Join us in song, won’t you? We need more community and less division these days. This week, our hosts share the songs that give that sense of shared understanding, togetherness, and perhaps even hope. Whether from singing together or singing along in isolation, we explore the songs that, religion aside, give us a sense of communion.
Christina chose this theme after a particularly moving experience with some desert pilgrims in the Mojave Desert. After a day of reflection, sharing, tears, and joy, the group gathered around a table and sang “Gracias a la Vida” by Violeta Parra, with their own twist here and there. Parra, the mother of Nueva Canción Chilena, inspired many artists and laypeople alike with her deeply moving music and her quest to preserve Chilean folk music. Her song, “Gracias a la Vida,” may be one of the most covered Latin American songs in history.
Christine’s communion came during a dark time for the world, the COVID-19 pandemic. While trapped inside, she craved the intimacy and fun of a dinner party complete with a sombremesa. Her outlet for this feeling was delivered via “Los Tontos” by C. Tangana from the NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert, which–according to Christine–is the best Tiny Desk Concert (Wanna fight her? We welcome it!!!!).
As always, we would love to hear your picks for our theme! If you have a song that fits the bill, please head over to the Stereothematica Instagram and leave us a comment. We want to hear from you! And if you want to hear more from us… please feel free to subscribe to our podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Stereothematica 