Post Election Songs of Sadness and Hope

Whenever I want to evoke a feeling of loss, I turn to fado songs. I played Fado all day after Bush won in 2004 and a few Saints games last year.  Fado originated in the 1820s in Portugal and is marked by mournful tunes and lyrics. I find it has the same power as the blues, to help you feel sad and, at the same time, to feel good about it. After the political woes of this week a part of me feels sad, especially for all the people we spoke with who are for Mary Landrieu and share her values of caring for the people of this state. For those feeling sad, three of the best female Fado singers are listed at the bottom of this post.

However, I also feel hope. I feel that the Democrats will turn it around in 2016 for many reasons. History will also shed a positive light on our president. After all he rescued General Motors, saving thousands of jobs; he ordered the take out of Bin Laden; he brought unemployment from 10% to 5.9%, the stock market is at all time highs; health insurance was brought to more 8 million Americans previously uninsured; and I could go on. While there is
much more to do, most of us are better off than we were before Barack was elected. This is hardly the “failed” presidency the conservatives like to drum in our ears. I am confident that
the majority of American people will see the much better life we enjoyed under both Clinton and Obama than Bush. They will not want to return to those dark days but rather choose another Clinton to led us. For those with hope I offer Bob Marley’s Redemption Song and Sam Cooke’s Change is Going to Come.

Meanwhile, we have one more election to return Mary Landrieu to office. It will be an uphill battle. While she got the most votes, we have to make sure that all of those voters turn out again and more show up. I am encouraged here. We knocked on doors in five very different New Orleans neighborhoods.  In our own neighborhood between Oak Street and the River, 84% voted for Mary (172 votes). Our nearby neighborhood, Pigeon Town, in the ward where we talked with people, they committed to voting and talked about the importance of the election. They came through with 96% for Mary (242 votes). In a Central City ward near Shakespeare Park we got the same positive response as Mardi Gras Indians were practicing within our hearing. They also came through with 99% for Mary (308 votes).

For those feeling sad here are some of the three best female Fado singers. For those with hope I offer Bob and Sam.

Amália Rodrigues – The Art of Amalia Rodrigues has many of her classic works ranging from her first recordings in 1952 up to 1970. Amália (1920–October 6, 1999) was known as the "Queen of Fado" and was most influential in introducing fado to the world outside of Portugal. Her Lisbon house (in Rua de São Bento) is now a museum. Here is a site to download her music through MP3s.

Cristina Branco – Her CD - corpo iliminado is based on the work of Portuguese poets like Pessoa and sensus which contains ballads based on modern and 16th century Portuguese poetry. Cristina was born in Lisbon in 1972. According to her site, she grew up looking to contemporary music and was not interested in the more traditional fado until she received an album by Amália Rodrigues on her 18th birthday. It continues, “Cristina Branco is developing her own style from a number of primary components. She employs a traditional group (voice, Portuguese guitar, guitar and bass guitar) and offers us concurrently a light, warm and experienced voice; she mixes the traditional fado with themes and folk songs that are personal favourites and seems always to choose the words of the best Portuguese poets with discretion.”

Mariza - Fado em mim is backed by chamber-style ensembles of bass, piano, classical guitar, and the 12-stringed Portuguese viola. Mariza (born 1976 in Mozambique) moved to Portugal when she was a child, and was raised in one of the traditional quarters of Lisbon, Mouraria, where she learned how to sing fado. Some say she in the heir to Amália Rodrigues as the new queen of fado.

Please vote on December 6 so we can put away these songs of sadness and turn to Bob Marley's songs of freedom and Sam Cooke's song of hope.