all its rituals of an Indian wedding.

We know the moments well, because the lens whispers in our wedding photographers and cinematographers ear the cue to capture your grand entrance. Here is a slew of songs that you should absolutely try for your bridal entry, coming from the heart of a wedding photographer in India.

[joemarta]

From the beats of the streets, to raising crowds to their feet

Raucous. Gritty. High-octane. These are just some of the words I can use to describe this short playlist. From pounding pavement in the streets, to rocking stages around the world, these groups truly embody what modern brass band is. Drawing inspiration from the brass band tradition of New Orleans, and combining it with a host of other genres including pop, R&B, hip-hop and more, this playlist gives you a taste of the evolving world of modern brass bands. I usually listen to this playlist whenever I am doing anything pretty physical, whether that be running, cleaning, biking, working out. It is a great playlist with a lot of energy. 

We start this playlist with the song that first got me into this genre, Lucky Chops’ Danza 2016. One of a few covers on this playlist, this song is a great example of the adaptation of pop, taking Don Omar’s hit song, Danza Kuduro, and arranging it for their band. Now Lucky Chops is the smallest band on this set, but do not let that small number fool you. What this group lacks in size, they make up for in pure raw energy. They are known for their high energy performances, including dancing, visuals, and all sorts of hootin’ and hollerin’. This piece for many, is the epitome of the Lucky Chops sound.

Up next, we have another Lucky Chops hit, but this time it’s an original. Temple of Boom is a radical change from their last piece, which goes to show the versatility of the group. They can go from pretty standard pop sounds, all the way to grunge inspired honks and barks, distorting their sound so much it's almost hard to recognize what the instruments are. This is just one group making these different sounds, now imagine hundreds of these groups, and the amount of styles they could cover. 

This third piece takes away from the buzz of the New York City based Lucky Chops, and brings us to the city of Richmond, Virginia, home of No BS! Brass Band. I personally find that Brass Knuckles really shows off the style of NBS! They have a lot more rock and hip-hop inspiration, and love to incorporate vocal sections into their music. This group packs a punch and fills the need of vocals if you really like them!

Our fourth track, one of my personal favorites; Brooklyn, by Youngblood Brass Band. I chose this piece because it features a unique instrument that many people have never heard of or even know the name of it, the sousaphone. Coming in at a whopping 35 pounds, the sousaphone acts as the bass of the group. This instrument is essentially a tuba, but one that is designed to be carried and to project over the heads of anyone in the way. A skilled sousaphonist, such as the one in YBB can do a fancy trick called multiphonics; playing and singing into the instrument at the same time, which can be heard in this piece. Side note, I may have a bit of a bias, as I do march this instrument for the Rutgers Marching Scarlet Knights. 

Our next piece is another arrangement, Killing Me Softly, by YBB. I included this one to show another adaptation of a famous pop tune that a lot of people would know. 

The last song in this set is a bit of a wildcard. While most of the groups before this take inspiration from American styles of music, Red Baraat takes inspiration from North Indian bhangra music. I wanted to include Shruggy Ji to show how widespread brass band music is, and how adaptable and unique of a genre it can be!  

Overall, brass band is really an interesting genre of music, being the intersection of so many other genres. It takes influences from around the world and mashes them all up into this really crazy style that is really hard to not start bumping along with. I hope this playlist helps you get into the style of music, and that you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. If you really do enjoy it, I personally have a larger playlist of brass band that I will link here.

[supriyajoshi]

Mashup| Tu Jane na| Rabtaa | Cover | Supriya Joshi

https://youtu.be/tz54-WoIQWU supriya joshisaregamapaplayback singeri am supriya joshiTu jane nakehte hai khuda neRabtaaiamsupriyajoshiofficialrisingstarkatrinakaifranveerkapoorajabpremkigajabkahaniindian love songs mash uplive songssongs 2021ols vs new bollywood mash upmadhya pradeshshivraj singh chauhanmadhya pradesh songpadhya preadesh anthemswachh bharatmovie songjai hojai ho madhya pradeshsurpya joshi in madhya pradeshmaro madhya pradesh re

[cultofbeatles]

facts about the beatles that i like 

ringo 

was actually the most popular member when they first arrived in america. 

was considered the best drummer in liverpool when he joined the beatles 

worlds richest drummer 

the storyteller for thomas the tank 

was the first member to try weed 

was also the first member to leave the group during the white album sessions (he came back though..obviously)

in 1961 he wanted to move to america with a friend but decided not to since there was a lot of paperwork involved 

when george had an affair with ring’s wife he said; “better you than someone I don't know”

was with his first wife when she was on her deathbed 

set up his own furniture company in 1971

he would record his drum parts in one take 

is left handed but plays with a right handed kit 

still runs on stage for performances bc he’s nervous 

when performing live he would watch john’s ass to keep up with time 

Rolling Stones ranked him the fifth best drummer in rock history 

he hated drum solos 

when John was killed he was the only beatle to fly to new york and comfort yoko 

never had pizza or onions before 

john 

enjoyed playing monopoly 

the first instrument he learned to play was the harmonica 

he enjoyed drawing and acting 

kept a light on whenever he slept 

later in his life found out he was dyslexic 

he would make lunches for his entire staff 

growing up he was self conscious about his nose 

he wanted jesus and adolf on the sgt pepper’s cover 

the only beatles not to became a vegetarian 

called paul’s music “granny music”

took paul to paris with his birthday money and bought him all the banana milkshakes he wanted 

in 1965 a reporter called him the “fat beatle” and he started to eat less after that 

didn't talk to cynthia for weeks when she cut her hair short

referred to paul as “an old estranged fiance of mine”

was the one to quit the band officially 

he was invested by the fbi when he moved to America bc he was “influencing the nations youth”

around the time he died he wanted to start touring again 

when he was younger, a friend dared him to masturbate ten times. he made it to nine. 

bought an island in 1967

made a fifteen minute motion shot with yoko of his penis going from flaccid to erect 

hated his voice and often tried to fix it on the records 

paul 

failed choir boy auditions twice 

when he first met john and played for him his voice kept cracking from nerves 

made his first girlfriend’s mom comb his leg hairs 

arrested in 1960 for lighting a condom on fire in germany 

the first instrument he learned to play was the trumpet 

him and Linda appeared on an episode of the simpsons 

once made a live web video about making mashed potatoes 

very jealous of anyone who got near John 

from past one nightstands apparently the smallest dick, but was the best in bed

was the main reason why the beatles got as much done as they did 

once took lsd with john so that he wouldn't go through it alone 

was made an honorary detective by nypd after giving a charity concert for 9/11

once told a reporter that yoko looked like a gigantic swollen chopstick with black chia pet hair 

helped julian buy john’s letters from yoko 

on the day that john told the band he was leaving them for good paul was trying to convince them to start touring again 

wrote his song here today as a poem first bc he didn't think he’d be able to sing it 

for the eight days a week movie premiere he wore the same suit he wore for the hard days night premiere and was super happy about it 

george 

first beatle to travel to america and play there as well 

organized the 1971 concert for Bangladesh with Indian musician ravi shankar

rolling stones ranked him #11 on their list of “100 greatest guitarists of all time”

two time rock and roll hall of fame inductee 

one time walked into a girls dressing room and asked if he could just look at them while masturbating

offered to come with ringo to see his sick daughter even though he was dying from cancer 

got a black eye once for defending ringo 

would make paul and john share rooms with ringo so they could make him feel more welcomed in the group 

once said he had an eight hour long erection 

lost his virginity to a german hooker with john, pete, and paul in the room 

a car enthusiast 

yoko once ate his biscuits at the studio and he called her a bitch for it 

he played violin in “all you need is love”

composed a soundtrack for a movie (wonderwall)

for most of his life he thought his birthday was feb. 25. but later on discovered it was feb. 24. he was born at 11:50 pm. 

he went to the same elementary school as john but they never met 

voted best actor out of the four 

helped broaden the beatles sound later on 

he was the first beatle to have a solo act hit #1

[tomatoluvr69]

Tagged by the stupendous one and only Jones @goatmilkoatmilk to fill out this tag game :-) impeccable taste on your answers as always

Favorite Color: my favorite color was a nice lavender purple for over a decade, but it has been joined in the last four or five years by a vibrant verdant leafy green :-) nature baby 🍃

Currently reading: VERY slowly eking my way through the memoir Dog Flowers by Danielle Geller

Last song: I don’t remember which was first and which was second but while I was dipping strawberries in chocolate I listened to Strangelove by Depeche Mode and Do You Love Me? (Part 2) by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds. Goth girl shit (I am not goth. I am making choco strawberries)

Last Movie: my last movie was Deerskin, a French indie I highly recommend if you like atmospheric murder, the blonde Adèle from Portrait of a Lady on Fire, wacky nonsensical shenanigans, and the kind of movie where a jacket tells a guy to go around forcing people to put other jackets in his trunk so he can drive away and steal them

Last series: truthfully I watch SO little television (obligatory mash was different because MeTV allowed me to stick with it by serving up 2 reruns every day) and haven’t finished another series in two or three years but I watched the first episode of succession last night :-)

Coffee or Tea: ooooooh uh this is not very dark academia or like hygge of me but I gotta go with coffee I think. Aroma alone.........love it. I finally figured out a trick to make iced coffee in 1-2 min and it’s been a lifechanger tbh. Black, or with oat milk or as an extra special treat, I make a bootleg Vietnamese coffee (espresso and sweetened condensed milk). Recently I bought some pre-mixed masala powder from the Indian grocery, and I’ve been adding a pinch to my coffee :-)

Currently working on: I’m not sure what the parameters for this question are so I’ll treat it open-ended. I am currently working on some black and white circle cookies because I woke up wanting them :-) pics to come :-) and in theory I am writing fanfiction but I have sophomore album fic syndrome and nothing is sticking longer than 12-24 hours ;-;

I will tag....... @tonightsmovie and @queer-cheer and @elicash and @columbosunday :-) and as always Y/N.........feel free to fill this out and tag me!!! I LOVE to read them :-)

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Dr. Pete Larson

Dr. Pete Larson runs Dagoretti Records now, he’s gotten there by an unusually long and winding road. Earlier in his career, Larson fronted 25 Suaves and Couch and ran BULB records. He also trained as an epidemiologist and spent time in Kenya studying the transmission of malaria. While in Kenya, he developed an interest in a lute-like eight-stringed instrument called a nyatiti and studied it with the master player Oduor Nyagweno. All these interests collide in a striking first album from Dr. Pete Larson and His Cytotoxic Nyatiti Band, where the nyatiti “cuts through a haze of electric rock distortion, pinging rhythmically and restlessly against floating euphorias of ululating vocals,” per Jennifer Kelly’s review. Here he lists some favorites from several continents.

I have been asked to create one of these lists for Dusted and here’s what I came up with. Making these lists is kind of difficult. I have a hard time remembering what I’ve been listening to at any moment, but here is a collection of old and new that get frequent airplay in my home. I play a Kenyan lyre, so this heavily leans toward lyre and harps and East African music in general, with some other choice cuts thrown in.

Musicians Of The National Dance Company Of Cambodia — Homrong (Real World Records)

I think I got this record (CD) back in the early 90s when I was selling music to Caroline Records. A friend sent me a box of CD promos, most of which wasn’t very interesting, but fortunately, this one was included. I don’t really know anything about Cambodian music, but for some reason, this collection of mid-tempo Cambodian court jamz plays every couple of months. Lots of weird sort of lurching rhythms and chorus singing with an erhu like instrument over it. A great listen.

Maleem Mahmoud Ghania w/ Pharoah Sanders — Trance of the Seven Colors

The Trance Of Seven Colors by Maleem Mahmoud Ghania w/ Pharoah Sanders

Trance inducing this is. Maleem Mahmoud Ghania is (was) one of the 20th century masters of Moroccan Gnawa music, a sort of spiritual, bass-heavy, rolling kind of music of Morocco. Any recording by Maleem Mahmoud is going to impress, but this mash of up of Gnawa with the great Pharoah Sanders is another level. If you are familiar with Gnawa music, it is a little disorienting to hear Sanders howl over the slow burn trance jamz but you are quickly drawn into what a perfect matchup this ended up being. Released on CD in the 90s, it fortunately has finally gotten a proper vinyl release.

Momoyama Harue — “Lullaby for the mother demon’s baby” (桃山晴衣* ‎– 鬼の女の子守唄)

I was playing the shamisen for a while (a three stringed lute from Japan) and found Momoyama Harue as part of my research. Shamisen is kind of a folky instrument for drinking parlors and entertainment of old Japan. The instrument and the music was nearly dead but saw a revival in the 1960s, similar to folk revivals in the US that brought the banjo back. Momoyama, however, was kind of an outlier, more arty than folky, and more poetry than song. Rather than box the music in an imagined past or try to hopelessly smash it into amplified rock music, she pushed it forward, blending it with ambient synth along with Indian and Middle Eastern musics. One of her best collaborations was with the great Egyptian oud player Hamza el Din that was nearly dead until the 1960s. All of the songs on this record are haunting (as the title suggests), but these tracks with el Din are truly singular. I have been searching for a vinyl copy of this record for years; one day I’ll get lucky.

Lucas Odote — “J. Oreng”

Nyatiti Singles Volume 1 by Lucas Odote

I spent several years in Kenya learning to play the nyatiti, an eight stringed lyre historically played by a group of people in an area around Lake Victoria. I also spent time collecting records, searching for hours in dusty boxes for Kenyan traditional music records. One of my best finds was at Jimmy’s Records in Kenyatta Markets, this record by the great Nairobi based nyatiti player Lucas Odote. Most nyatiti records are just a guy playing solo and more ethno than funky. But this one seems to be Lucas teaming up with what I think to be Nairobi funksters, the Loki Toki Tok band. At least that’s what I can guess. My copy is beat to hell. It took some doing to get some sound out of it, but this is one of my faves in my collection.

Siti Muharam — Siti of Unguja (Romance Revolution On Zanzibar)

Siti of Unguja (Romance Revolution On Zanzibar) by Siti Muharam

I swear I saw Siti Muharam sing on the deck of a hotel bar while vacation in Zanzibar several years ago. I can’t be certain, but I am pretty sure it was her singing for the band I saw. The traditional form of Taarab music is something to be experienced. Taarab music comes from the Arab coast of East Africa, and is this fantastic mix of local feel and Arab sounds, overlapped with heart wrenching songs of lost love and longing. I think there are some foreigners involved in this production, but this is an excellent document of Taarab music at its best.

Grandmaster Masese — “Orogena rwa Baba”

Grandmaster Masese: New African Soundz Singles No.1 by Grandmaster Masese

It might be gauche to put records from your own label on a list like this, but I am first a music fan and second a musician and third a music seller… so this one stays. G-master is a friend of mine from Kenya and one of the best humans I know. One of just a handful of people who play the Obokano, a giant 8 stringed lyre that emits an unforgettable sub-bass buzzing sound and this was his first release in the US and one of my favorite records ever. We recorded this in his kitchen in Nairobi with just a couple of mics over dinner. G is a cool guy. You should listen to his music.

Yagi Michiyo — Seventeen

Yagi is another Japanese musician who specializes in what one would think is a “traditional” instrument, but who brings much more to the table than one would expect. Yagi is a koto player by training. You have probably heard koto in the background music for scenes of Japan in American movies. The version you hear there is mostly lifeless and flat, kind of like a plastic chair in the corner. Yagi, however, plays the 17 string bass koto, invented in the 1920s or so, to try and give new life to the instrument. Yagi creates weird percussive, dissonant music that I can’t really get enough of.

Asnakech Worku (featuring Hailu Mergia) — Asnakech

Asnakech by Asnakech Worku

Asnakech Worku was a lot of things; pioneer, actress, but most notably a female Krar player. Certainly there might have been other female Krar players in Ethiopia at the time, but Krar players are mostly men. The Krar is a lyre from Ethiopia, mostly played with one hand, though there are several playing styles out there. Worku plays haunting sounds on her Krar on this record, backed up by famous Ethiopian keyboardist Hailu Mergia, who really needs no intro.

Ogola Opot — “Domtila Ogola”

This will probably be the only 78 on this list. Ogola Opot is considered the grandfather of the Kenyan nyatiti, coming to prominence in the 1960s and 70s, and creating the genre we know as Siaya style “traditional nyatiti.” If someone asks me what nyatiti music sounds like, this is probably where I would have people start. I include this first because it is a great record and second because it was my holy grail for a while (though I always have new holy grails) and managed to find a pristine copy for sale from a place in France recently. I am not going to say how much I paid for it.

Sosena Gebre Eyesus — S/T (Little Axe Records)

Sosena Gebre Eyesus by Sosena Gebre Eyesus

I bought this record off the net because I am a huge fan of Begena music, this haunting, trance inducing music from Ethiopia that appears to be the go-to for Ethiopian Christians… but this record explained nothing of that. Just a picture of a lady with a begena and no other info…. It took me a while to put together what the record was and where it came from, but the sounds contained within are impeccable. Just 40 minutes of weird undersea tones on a giant bass lyre.

[mx08z7kz6gqrs]

新贵妃醉酒 - Translation Notes

For my translation of this song, see this post. Listen to the original version of the song here. Below are some extensive translation notes for this song- be aware that there is a lot of cultural context for this one.

So I decided to take a hand at translating this one after I realized it was one of the few songs by Li Yugang that has garnered significant western attention due to the mash-up performance with Dimash. That performance was definitely something to behold, so I highly recommend it! Also recommend this version where a few lucky (and extremely talented) fans get to sing with him.

This song is emblematic of why translating Li Yugang songs is so difficult- most of his songs are based on pre-existing Beijing operas, famous Chinese historical events, paintings with cultural significance, etc, and the lyrics border on nonsensical without the proper context. So without further ado...

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The Context

This song is based explicitly on the Beijing opera piece, <贵妃醉酒> by 杨玉环 (Mei Lan-Fang), usually translated as “The Drunken Concubine” but more accurately probably means something like “The Intoxication of the Imperial Consort.” The song is named after the opera- the name simply adds the character “新” (for “new”) in front of the opera name, indicating that this is a new way (in pop song format) of telling the tale of The Drunken Concubine.

You can read some more about the general plot of the opera here, but the gist is that the imperial consort has prepared a banquet for her lord emperor, but he has reneged on his promise and is instead spending the night with other concubines. Filled with bitterness and jealousy, she drinks herself into a deep state of intoxication.

This opera is actually one of many based on the actual historical figure of Yang Yuhuan, or “Yang Guifei”, where the Guifei “贵妃” refers to her status as one of the highest imperial consorts to the Tang dynasty Emperor Xuanzong. You can read more about her life here. The political strife happening during her husband’s reign and her own tragic end have led many future generations to mythologize her life.

While this song by Li Yugang is rooted in imagery based on The Drunken Concubine, most of the actual lyrics are based on the Tang era poem  <长恨歌> (Song of Everlasting Regret) by poet 白居易 (Bai Juyi). You can read the text here. This poem is our primary source for a lot of Yang Guifei’s life and affair with the Emperor.

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Line by Line Translation Notes

As usual, I’ve done a more literal pass over the hanzi here to clarify some of the choices I made in my translation.

那一年的雪花飘落梅花开枝头 // That year’s snowflakes fell, the plum blossoms bloomed at the tips of the branches 那一年的华清池旁留下太多愁 // That year, the banks of Huaqing Pool were left with too much sorrow

The first line paints a picture that is quite common in classical Chinese art. Plum blossoms often bloom late in the winter when snow still covers the trees, and thus are seen as harbingers of spring. Despite the presence of the snow in this line though, I think it’s likely referring to a scene in the early spring rather than the winter due to the context of the next line-

In the second line, Huaqing Pool refers to hot springs in modern Shaan’xi, China. It’s famous for being the supposed site of the Emperor Xuanzong’s romance with Yang Guifei, as recorded by Bai Juyi in the Song of Everlasting Regret (mentioned above). In the song, their romance begins on a cold day in the early spring, when she was bathing in the pool, hence that first line.

( As an aside, we don’t know if this has any actual historical basis, but if true, it would be quite poetic as the site was destroyed in the events of the An Lushan Rebellion, which ultimately led to Yang Guifei’s death and Xuanzong’s abdication. )

不要说谁是谁非感情错与对 // Don’t talk about who was right or who was wrong, feelings that are wrong and right 只想梦里与你一起再醉一回 // [I] just want to be drunk with you one more time in a dream

The first line is quite repetitive since it makes two explicit references to “right or wrong”, once in regards to people (”who”) and once in regards to emotions/feelings. But there’s some nuance to the wording here. When we talk about “是非”, there’s an implication of “true/false”, or a sense of “being true” (是) vs “being at fault/to be blamed” (非). The “对错” dichotomy used to describe their feelings in the second half of the line is a much more direct “right/wrong”. I tried to capture that as much as possible in my translation of this line.

The second line translates pretty clearly- it’s just much less poetic, so I wanted to try and get some of the tone across in my translation rather than the literal version of the line. In particular, the word “醉” for drunk/intoxicated in Chinese can be used as both an adjective and a verb directly. In English, we can only really say “to get drunk” which sounds a bit crass.

These two lines together reference back to “The Drunken Concubine” version of Yang Guifei’s character, including the idea of her feeling left behind by her Emperor.

金雀钗玉搔头是你给我的礼物 // Goldfinch hairpins and jade hair ornaments are gifts you gave to me 霓裳羽衣曲几番轮回为你歌舞 // The Raiment of Rainbows and Feathers, [I] danced and sung for you many times over

In the first line, “金雀钗玉搔头” doesn’t translate very gracefully because the type of hair ornament doesn’t have an English equivalent. A lot of hair ornamentation and jewelry was fashioned with imagery of birds (goldfinches, swallows, etc) and often made of jade. Here’s a post compiling what these ornaments might have looked like.

In the second line, “霓裳羽衣曲” actually refers to a specific Tang dynasty song that’s usually translated as “Raiment of Rainbows and Feathers.” The song describes a myth of Emperor Xuanzong- in his desire to meet “神仙” (celestial/immortal beings), he travels to the Moon Palace (月宫) where he meets many “仙女” (celestial maidens). There are conflicting records regarding the origins of the piece. One text saying that the Emperor travelled to the mountains and was inspired by a dream in which he travelled to the Moon Palace. Another record reveals that it’s likely the tune was adapted from a “western” (aka Indian) piece known as the “Brahman Tune.” Historians generally believe the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Regardless, the performance of this piece includes extensive singing, dancing, and instrumentation, and it is considered one of the greatest pieces of Tang dynasty art recorded. You can watch a modern rendition of this performed by Li Yugang himself here.

Both these lines have specific references to lines from the Bai Juyi’s poem. The goldfinch jewelry is referenced in Line 40 as part of what she wore when she was sentenced to death, and Line 98 references the Emperor’s memories of her beauty when she danced the Raiment of Rainbows and Feathers. 

剑门关是你对我深深的思念 // The Jianmen Pass is your deep remembrance for me 马嵬坡下愿为真爱魂断红颜 // Below the Mawei slopes, a beautiful young woman is willing to break her soul for true love

The Jianmen Pass is a mountain pass in the Sichuan province of China. It’s famous for being incredibly narrow and hard to travel through, but also one of the key positions for armies to gain control of the Sichuan region due to its strategic location. In the context of this song, it refers to Emperor Xuanzong’s retreat to Sichuan during the An Lushan Rebellion, after which he abdicated the throne. Yang Guifei dies at Mawei before they actually manage to cross the mountain pass.

Jianmen is referenced in Line 44 of Bai Juyi’s poem, as part of the Emperor’s mourning after Yang Guifei’s death. I’ve interpreted this line to mean that the harsh trip through the mountain pass became part of the Emperor’s profound sense of “思念”, a longing remembrance for something that is now gone.

The second line goes into more detail on the end of Yang Guifei’s life, making explicit reference to “马嵬坡” (Mawei slopes), the name of the place she died, and where she was buried.. Here, her willingness to sacrifice herself for her love is described with “魂断红颜.” The words “魂断” literally translates to “to break/cut short [one’s] soul/spirit”, and in context, can refer to both a physical and spiritual death. The characters in “红颜” literally translates to “red/rosy cheeks” and used together refers to a young and beautiful woman.

In this case, “a young woman dies at the bottom of the Mawei slopes for [the sake of] true love.”

爱恨就在一瞬间 // In a single moment, love and hate 举杯对月情似天 // Raised their glasses in a toast towards the moon, feelings like the sky/heavens 爱恨两茫茫 // Love and hate, the two are boundless 问君何时恋 // Ask [my] lord when you will love

The first line and the first half of the second line part of one sentence, while the second half “情似天” (feelings like the sky/heavens) kind of breaks off into its own thought, but the general imagery for all of the first 3 lines is the joining of both love and hate as emotions that are boundless and, in the singer, the two have joined together in her thoughts towards her lord.

The last line here is a little more difficult to translate because the singer is asking “君” (a pronoun sometimes translated to lord or gentleman, but generally describes a man of high moral standing in particular) when he will “恋” (love). In Chinese, there is a distinction between “爱” and “恋” when referring to love. The first generally encompasses the concept of love (familial, platonic, romantic) in general- it is the direct opposite of the word “恨” for hate. “恋” on the other hand refers specifically to romantic (and sexual) love. It’s sometimes translated as “passion”, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be what we think of as passionate.

This whole section is a reference back to the plot of the original opera <贵妃醉酒>, where Yang Guifei is drinking alone in the night, full of jealousy and bitterness towards a lord that has chosen the company of others.

菊花台倒影明月 // The chrysanthemum terrace reflects the light of a bright moon 谁知吾爱心中寒 // Who could know that my love could [turn] my heart so cold 醉在君王怀 // Drunk in the embrace of my lord 梦回大唐爱 // Dreams take me back to the love of the Great Tang [dynasty]

For the first line, the significant part is the reference to the chrysanthemum flower. It’s often seen as a flower of nobility, and is considered one of the “四君子” (Four Lords/Gentlemen) of Chinese flowers. In this song, the chrysanthemum terrace is likely meant to evoke the nobility/royalty of the lord the singer is waiting for- the fact that he is not there and only the moonlight remains reflecting off the surface is a poignant image.

Interestingly enough, if we want to take the interpretation further, there’s some other room for analysis. The chrysanthemum is a contrast to the plum blossoms mentioned at the beginning of this song as heralds beginning of autumn. They can be made into chrysanthemum wine, which is often drunk for longevity and good health- this links back to the liquor imagery in the rest of the song. Because of their associations with longevity in general, they’re also common funeral flowers, and as we know from the earlier, this song is written from the point of view of a singer who is already dead.

The second line is a bit ambiguous- the phrasing of the original Chinese line could mean “who could know” (as in, how could anyone else see/understand) or it could be “who would have known” (as in, who could have predicted such an unexpected outcome). The English phrase “who knew” leans towards the second, but I went with it because it sounds a little more natural.

In the third line, I translated “君王” as “my lord” just like I did with the “君” alone earlier, but it’s worth noting that the extra “王” in this word means “king” so it is probably more along the lines of “majesty” than just “lord.”

The final line of the song refers to the singer dreaming again of “大唐爱” (literally love of the Great Tang). “大唐” is usually how we refer to the Tang dynasty in general.

I’ve chosen to interpret this line to mean that the singer is remembering her time in the great Tang palaces as part of the dynasty before everything fell apart and the Emperor was forced to flee. As a result, I’ve appended “palace” to this line in my translation since just making a reference to “Tang” sounds awkward and doesn’t mean anything to an English speaking audience.

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And that is all for my notes on this song! This ended up being much longer than I originally anticipated, but there was just so much literary and historical context behind this one. I ended up learning a bunch of things while researching this, and I hope someone else finds this as fascinating as I do!

Li Yugang has a lot of love for classical Chinese culture, and even more than that, he wants to bring it to a larger audience through his own blend of pop music and traditional Chinese operatic poetry. I really enjoyed working on this, and will try to do a few more of his songs in the future!

[museinherfeels]

An Ode to the West Indian Day Parade

Pride is synonymous with being West Indian. As rich and robust as our culture is, my people have a knack for expressing that essence in every thing we do. Our food. Our dialects and languages. The way we carry ourselves. We are a people that take to heart where we are from. The blood that runs through our veins is one of a mighty community.

Being a Black woman of Jamaican descent has been something I regarded in since I was a young girl. The patois that colorfully expresses our thoughts and ideas. The amazing talents we posses and have shared with the world. I wear that part of me like a shining badge of honor.

Add the fact that I’m from Brooklyn and there’s a whole other facet of memories to unveil. Labor Day weekend and the West Indian Day Parade has always and will forever be a staple among Black West Indians. My earliest memories go back to when I was 5,6 years old. My mom would take me to my aunt’s apartment on Eastern Parkway and Bedford Ave, where we would stand in front of the building as the festivities were in full swing. My cousins and I would run upstairs into her apartment and stand out on the fire escape, just to see the colorful floats and masqueraders pass by as we jumped and waved with glee.

A true New York rite of passage is attending the parade with your crew when you become of age. My best friend and I planned our outfits weeks prior for our debut on the parkway as young adults. At 17, we met up along the route, squeezed our way through the crowd and hopped the barricade to get an unofficial taste of the parade. Running down the parkway to chase floats. Jumping up in the street when our favorite soca song came on. Trailing behind the Hot 97/Jamaican float to partake in which artist was gonna mash it up. Two years later, I experienced my first J’ouvert and my first year playing mas. 

Over the years, masquerade camps like Borrokeet, Hawks Interntational, Sesame Flyers, Ramajay and Freaks Mas to name a few have aided women and men with beautiful, vibrant costumes for us to represent, free up and get on bad in.

Into my mid to late 20s, jumping up in the parade was a bit much but the fetes kept the energy pumping for 4-5 days straight. Breakfast parties, paint/j’ouvert parties, backyard fetes, boat rides; the invigorating vibes was something to behold. Even though I wasn’t that interested in attending the parade, I made it my business to at least walk in vicinity of the route to receive that uplifting, exciting and comforting feeling again.

Unfortunately, the parade has been cancelled due to the pandemic. While the numerous vendors and parade-goers don’t have Eastern Parkway to call their home this year, the liveliness is still being perpetuated by the many West Indians that live in the surrounding neighborhoods of the parade route.

It feels weird not hearing the massive sound systems from the floats gearing to go down the road. Not seeing the beautiful Black women adorned in feathers, beads and crystals, primping and adding their last touches before meeting up with their sections. It feels weird to see cars driving down the vast street that was once filled with thousands of people who love and appreciate their culture to a depth that is inexplicable.

While we are in interesting times, it gives me a deeper appreciation for the parade and what it means to my people and Brooklyn as a whole. This day means a lot to many and we aren’t able to celebrate it in the way we’ve been used to. If you know, you’ve been able to partake in some low key events this weekend. I feel some type of contentment, knowing that we’re still keeping the spirit alive in any way possible.

[ellatoddy-blog]

Indian Cinema Questions

What I already know

What  do you believe to be the difference between the traditional Bollywood  filmmaking style and the Masala film style?

The traditional Bollywood filmmaking style  usually follows a cookie cutter story line, with romance, big musical scenes,  and lots a bright colour. Whereas the Masala film style is more modern,  mashing together more than one style, encompassing more genres into a single film.  

What  similarities do these styles of Indian filmmaking have in common with the  hegemonic Western style of filmmaking?

The hegemonic Western style and Indian  styles of filmmaking are similar in the way they focus in on a love interest  and romance, this is clearly present in both.

What  differences do they have?

India styles of filmmaking tend to  have use more bright colours and will throw in what we see to be completely random  and quite comedic dance and song breaks with large musical scenes with many  people a common occurrence in almost every genre. Whereas the only place in  Western style films you will see musical scenes is in the musical genre, with  Western films focusing more on realism which is probably why the large dance  and song numbers in Indian film seem so strange to us, because we are used to  a sense of realism and people just randomly breaking into song is not  something we see much in film unless we have sought it out in a musical genre  film.

What  are some of the key cultural, political and social factors as to why they may  be different?

Culturally, India has a more particular  culture and this is still very heavily present in their daily lives. Contrasting  India and the Western World, India has a large amount of religions, causing  political angst between the religions, whereas in western culture, the most  common religion and in some countries, the only ‘acceptable’ religion is Christianity.  And like in every country, what is socially acceptable is different and is heavily  based on the main religion and culture within the country.

Where  and how do the similarities exist? (Influences & cultural similarities  etc.)

The similarities exist in the prioritising  of romance. In both cultures romantic relationships are seen as a necessity  and an important part of life.

What  are some key aspects of story, plot and character development in Indian  films?

Indian films are generally very long  (1.5 – 2 hours), meaning there is lots of times for the story to take time  moving along, or to have, plot and story wise, what a Hollywood film would  have broken up into multiple films.

How  is music and sound used in Indian filmmaking?

In India film they use big musical  numbers to move characters’ storylines along, it enables them to develop  characters quickly and tell smaller parts of the story so the bigger picture  (the plot) can move along easily.

[lordsmithh]

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