scott, in brief

In africa I didn't really take many pictures.
I did try and listen to the sountrack as we went along and this is what I came up with

1 –From Paris to Berlin by Infernal

This song for some reason was key to the entire Soundtrack to the trip. I guess the time I best remember it was just walking out the bedroom seeing everyone sitting and just singing. Well, annoying everyone until they were assimilated.

2 – Sit By Me by Lies Damned Lies

On the return from the village at Kilolo on the Monday evening we drove along an increasingly dark road, the red of the dirt just shown by the headlights of the Land Cruiser. I was in the front and thinking about how the they had done so much, developing a church from walking into a village, finding one Christian and now they have lots. Church in my experience would find it very hard to be that humble. We make presumptions and assumptions. This some is based on an approach to communion within the Episcopalian church (very similar to Anglican) The approach is about humbling yourself and not coming with that presumption. Perhaps that’s what I need.

3 – Tequila (Mint Royale Shot) by Terrorvision

I was sitting on my bed, alone, Matt came in the room and started singing “Alice, what’s the Matter” by Terrorvision, “Terrorvision what a great band” I replied, then I started singing Terrorvision songs, Including “Alice, What’s The Matter”, then “Oblivion”, then “Tequila”. This was running through my head. Later I was sitting in the living room next to Alison when I from out the blue I asked Alison if Tequila made her happy. Alison responded by saying she didn’t know. I decided then I should probably try and get a bottle to test this thesis. I think you can take the story on from there.

4 – Sing for Absolution by Muse

I discussing music with Alice, Muse became one of the bands I really came sing in my head. The Chorus revolves around an operatic style repetition of the central lyric, “Sing for Absolution”. For me I guess Tanzania provided perspective and allowed me to think clearly about life. What I was wanting from life and how best life can be taken forward. Absolution is a process where you are absolved from past events and happenings, given a new start and allowed to continue. Tanzania provided perspective to see things slightly more clearly, absolution is something I need.

5 – Kathleen (Live) by Josh Ritter

Just incredibly catchy wee tune, the live version included on the disc is great. Josh Ritter is a great songwriter.

6 - God’s Gonna Strike You Down by Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash.
American V – one Hundred Highwayscontains the last few songs he recorded the vocals for. Rick Rubin produced and arranged the music. God’s going to strike them down both has a literal meaning as in Johnny’s dead. But it also has a second different meaning. Death comes to us all and the stories of Aids spread in the Country. Yet death unites us in the things life separates us with.

7 – Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

“I made a lot of Mistakes,
I made a lot of Mistakes”

I do, I tried to be conscious about my mistakes and either to 1 try and rectify my mistakes or 2 feel guilty about my actions and problems I cause. I am not sure either way is the best way forward but I am conscious of them. I made a lot of mistakes.

8 – Munich by The Editors

I was discussing music with Matt. He was chatting about how much he liked the song Munich by the Editors. I started singing and I guess I got caught up with the concept of the chorus. People are fragile things you should know by now, be what you put them through. I tried to be conscious if what I did and how I treated people. I am not sure I was always good at this; sometimes I guess I was negligent. Sorry, But at times I did try and I think I may have done okay.

9 – Solar System by Bill Mallonee/Vigilantes of Love

Often I would try and go outside at night. Mostly by myself just to look at the stars. This song ran though my head in the dark, as the moon brightly lit up the area in a way it is hard to get near where I live. The song just ran and ran.

10 – Blues Are Still Blue by Belle And Sebastian

The Joy of this song is in the simplicity of wonder at the effects of the machines at the laundrette. Oh that and the catchiest groove this side of funk. This song just stuck in my head lots.

11 - Petrol by Ash

During the game at The Harts during the Power cut I gave out the Clue, What was Ash’s First Single. This punkish rock 3-minute epic Petrol was the answer no one knew. This was their first single on infectious records and it rocks.

12 – Spread Your Love by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

One of the Values and Principles I try to live by is “Love Extravagantly” This song seems to some that up. One day I walked into the boys bed room and from nowhere started doing an impression of the bass riff at the start of the song. (Dum, dum da dum, dum da dum, dum, dum, dum) from then on I took to singing randomly, spread your love like a fever. Well it kept me amused.

13 – Stay by The Blue Nile

The Blue Nile is my favourite band to listen to when there is thunder and lightening around. Their music to me embodies a sense of big dark nights. Unsurprisingly then as we would drive around Iringa at night if I was in the front, this song would be the soundtrack to what I saw.

14 – God Of Wonders by City On A Hill

I don’t listen to a lot of Christian Praise and Worship Music
I don’t listen to a lot of Christian music, (whatever that is)
But City on a Hill is different. The City on a Hill project was an attempt to get lots of bands working together to create an album from community for community worship and praise. It was produced by the guys from The Choir, and it was great poppy but with an alternative edge. The Big song that People took to though was this one.
While in Iringa I was listening to on of the Tapes someone brought. It had a bunch of Christian stuff on it and a terrible version of this song by Rebecca St James. (Whom I didn’t like before but anyway.) The problem was I couldn’t quite remember this version properly to sing along with.


15 – Call it Democracy by Martyn Joseph

IMF,
DirtyMF,
Takes away everything it can get,
Always makes certain that’s there’s one thing left,
Keep them on the hook with unsupportable debt.
And they call it Democracy
(Written by Bruce Cockburn)

As we stood on Gangalonga (Spelling?) rock. We looked out across the whole of Iringa, as Andy told us stories. He pointed out the 3 Grain storage towers in the middle of town, telling how the IMF had made a horrible deal with the government to build them. They have never been used but they are still being paid for.

16 – Quecreek by Buddy Miller

"Quecreek." Inspired by the July '02 rescue of nine Quecreek, PA miners, the haunting and hopeful tribute was written and recorded on the last day of mixing - the same day the miners were miraculously recovered.

The Song has hope in situations of hopelessness. It just struck me on the last few days I guess that this was how I kind of felt about feeding back what I had seen to people. Describing situations seemingly where there was little or no hope, but there was and is always hope.


17 – Wake Up by The Arcade Fire
Every morning, sitting outside with Cirrius trying to bite my CD player/book/pen/mug of water/ trousers/fingers/ _________ (fill in the blank), this song burst into my head.

18 – Etcetera, Whatever (live) by Over The Rhine

This song was written in the immediate two weeks after the band’s record label collapsed, and they were left without jobs effectively. Recording in their kitchens and bedrooms, the band recorded a 14 song album of hope, strong will, and melody to die for.

Etcetera Whatever gets me through a lot,
Doubt
Guilt
Feeling down
Feeling bad
Unhappiness
Fortunately it reminds me of a way out and encourages me to get there.