The Vibe To End All Vibes

The goal of meditation is marvelous but securing the result you desire is so strenuous. This is coming from my own personal attempts. There were occasions where I was in tears, muffling cries because I couldn't meditate the way I thought I was supposed to. At times, I fumbled through sun salutations and was unable to silence the negativity. Music has held my hand all along. Alleviating stress so naturally I wasn't conscious that the healing was happening. Music taught me how to meditate. To be in command of my mind and place myself in an environment indicative to tranquility. A lot of these songs are attached to a memory, but the source of their sustainability is the feelings they cultivate. All these recollections and emotions spanning the volume of a Giant Sequoia tree. Towering over me, shielding me, giving me a place to rest my head and my thoughts.

Jessie Reyez- No One’s In The Room

I consumed Before Love Came to Kill Us (her debut album) multiple times a day for weeks, then Jessie gave us two new songs. No One’s In the Room asks philosophical questions. It promotes having conversations with yourself. Figuring out who you are and who you want to be. This song sets the tone for reflection to begin. The hypocrisy of people cannot be allowed to hinder your essence. “Who am I when no one’s in the room?” Is it the same person I give to the world?

Joy Crookes- Two Nights

Travelling to avoid the mishaps you make when you are stationary, but sometimes you still end up going backwards. “Asked a man if he’d give me a hand please/ Holds it up and says where is this weight from/ I say it’s years of accepting a cheap love.” We have to confront the fact that in an attempt to dodge old mistakes we can collide with new ones. We are human. It will happen. Just because we have been hurt before does not mean we should close ourselves off from the possibility of love. “Running circles with no shame/ (With no shame, with no shame).”

King Krule- Easy Easy

This is the first song I ever heard from King Krule. I instantly knew I found someone whose voice I needed to hear. There are few things better than finding a new artist that speaks to your soul. Every time I hear this song, I am reminded of my frame of mind the first time I heard it. I think of how I relied on his art to help me release some of my own troubles. This song is a discussion. A relaying of one’s problems and some needed advice on facing those problems. I follow his instructions and mimic the words the way they leave his mouth and try to take it easy, easy.

Simon & Garfunkel- The Sound of Silence

I was going to put Scarborough Fair because of how the repetition of “parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme” makes the herbs float above me ruminating their fragrance, but I had to go with The Sound of Silence. As a teenager, I was on a serious kick to watch as many classic films as possible, when I found this song. The Graduate is perfection, as is the soundtrack we were awarded. “Hello darkness, my old friend.” I could write the whole song right here, every lyric adding onto the understanding of the nuances that lie beneath the surface. The aspects of ourselves we bury and neglect. The song was written in 1964, but I feel like it was made especially for me. I close my eyes, the sky waves over me, the moon rising to start our nightly conversation.

Ibeyi- River

I am submerging my former self and relinquishing everything that has bound me. River is like a chant. Rhythmic words that stay with you after the song ends. I can feel my emotional well-being, being cleansed. It replicates the inspiring and hopeful nature of Negro spirituals.

Kurt Carr & the Kurt Carr Singers- Set the Atmosphere

I forget which new year it was because Covid has altered how I retain time. I know it was one of the last New Years’ Watch Night services I went to and possibly the most transformative experience I have ever had in church. The praise dance team performed to Set the Atmosphere. I had never heard the song before. As it played, I felt my eyes water, my heartbeat race, and my legs bring my body upright.

Chloe x Halle- Baby Girl

Cater to your inner child. Try to create a mood for yourself. I start wiggling my fingers and swaying my head to the beat. This album came at the perfect time for me. I was riding the bus home, an hour, and a half trip, from work in the pandemic needing to not mentally be where I was.

Corinne Bailey Rae- Put Your Records On

This record takes me back to middle school. It makes me want to finally learn how to ride a bike. The first two lines show how one great piece of art can inspire another. “Three little birds sat on my window/ And told me I don’t need to worry” a shoutout to Bob Marley’s classic song Three Little Birds. Put Your Records On is proof that you can take the encouragement one person gave you and pass it on to others. It is a mellow anthem. A pat on the back to reassure you that your purpose is attainable.

Jake Bugg- Note to Self

A reminder. Be kind to yourself. We actively abuse our spirits, minds, and bodies. Pause for a second. Write a note to yourself. “Things do happen/ And you know it’s not your fault/ Your best is good enough” Let some water leave your eyes and feed the dirt. Believe the words.

Nat King Cole- Unforgettable

When I was younger, I would dream that some man would feel this way about me and sing those words to me. Hoping he sounded like the King himself put being flexible knowing that that would be hard to find. Now when I listen, I feel like Nat King Cole is singing about me to me and that is the only reality I want to live in. You must believe that you are unforgettable whether someone is telling you that fact or not.

Marvin Sapp- Never Would Have Made It

Gospel music hits you in a spot that your mind had yet to discover existed in your heart. This song about how a widowed father continued after the loss of his wife excelled past the expected relevance of a Gospel song, that was not contemporary or alternative. The song has the traditional Gospel energy and I remember it being on 106 and Park many, many weeks. I used to be hyped up dancing to all the other songs on the countdown and when this video came on, I would close my eyes and belt out this passionate track. Obviously not sounding as good as Marvin Sapp, but feeling each word, nevertheless.

Jon Batiste- Don’t Stop

The entire song is beautiful but I always hone in on the third verse. It is encouraging. His voice eases you into believing in yourself and your future. “There’s a reason that you’re here/ Don’t stop/ You ain’t got nothing to fear/ So don’t stop.” Amen, Jon Batiste! Amen!

Michael Jackson- Man in the Mirror

It is so invigorating when you can love a song for years and then one experience can deepen your connection to it. I cannot recall which Spike Lee Block Party it was because most events pre-Covid seem like fragments of my imagination. I do know that it was near the end of the celebration and the DJ put on Man in the Mirror. The sky was seemingly still, and hundreds of sets of teeth were giving the words to the blueness above them. It was so electric and special the DJ repeated the MJ hit again and the crowd did not miss a beat. I am not the biggest fan of being trapped in an infinite sea of bodies. Though a claustrophobic hot bed I was propelled past my anxiety and was given a moment I will remember forever. The 3 nutcrackers I had, probably helped too.

Jennifer Hudson- I am Changing

I love every song from this musical. This particular showtune permeates a different kind of feeling than any other song in Dreamgirls, though. It is an acknowledgement of your past mistakes and the courage it takes to move past those faults and failures. When Jennifer sings “All those years of darkness/ Can make a person blind”, all the regrets I let settle begin to rise as I belt it out with her. Then she goes “But now, I can see/ I am changing” and somehow, I feel lighter.

Sonder- Too Fast

Sonder is an artist with vision. You can see who he is in everything he puts into the world. It is wonderful how a creative can take the art of another and imprint themselves on it. God blessed me with finding Galen Hooks freestyle roulettes on youtube.com. When Christine got the prompt to dance to Sonder’s Too Fast “as if you’re going through the stages of life from childhood to old age”, she tethered herself to the song.

Ruth B.- Lost Boy

“My only friend was the man in the moon/ And even sometimes he would go away too.” The DreamWorks logo and all those classic films personify a warm steady fireplace with the scent of hot chocolate and freshly baked apple pie dressing the air. Helping to mold who I am and fostering a safe place. This song tells me I never have to let that feeling go. Those movies may even mean more to me now than they did when I was a child.

J. Cole- Love Yourz

First off, 2014 Forest Hills Drive is one of the best albums ever. Had to say that. This song grounds you in the unchanging fact that your life is the only one you have to live. Life is not like Behind Her Eyes (must-see Netflix mini-series). As Cole gives us instructions to self-acceptance, I feel my flesh rooting itself in the soil. I remember going to see him in concert when concerts were an option. That same spiritual experience resonates through me when I listen to this song. “No such thing as a life that’s better than yours.

Special Ed- I Got It Made

The coolness of an old school emcee is unparalleled and Special Ed is one of the coolest. Every issue he comes across is not really a problem. Dirty dishes, Cascade. Peace on Earth, a prayer to God. Too hot, a spot in the shade. I just pretend I am as cool as Special Ed and my worries start to believe I can handle them.

Family Matters theme song

The joy. The nostalgia. My childhood was overflowing with re-runs of sitcoms. I was and am so attached to them. It is soothing to think back on the things that used to give you peace and see that they are still effective.

Ray Charles- Georgia On My Mind

You always need something to bring you back home. I am proudly from Brooklyn, N.Y. and this ode to Georgia wraps the love of your hometown around you with the tenderest of memories. I think of the pain of the history of Georgia and how with all the tragedies a true Georgian still loves their state.

Alabama Shakes- Sound and Color

It is like a lullaby. Brittany’s soulful voice and the light and whimsical music will keep you snugly settled in a peaceful mindset. Close your eyes and let the sound and color dance behind your eyelids. Open your eyes as the music is drifting off and you can still see whichever sounds and colors the song brought to the forefront of your mind.

Cynthia Erivo- I’m Here

I saw The Color Purple on Broadway twice. I had already read the book once and seen the film numerous times. The story breaks me down and builds me up whenever and however I see it. The strength and perseverance of Celie is showcased to perfection in the song I’m Here. There are few characters that endured the abuse and loss Celie did, and she was still breathing by the end. More than breathing, she was living for herself. This song gives me perspective and courage. It is a declaration that should be made.

Common and John Legend- Glory

An anthem for past revolutions and the revolutions to come. With John’s sultry voice, Common’s lyrical talents, and a message of hope I knew I was going to love it before I heard it. This song swells and I am forced not to be cynical. I am willed to examine all we have overcome and believe that more progress will come.

Otis Redding- (Sittin’ On) The Dock of The Bay

Otis Redding sings and my scenery is changing. I let my back meet the bark of my Sequoia and we are both sitting on the dock of the Bay watching the tides roll away. No other human is there but I can hear Otis’ voice in the movement of the water. I know that wherever I am even if it is not as serene as this, I can still find peace.

Louis Armstrong- What A Wonderful World

Mr. Armstrong helps me not to dwell and be blinded by the ugliness of the world. There is so much magnificence in the world. We need to appreciate the little things we overlook and consider to be generic. The massive trees, the pure smiles, and the endless sky. I used this song in my 2nd short film. No song is a better depiction of someone who is in awe of all that is around them. I hear this song and I think of that film an accomplishment I never thought I would complete.

I have lent you my Sequoia. I hope you laid on the richest, cooling soil and your feelings seeped into the fibers of the tree, changing the colors of the leaves to fit your vibrations. Let the sun saunter over you. Understand that these feelings of calmness and relaxation can be summoned whenever and whenever you need them. Fortify and respect the power of your mind.