Do you ever feel like…(music)

amother

Mon, Aug 28 2023, 3:31 pm

Jewish “uplifting” music is amazing…but

Sometimes you want to connect to something that’s not “uplifting” or happy-positive? But more neutral (not depressing!!) and fills the deepest parts of your soul, especially from a Jewish female musician?

I want to record (Kol isha) but venture out just slightly.
In my hardest times, the “uplifting” music was the last thing I would reach to. Wouldn’t it be better to listen to a frum Jewish artist than get your fill from non Jewish music?

Can anyone relate? Do you agree? What are your thoughts? Would you like more variety?

Choirmistress

Mon, Aug 28 2023, 3:55 pm

Hi, OP.
I feel where you're coming from. Sometimes I can get inspired, if not actually gain an earworm, from a piece of music (with or without lyrics) that I would not call depressing but poignant. Something that is perhaps written in a minor key, but that touches my innermost being and sometimes (depending on the song and its tune or lyrics) can be both uplifting and thought-provoking.
I have always maintained that there is a piece of music to match every possible human mood.
When I feel down or just want to get rid of an earworm, I have at least two surefire, "go-to" tunes that I replace it with:
Acapulco 1922 (Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass); or
Soul Coaxing (NOT the original French vocal version, Ame Caline, by the composer Michel Polnareff, but the orchestral instrumental by I forget (sorry!) which pop orchestra; mostly strings and very legato throughout).
Both can put me in a good mood no matter what I was feeling just the few seconds before thinking or even listening to a CD of them.
Is the fact that both composers/performers are Jewish a mere coincidence? Hmmm.....

Last edited by Choirmistress on Thu, Aug 31 2023, 2:01 pm; edited 1 time in total

bgr8ful

Mon, Aug 28 2023, 4:11 pm

amother OP wrote:

totally. I feel like a lot of female jewish music is a little cliche. theyre missing depth and like real honesty. theyre all abt when lifes hard and wtvr reach out to Hashem, He's always here blah blah. being a human is a lot more messy and 3 dimensional than that.
thats why I listen to non jewish music, because it actually describes how I'm feeling (and like u said, not even depressing stuff, I hate depressing music, but theres a bigger range of emotions we feel than just hopeless or depressed). I hate that I listen to so much non jewish music but its the only thing that makes me feel understood.

amother

Mon, Aug 28 2023, 4:17 pm

bgr8ful wrote:

This gives me a lot of chizuk to produce! Thank you so much for your input!