Walk On By
by Tywin

Over the brief amount of time that I have existed on this Earth, there have been various music genres and forms of art that have had more of an impact on me than others. Now more than ever, we are no doubt using art during the quarantine to find a shred of comfort and normalcy to cope with. One of the first songs that come to mind to keep me distracted for a moment or two would be the song “Barumba” by Incognito. It is definitely on my Jazz, Bossa Nova, and relax playlists from now until the end of the road. I discovered this song only a week or so ago while listening to 89.3 FM late at night. As soon as I heard the song, I scrambled for my phone to identify the song before the station could. Not only does this track feature superb instrumental flows, but the lack of vocals on this song make it sound heavenly to me for some reason.

It has been far too long since I have found a song that incorporates so many genres in one. “Barumba” blends genres so perfectly. It makes sense that the Incognito is the band to give birth to such something so joyful to listen to. The reason why I like this song could be due to how lofty the song is and upbeat, easily depicting a 1960’s race car driving along a road in the mountains, carving a path along the dirt paths with all of nature surrounding it. Another image that comes to mind is skydiving , landing near the Eiffel Tower, steering towards a small coffee shop that is known for its patrons and service, then enjoying an espresso while watching the city life go about and bask in just being in the moment.

The second song on my playlist that I feel as though might ease minds would be “Walk on By” by Dionne Warwick. Yes the title of the song means exactly what it says. Now, it might seem insensitive that I would list a song that strongly suggests that you continue going about your business. However, the song conveys the message of simply walking by someone you have had a sorted past with, and what better time than now to exercise that divine right to just walk on about your business. The song is not only sung by Dionne Warwick, but is also composed by the timeless Burt Bacharach, another artist who is worth looking into if one is seeking to broaden their music tastes. The way in which this song can and will help get people by is knowing that there are people in our lives that we would love nothing more to do than to hug, hold, and or be with as events progress.

Though we cannot do so without either subjecting them or ourselves to exposure to the elements and factors that be, we must simply walk on by.

The next song that is getting me through these trying times is a song by an artist, whose name is Chilly Gonzales. The title of the song is called “Nimbus.” I can only describe the song as an odyssey of tragic events that lead to a calming after the storm has gone, revealing beams of light illuminating the darkness and chasing away the grey. It might sound a tad bit dramatic, but the way I perceive it is a show of dread and terror occurring. Though this might seem rather intimidating, these feelings do not last and soon after there is nothing to be so worried about as far as we can imagine. “Nimbus” is a song that, if heard by someone else, they would say that it should be played at a wake or funeral, but it is not as doom and gloom as all that. Now, I know little to nothing about pianos, but there are moments in the song where there is a reprieve from the bleak situation that we are currently facing not just domestically, but globally.

The next song on my playlist is by Erykah Badu. The song I have selected from her is “Window Seat.” The reason I chose this song is because, in the past when I listened to it, I associated it with the need to get away from everything and everyone. Packing a bag and going to a remote place where no one would be able to find me. However, during the bridge of the song, the realization hits that it feels good to be needed by someone. Recently when I listen to the song, I associated the song with isolation, as we must limit our movements beyond our homes, apartments, bunkers, or wherever one may be. This song can be useful when considering reaching out to someone who we have not spoken to in some time, even if it's just a quick text to make sure they are ok. Sometimes the simplest of graces can be the most appreciated ones.