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The Language of Empathy in Songwriting

«I understand that I both wrote and listened to songs as a way of decoding the world that overwhelmed me, as I empathized with the narrative some songwriters put in their songs».

Ricardo David Barrera Ramos

Licenciatura en Lenguas Modernas

When I was child, I knew I would be a musician. Although I did not really know which path I would take in the music world back then. When I turned 9 years old, I was delighted to discover the vast world of multilingual music while I was getting familiarized with English as my second language, a world I am still exploring to this day. This miraculous encounter resulted in my fi rst endeavors in a fi eld that combined both of my passions, music and languages: I started to become a songwriter.

That same year, Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie commented in her renowned TED-talk The Danger of a Single Story, her experiences when writing her fi rst stories at age 7. “I wrote exactly the kinds of stories I was reading” (Adichie, 2009) she said. And just like that, I found myself penning my fi rst songs which included lyrics about things I had never experienced in my life: heartbreak, treason, depression, among others. When I look back to this time, I understand that I both wrote and listened to songs as a way of decoding the world that overwhelmed me, as I empathized with the narrative some songwriters put in their songs. Despite my age and lack of real-life experiences, that would enhance a better understanding of the message authors were trying to convey. Of course, I have now lived a little bit more to understand these songs to a better extent (something that is refl ected in my songwriting as well), but this strange phenomenon re-

The Language of empathy. Tomada de shorturl.at/fwFLX mains the same. In fact, I would say it has only grown stronger through time. I would like to present some examples of this to you: Southern trees bear a strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at “My point relies in the fact that the root songs possess the ability to encapsule realities and allow us listeners to re-live them, even if they tell stories of lives far away from our time Black bodies swingin' in the Southern breeze Strange fruit hangin' from the and space”. poplar trees “Strange Fruit” by Abel Meeropol Lyrics taken from: https://genius. com/Billie-holiday-strange-fruitlyrics These were the opening lines of a poem that went on to become the lyrics of one of the most remarkable

protest songs of all time: “Strange Fruit”. Written by Abel Meeropol in 1937 and fi rst recorded in 1939 by American jazz legend Billie Holiday, the song condemned the lynching of African Americans through the metaphor of their bodies hanging in the trees resembling that of fruit. It, later, went on to become a symbol of the civil rights movement in 20th century America and sparked a wide conversation on the deplorable eff ects of racism (Ayre, 2013). The fi rst time I listened to this song, it certainly made me understand this problematic better than if I had read plenty of books about it. Not that reading is not important, of course, but my point relies in the fact that songs possess the ability to encapsule realities and allow us listeners to relive them, even if they tell stories of lives far away from our time and space.

J'ai vu qu'le rap est à la mode Et qu'il marche mieux quand il est sale Bah faudrait p't'être casser les codes, Une fi lle qui l'ouvre, ça s'rait normal

“Balance ton quoi” by Angèle Lyrics taken from: https://genius. com/Angele-balance-ton-quoi-lyrics

Fast forward to 2018, the song “Balance ton quoi” -written and performed by Belgian pop sensation Angèle- references the French #MeToo movement, a social cause denouncing sexual abuse towards women that has gained global recognition throughout the past few years. In the song, Angèle is vocal about the social injustice and stereotypes women all around the world have to face on a daily basis in order to call for a change in everyone’s mentality. This is an example of how songwriting can be a tool to communicate current world issues through means of entertainment. If you like pop music by any chance you might want to give it a listen, I fi nd it amusing how a song can be so socially aware, yet so catchy! Lloran los cielos, aulla el mar Mueren los sueños en ultramar Las olas sellan su tumba Europa pierde las uñas “Nana del Mediterráneo” by María José Llergo Lyrics taken from: https://genius. com/Maria-jose-llergo-nana-delmediterraneo-lyrics

As a songwriter, I consider the power of songwriting to go way beyond conventional schemes. Even though I consider myself an avid fan of the commercial and entertaining approach songwriting holds today, I am constantly reminding myself to be aware of the importance that it has had for society in the past and continues to carry on to the future, “ is is an example of how song- a task that I writing can be a tool to communi- invite you all cate current world issues through means of entertainment”. to perform regularly to appreciate the richness that music can contribute to the transmission of any message. At the end of the day, it represents a combination of both lyrical and melodic content that generates something beyond any possible explanation, and that is a language made of raw, true feelings.

Finally, in an even more recent example, we have the work of Spanish singer-songwriter María José Llergo. In her 2019 song “Nana del Mediterráneo”, Llergo denounces the heartbreaking refugee issue in the Mediterranean Sea in which many people die while looking for a better future for themselves. With her songwriting accompanied by her exotic fl amenco vocals and a lush production concept, Llergo’s work showcases characteristic features of music with a sense of empathy, since she takes over the diffi cult task of representing an ongoing confl ict in order to give a voice to people who lived it fi rsthand and would rather not speak about it.

References

Ayre, B. M. (2013, November 25). Strange Fruit: A protest song with enduring relevance. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-25034438

Llergo, María José. (2019). Nana del Mediterráneo. Nana del Mediterráneo. Sony Music Entertainment España, S.L.

Meeropol, A. (1937). Strange Fruit. Strange Fruit. Commodore Records.

TED. [TED]. (2009, October 7). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story [Video]. YouTube. shorturl.at/mnoK9

Van Laeken, A. (2018). Balance ton quoi. Brol. Angèle VL Records.