E Hine E, Hoki Maira, Kamate Au--I Te Aroha E, Kamate Au--I Te Aroha E
"Pokarekare Ana" (Traditional, New Zealand), Hayley Westenra
Somebody I know has this theory that there are people who listen to music because they like the lyrics; words set to music brings on depths of emotions that the words by themselves could not coax out. Then there are others who listen to music because certain melodies intrinsically possess a beauty all their own. To them music is like painting seen by the heart and not the eyes. For the most part, I tend to decipher a work's lyrics to determine its worth. Sure, voice quality and memorable accompaniment enhance a piece of music, but for me it's almost always the words that stirs my soul first. It's probably why so much of my time writing these posts is spent seeking the perfect set of lyrics to capture the theme or the tone I'm going for. I like words, and words set to music is just an extra treat for me.
However, there are some works that by their very nature whose spirit cannot be captured in words. Some of the songs by Do As Infinity take me to places that other songs whose lyrics are foreign to me just can't. Buried within the music is the soul of something beautiful. These are the kinds of works that I don't seek out, but somehow they always manage to find me.
"Pokarekare Ana" is one of those songs. The story of how I chanced upon this song is so convoluted that I was hesitant to even bring it up, but in keeping with the theme of how certain songs surprise you, I shall try to sum up the sordid tale for you. Basically, I was sitting in work recently and one of my co-workers asked me if I've ever seen the commercial for Celtic Woman, that four (now five) woman singing group who specialize in old Irish standards and traditional Celtic fare. I replied to her that, of course, I had because a) secretly, I think I'm Irish, b ) if I'm not mistaken, there's a redhead among the group, and c) they're female singers who aren't half-bad. I told her that the only reason I hadn't already picked up their CD was because I'm the type to buy everything that catches my interest and the only manner in which I prevent myself going into debt is to put off purchasing certain items until I get another paycheck. By that time, I count on the fact I'll have forgotten what I wanted to buy in the first place and, thusly, save me on spending more than I could afford. After chastising her for re-awakening my interest in owning said CD, I began looking up songs on Youtube so that I could be sure that my investment would be worth it.
It was in the course of testing out songs that I discovered that Celtic Woman had recently added a new member to their fold, one Hayley Westenra, an apparent singing prodigy who already had numerous CDs to her name. I listened to her cover of "Scarborough Fair" for the group, liked it, and began searching for both her and Celtic Woman. Still, I didn't stumble upon the song until a little later.
It was a couple of days after that, when the Celtic Woman CD was already mine to be had, that I begin to wade my way through Miss Westenra's catalogue in earnest. I discovered other songs I liked by her, including a splendid version of "Both Sides Now", the song my esteemed colleague utilized below.
Yet it wasn't until I chanced upon her version of "Pokarekare Ana" that I really began to truly enjoy her music. As some of you know, my pet motif when I write is to write about people who are "forlorn and wistful". The theme takes on many shapes, but it's always been a pet phrase of mine to be tossed whenever somebody asks the dreaded question of what kind of story I'm writing. "Oh it's a forlorn and wistful tale," I tell them. Something about writing about people in this middle ground really intrigues me.
That's "Pokarekare Ana" for me. Even before I knew what the song was about, Miss Hayley's voice and the tone of the music clued me in that this was a song that spoke to how I feel most of the time. It captures that sense of sadness, loneliness, and isolation I think all of us experience from time to time (some more than others) but it also captures this unyielding sense of hope for the future. It is pretty much guaranteed any time I see or hear something of this nature I instantly fall in love with it. "Pictures of Success", my favorite song is a perfect example of this quality as is Avonlea, my all-time favorite television show. I can't decide which gets to me more, the haunting quality of Miss Westenra's voice or the fact that the song is from the first moments to the very last exhibits this theme so exquisitely. I don't know if I could separate the two. I think this song was tailor-mailed for someone of her vocal abilities, just like I believe that only someone of her vocal abilities could ever do this song justice. One does not live without the other.
I think that's why this song gets to me. If it was in English, I may have become distracted by the words and decided that it's too short and simple for my tastes. However, because all I have to judge it on are the pure emotions it stirs in me as well as the memories it evokes, it endears itself to me on pure strength of spirit alone. I don't know if it's a perfect song, but it does capture something that a lot of other songs don't for me. It places what I feel into a capsule that I can break open any time and taste any time. It makes it tangible, touchable, in a fashion that most pieces of art do not.
It also remains one of those rare songs that I think is better for not having known what it's about. I don't care what it means or what it signifies. All I care about is what it means to me... and that's a lot.
Yours Swimmingly,
mojo shivers
"Pokarekare Ana"
Pokarekare ana
Nga wai o waiapu
Whiti atu koe hine
Marino ana e
E hine e
Hoki maira
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
Tuhituhi taku rita
Tuku atu taku ringi
Kia kiti to iwi
Raru raru ana e
E hine e
Hoki maira
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
E hine e
Hoki maira
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
[English translation:]
Stormy are the waters
Of restless Waiapu
If you cross them, girl
They will be calmed
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
I write you my letter
I send you my ring
So your people can see
How troubled I am
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
I could die
Of love (for you).
Somebody I know has this theory that there are people who listen to music because they like the lyrics; words set to music brings on depths of emotions that the words by themselves could not coax out. Then there are others who listen to music because certain melodies intrinsically possess a beauty all their own. To them music is like painting seen by the heart and not the eyes. For the most part, I tend to decipher a work's lyrics to determine its worth. Sure, voice quality and memorable accompaniment enhance a piece of music, but for me it's almost always the words that stirs my soul first. It's probably why so much of my time writing these posts is spent seeking the perfect set of lyrics to capture the theme or the tone I'm going for. I like words, and words set to music is just an extra treat for me.However, there are some works that by their very nature whose spirit cannot be captured in words. Some of the songs by Do As Infinity take me to places that other songs whose lyrics are foreign to me just can't. Buried within the music is the soul of something beautiful. These are the kinds of works that I don't seek out, but somehow they always manage to find me.
"Pokarekare Ana" is one of those songs. The story of how I chanced upon this song is so convoluted that I was hesitant to even bring it up, but in keeping with the theme of how certain songs surprise you, I shall try to sum up the sordid tale for you. Basically, I was sitting in work recently and one of my co-workers asked me if I've ever seen the commercial for Celtic Woman, that four (now five) woman singing group who specialize in old Irish standards and traditional Celtic fare. I replied to her that, of course, I had because a) secretly, I think I'm Irish, b ) if I'm not mistaken, there's a redhead among the group, and c) they're female singers who aren't half-bad. I told her that the only reason I hadn't already picked up their CD was because I'm the type to buy everything that catches my interest and the only manner in which I prevent myself going into debt is to put off purchasing certain items until I get another paycheck. By that time, I count on the fact I'll have forgotten what I wanted to buy in the first place and, thusly, save me on spending more than I could afford. After chastising her for re-awakening my interest in owning said CD, I began looking up songs on Youtube so that I could be sure that my investment would be worth it.
It was in the course of testing out songs that I discovered that Celtic Woman had recently added a new member to their fold, one Hayley Westenra, an apparent singing prodigy who already had numerous CDs to her name. I listened to her cover of "Scarborough Fair" for the group, liked it, and began searching for both her and Celtic Woman. Still, I didn't stumble upon the song until a little later.
It was a couple of days after that, when the Celtic Woman CD was already mine to be had, that I begin to wade my way through Miss Westenra's catalogue in earnest. I discovered other songs I liked by her, including a splendid version of "Both Sides Now", the song my esteemed colleague utilized below.
Yet it wasn't until I chanced upon her version of "Pokarekare Ana" that I really began to truly enjoy her music. As some of you know, my pet motif when I write is to write about people who are "forlorn and wistful". The theme takes on many shapes, but it's always been a pet phrase of mine to be tossed whenever somebody asks the dreaded question of what kind of story I'm writing. "Oh it's a forlorn and wistful tale," I tell them. Something about writing about people in this middle ground really intrigues me.
That's "Pokarekare Ana" for me. Even before I knew what the song was about, Miss Hayley's voice and the tone of the music clued me in that this was a song that spoke to how I feel most of the time. It captures that sense of sadness, loneliness, and isolation I think all of us experience from time to time (some more than others) but it also captures this unyielding sense of hope for the future. It is pretty much guaranteed any time I see or hear something of this nature I instantly fall in love with it. "Pictures of Success", my favorite song is a perfect example of this quality as is Avonlea, my all-time favorite television show. I can't decide which gets to me more, the haunting quality of Miss Westenra's voice or the fact that the song is from the first moments to the very last exhibits this theme so exquisitely. I don't know if I could separate the two. I think this song was tailor-mailed for someone of her vocal abilities, just like I believe that only someone of her vocal abilities could ever do this song justice. One does not live without the other.
I think that's why this song gets to me. If it was in English, I may have become distracted by the words and decided that it's too short and simple for my tastes. However, because all I have to judge it on are the pure emotions it stirs in me as well as the memories it evokes, it endears itself to me on pure strength of spirit alone. I don't know if it's a perfect song, but it does capture something that a lot of other songs don't for me. It places what I feel into a capsule that I can break open any time and taste any time. It makes it tangible, touchable, in a fashion that most pieces of art do not.
It also remains one of those rare songs that I think is better for not having known what it's about. I don't care what it means or what it signifies. All I care about is what it means to me... and that's a lot.
Yours Swimmingly,
mojo shivers
"Pokarekare Ana"
Pokarekare ana
Nga wai o waiapu
Whiti atu koe hine
Marino ana e
E hine e
Hoki maira
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
Tuhituhi taku rita
Tuku atu taku ringi
Kia kiti to iwi
Raru raru ana e
E hine e
Hoki maira
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
E hine e
Hoki maira
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
Kamate au
-i te aroha e
[English translation:]
Stormy are the waters
Of restless Waiapu
If you cross them, girl
They will be calmed
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
I write you my letter
I send you my ring
So your people can see
How troubled I am
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
Oh girl
Come back to me
I could die
Of love for you
I could die
Of love (for you).
posted by mojo shivers @ 12:08 AM
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