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More Music in Schools?
Started by Ben Perry 22 Comments
Interactive Transcript
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It's really quite an honor to be here tonight, and I'm really glad that I stayed here and listened because I've really been inspired. And I'm going to play some songs for you tonight that are, literally, world premieres. I've been working on my new record and I've never played these songs for anybody except the microphone.
This is a song that I wrote about the meaning of technology, which goes perfectly with this gathering. I started thinking about -- when I was in college, especially as a blind person, doing a research paper was a major undertaking. You had to go to the library, see if you could get them to find the books for you, you know, footnotes and all that. Now you can just go on Google. Just look it up. I wish I had that when I was in college. Anyway, this is a song about: we have all this, but what are we going to do with it? It's called "All the Answers."
♫ What is the weather in Cincinnati? ♫
♫ What is the time in Tokyo? ♫
♫ Who is this little child's daddy? ♫
♫ And who the hell needs to know? ♫
♫ Why do memories of you linger ♫
♫ when I'm trying to reach my goal? ♫
♫ And why must I move my fingers ♫
♫ and I don't have to understand ♫
♫ 'cause I got all the answers. ♫
♫ Think I'll rummage through the century ♫
♫ while I listen to the sea. ♫
♫ Oh, it's good to be so free, ♫
♫ And why did Shakespeare create Iago ♫
♫ to tear apart a love so pure? ♫
♫ How can my dreams be so vivid ♫
♫ Why must I become so livid ♫
♫ about the news I hear today? ♫
♫ 'cause I got all the answers ♫
♫ And I got all the answers. ♫
♫ See, I don't have to understand ♫
♫ 'cause I got all the answers. ♫
♫ I think I'll browse on through ♫
♫ Mm, it's good to be so free. ♫
♫ I never ever have to be alone. ♫
♫ I can do it all right here in my home. ♫
♫ Everything that's ever been known, ♫
♫ I can punch it up right here on my phone. ♫
♫ Freedom train, coming soon ♫
♫ right here in my living room ♫
♫ from Baton Rouge to Saskatoon ♫
♫ and all points in between. ♫
♫ 'Cause I got all the answers ♫
♫ And I got all the answers, yeah. ♫
♫ I got every book and magazine. ♫
♫ I got all, I got all, I got all ... ♫
♫ But I tell you what I'm going to do: ♫
♫ I'm going to find the capitol of Peru ♫
♫ or the latitude of Kathmandu. ♫
♫ 'cause everybody's doing it. ♫
♫ And then I'll rummage through the century. ♫
♫ I got all, I got all, I got all ... ♫
Thank you. Whew! It's a miracle I didn't make any mistakes on that song. That's the first time I've ever played it. (Applause) It's a "feel the fear and do it anyway" kind of thing. This next song is a song
that started out as a dream -- a childhood dream. It was one of the titles that I was sort of thinking about calling my record, except there's a couple of problems. One thing is, it's unpronounceable. And it's a made-up word. It's called "Tembererana." And the song is based on what I think was my first childhood attempts to think about invisible forces. So "tembererana" was these dreams, in which I would be running away from bad feelings -- is the only way I can put it. So this is called "Tembererana." It's based on an Argentinian rhythm called "carnivalito."
♫ the sound of a primal scream ♫
♫ travels out across the land. ♫
♫ the sound of the war machine, ♫
♫ a procession of limousines ♫
♫ travels slowly across the land. ♫
♫ Another child could use a hand. ♫
♫ tembererana, hey, tembererana ... ♫
♫ The earth is an open tomb. ♫
♫ The sound of the final boom ♫
♫ rumbles fiercely across the land. ♫
♫ Obliterating all but thee. ♫
♫ You see what you want to see. ♫
♫ Before I'm blinded, I will toast ♫
♫ the shade of power that I love most, ♫
♫ Tembererana, hey, tembererana ... ♫
♫ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♫
♫ As a child, alone and afraid, ♫
♫ escaping the impressions every feeling made, ♫
♫ into a world where the good was the aim of the game ♫
♫ and the sum of invisible power ♫
♫ Tembererana, hey, tembererana ... ♫
♫ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da ♫
♫ Tembere, tembere, tembere, tembererana ♫
About The Speaker
Guitarist and singer Raul Midon blends flamenco, jazz and R&B to create a category-defying sound. His life story is as inspiring as his musical vision.
Full bio and more links
About This Talk
Singer/guitarist Raúl Midón performs “All the Answers” in a world premiere at TED2007, followed by the sprightly "Tembererana."
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