8 posts tagged “music video”

I am here at Vox.

I rarely come here now, there are many reasons why I don't.

I just came across a person's blog and there were some old familiar names; not the names of people I would call "nice." 

Then it hit me, a rush of anxiety and a sinking feeling of dread and my skin is still crawling.  I cannot tolerate these people any more and I don't want to run across them in my travels.  We are taught to be tolerant, but I am sorry i cannot be tolerant of people who want to harm others and think it is their duty to do so.

Life is tough and why do people feel the need to make it even tougher for other people.  Why can't people just leave people alone if they are not hurting them.

Oh and by the way, I do not need to be saved or converted to your way of thinking.  I am fed up with people who tell me they respect me and then they try and change me to their religious views.  Either you do respect me and accept me for who I am or you don't and if you don't then leave me the hell alone.

To the few friends I have left here at Vox, I apologise for not visiting but I just have not been able to face Vox and I know some of you will find that strange.  Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try and just keep to myself someone will come along and be a total killjoy and I end up wondering what is the point!  The fact is my life is bloody tough and I rarely complain and I don't need people bringing me down.  Everyday for me is a struggle and some days it is actually a struggle to keep going. 

These days because I know just how tough life can be I just have no patience for people who want to make life even harder for people, no time for people who want to interfere in people's lives who have no business doing so, no time for people who want to prevent people from expressing their real and devoted love for each other, I think anyone reading this will get where I am coming from.

Just so I am perfectly clear on a few matters which people seem to have issues with:

I do believe in gay rights and same sex marriage.

I believe that unfortunately sometimes abortion is necessary, but at the same time we should try to do the best to reduce the number of abortions.

I do not believe in the traditional Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Hindu god.  I do believe we are all connected by some force but it is not what people traditionally call god.  That does not make me a evil person.  I am still very spiritual, but I repeat I do not believe in god.  But if you do believe in god well that is just fine, so long as you don't oppress people with your beliefs.

I am centre left in my politics and I am not about to change.

I do think love is the answer to a lot of the world's problems.  The problem is most of us are too selfish to really love enough to allow others a foot up in this world; because to allow others a foot up will most likely mean that we have to take a step down.

Oh and then there is the environment.  Yes people I do believe we humans are destroying our planet and we do need to do something about it for our future generations.  No I do not think that climate change is some divine plan from a loving god and we should just continue on as normal.

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Thank you to Vox for showing me just how loving and wonderful people can be and at the same time opening my eyes to just how absolutely horrible other people can behave.

Well I should go now.

"Oh, life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight, I'm
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
I haven't said enough

Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool, fool

 Oh no I have said too much, I haven't said enough, I set it up.

Try, cry, why try?"

Peace.

P.S. This is not goodbye.

Sometimes I'm right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah

I am no better and neither are you
We are the same whatever we do
You love me, you hate me, you know me and then
You can't figure out the bag l'm in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah

There is a yellow one that won't accept the black one
That won't accept the red one that won't accept the white one

And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo-bee

We are all mere humans capable of good deeds, bad deeds and some very ugly deeds. 

 

How many of us have really been tested to see just how ugly we can become. 

 

It seems it is all too easy to judge others from our rather cosy existence.

 

How easy it seems to impose our moral judgements on people who we have no real understanding of. 

 

We do not know their daily struggles, but we still pass judgements based on our own biased perceptions of the world. 

 

Why is it so difficult to even try to take the time to understand?  We are all guilty. 

 

All of us are perpetrators of what is deemed to be bad, but in reality we are all just striving to find love and happiness. 

 

Unfortunately sometimes people get hurt along the way, sometimes intentionally, but quite often unintentionally.  

 

We all make mistakes, we make decisions we regret and sometimes for whatever reasons we strike out in anger. 

 

We are just humans trying to do the best we can with our current circumstances.  All too often some of us have horrific circumstances thrust upon us, and the best we can do is to try and survive, in the hope of a better life.

 

 

For me personally it is difficult not to strike out in anger, when I see and hear how other people are so badly treated throughout the world.  Anger does not help the situation,  but sometimes through utter frustration anger can be  a difficult emotion to control.

 

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

No one knows what its like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what its like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you

No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool

If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

 

Behind Blue Eyes – The Who.

 

I posted this music video over at Wordpress in July 2007 and it has received many positive comments including one from the creator of this project (Waseem Mahmood), the latest comment was today from Canada from a teacher who had used this song as part of her literature class.  So I have decided to give it another airing here.

The song was the brainchild of Waseem Mahmood whose children asked him to do something about the rising radicalization of Islam -something they as young Muslims did not feel that represented the religion that they were brought up to believe in. They wanted to get a message to young Pakistanis like themselves that all that was happening around them in the name of Islam was not them - thus the song was born. Assembling the star cast and trying to arrange everybody’s diaries for the recordings and the video proved to be a challenging endeavour.

The song was recorded during a three month period from November 2006 to January 2007 at Sound of Speed studios in Karachi.

The video was shot on HD by Khurrum Mahmood, Waseem Mahmood’s elder son and edited by his younger son, Khaiyyam both of whom are attending film school in UK. The studio footage was shot by award winning DOP, Imran Ali. The graphics and animations were designed by Rashid Saeed, Aamir Khan and Aamir Yousuf.

Waseem, veteran award winning director who has worked with some of the biggest names names in the industry, describes the video as “consciously simple” emulating similar videos made in the West like “We are the World” and “Band Aid” where the message is more important than making a glamorous, all sing - all dancing production. “For me the glamour of the video was in assembling the biggest star cast ever seen in Pakistan in one single shot, something that had never been achieved before. Mahsallah, the response to the video has been amazing - I have been inundated with messages of support and congratulations from young Pakistanis around the world who have thanked me for standing up and giving voice to their sentiments. The response from the international music industry has been equally humbling - major stars, many of whom I have idolized myself have contacted me to say how much they loved the song and video and would like to collaborate with us on an English version… I guess that we must have done something right!”

The Lyrics By Ali Moeen

Hamarey Naam Say Phali Howi Jhoti Kahani Ha
This story that is being spread in our names is a lie

Yeah Mohrein Mouat Ki….. Mathay Pay Gharoun Ki Nishani Hey
These stamps of death on our forehead are the signs of others

Hamein Jis Naam Say Tum Jantay Ho….Woh Hum Nahien
The name by which you know us - we are not that

Humein Jis Ankh Say Tum Dehktay Ho….Woh Hum Nahien
The eyes with which you look at us - we are not that

Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi,
This is not us - this is not us…

Jaisay Sham Atay hi Koi Rasta Bola Bathay
As with the coming of night one loses one’s way

Andhairo Say Daaray Itna Kay Hum Ghar Hi Jala Bathay
We are scared of the dark so much that we are burning our own home

Yeah Kya Charo Taraf Urti Howi Ryigani Hey
What is this rising all around us…

Hamarey Naam Say Phali Howi Jhoti Kahani Hey
The stories that are being spread in our names are lies

Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi,
This is not us…

Gira Bathay Ha Rastay Mein Sabak Hum Sath Rahnay Ka
We have lost on the way the lesson of living togeather

Humay Ek Dosray Say Isliya Bhi Lag Raha Ha Daar
we are now even scared of each other.

Who Koi Aur Hain Jin Kay Taray Hataoo May Chehray Hain
They are others whose faces are on your hands

Tumhara Duokh Sumandar Hey….Hamaray Zakham Ghairay Hey
Your hurts are a deep sea - our wounds are deep.

Hamarey Naam Say Phali Howi Jhoti Kahani Hey
The stories that are being spread in our names are lies

Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi, Yeah Hum Nahi. Yeah Hum Nahi,
This is not us…

 

www.yehhumnaheen.org

I figured this video was worth posting again as well.

Warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers that these film clips may contain images of people who are deceased.

 

 

It has now been nearly two weeks since Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered his “Apology” on behalf of the Australian Parliament to the stolen generations of our indigenous peoples and made a pledge to improve the standard of living conditions for indigenous Australians.

 

As a tribute to that special occasion I would like to pay a tribute to an Australian band called the The Warumpi Band.

 

Given the events two weeks ago I think the following song; Blackfella Whitefella is a very appropriate symbol for our current times as we as a nation move towards reconciliation.

 

 

 

Blackfella Whitefella Doesn't matter What ya' colour As long as you A true fella

As long as you A real fella All the people Of different races Around the world

In different places Doesn't matter What your name is We've got to have lots of

changes We need more brothers If we're to make it We need more sisters If we're

to save it Are you the one who's gonna stand up and be counted? Are you the one

who's gonna be there when we shout it? Are you the one who's always ready with

a helping hand? Are you the one who understands this family plan? Blackfella Whitefella

Yellowfella Any fella Doesn't matter What your colour As long as you A true fella

All the people of different races Around the world in different places Doesn't

matter Which religion It's all the same when the ship is sinking We need more

brothers If we're to make it We need more sisters If we're to change it Are you

the one who's gonna stand up and be counted? Are you the one who's gonna be there

when we shout it? Are you the one who's always there with a helping hand? Are

you the one who understands this family plan? Stand up Stand up and be counted

Stand up Stand up and be counted Stand up Stand up and be counted Stand up Stand

up and be counted Stand up Stand up and be counted (etc) Are you the one who's

always there with a helping hand? Are you the one who understands this family

plan? Are you the one who's always there with a helping hand? Are you the one

who understands this family plan?

 

 

Sadly the former frontman of the Warumpi Band died in June of last year.  Due to cultural reasons he is now referred to as George Burrarrawanga.  He died on his island home of Elcho Island.  The island in east Arnhem Land is the subject of the classic song called My Island Home, which was written by the Warumpi Band's Neil Murray.  George Burrarrawanga was 50 years old.

Zain Bhikha was born on the 9 August 1974 in Pretoria, South Africa and has made a successful career as a nasheed singer and composer.  A Nasheed is an Islamic-oriented song traditionally, it is sung a cappella, accompanied only by a percussion instrument. This musical style is used because many Muslim scholars interpret Islam as prohibiting the use of musical instruments except for some basic percussion. 

 

Zain was a pioneer in the Nasheed genre. When Zain started singing, Islamic songs were not being sung in English. As one of the first English Islamic singers he opened the door for many other artists. His albums have been launched in many countries including the United Kingdom, North America, Malaysia, France, Turkey, The Middle East, and Australia. He has performed live in cities across most continents and has become somewhat of a household name when it comes to Islamic Music.

 

You certainly don’t have to be of the Islamic faith to appreciate Zain’s music.  His lyrics are always inspirational and his voice has a natural beauty which needs no instruments to enhance its qualities.

 

 

For more information visit his website: http://www.zainbhikha.com

 

 

This is my favourite song by Zain.  Reminding us all that one day we will have to move on and we can't take all the material possessions that we hold on to.

 

 

 

This song is an anti-drug song performed by Rashid Bhikha who is Zain’s son, written by Abdul-Malik Ahmad of Native Deen from the album Allah Knows by Zain Bhikha.

 

 

A song that asks us to question our intention and look at ways to better our lives for ourselves and others.

 

 

Naadira Alli sings the song Mum is Amazing written by Zain Bhikha. 

A very beautiful and touching song.

 

 

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Zain wrote this song when he was making the Hajj pilgrimage.

 

 

Allah Knows features Zain’s friend Dawud Wharnsby Ali.

 

 

There has been some confusion as to who is singing this nasheed, some have said it is Michael Jackson and others have said it is Yusuf Islam, however it is sung by Zain on the album

“Towards the Light”