I had been listening to Phil Ochs last morning in hope of grasping onto something that could lead me to think of better things but it somehow didn't work out after I ended up listening to 'There but for Fortune' and then went on to read all the way upto his bipolar disorder and suicide. There was one thing that had been embedded quite deep inside me, though - that the murder of Victor Jara injured Ochs permanently. And the only idea I had about Victor was his identity as a revolutionary, as a singer, as a leader and as a martyr. Given my almost villainous presence of memory, I also remembered the details of how the murder happened. Somehow after yesterday, I had been craving his music and it has been almost a whole day that I have been listening to this song and I seem to still not be able to get enough of it!
I actually played this to several other people today and many of them loved the tune to it, although none of them could make head or tail of the lyrics. Technically, there are two things that might have happened. One is that once music is born out of a certain social movement, and involves an honest intention to freedom, to liberty, there is one common factor - one with no name that binds the universality of it altogether. This is perhaps how people's music has developed as a distinct genre in itself.
The second thing is that the song is in Spanish and Spanish has an 'universal' element in itself (think why Esperanto is called Esperanto) and perhaps helps ideate certain dormant things hidden deep inside, so even if you don't fully understand the lyrics - it opens up certain doors and windows and helps you look at the world outside.
'El Derecho de Vivir en Paz' literally translates to 'The right to Live in Peace' and is a song dedicated to Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh.
The lyrics and the English translation to the same can be found here. It is a flaming, beautiful culmination of the verses that it consists of and the easy tune coming through as diluted, as tranquil as the sea-salt in the ocean waves is something you could crave for on days when you are in need of hope. Given the present political scenario in India, in South Asia and across the globe, it would not be a mistake to remind each of ourselves and those around us that we are in trouble unless we are conscious. Victor's fingers were smashed while they mocked at him and asked him to play the guitar. Victor's nails were uprooted. He still smiled and he sang until they shot him at the head followed by the nearly fourty bullets that riddled his body. The beauty that continues to surround his music and radiate itself is still so evident, and is everything but forgotten.
The prelude and especially the multiple interludes intertwine a breathtaking combination of elements from folk and also rock - this is not astonishing but bewildering for sure, in a certain sense, and obviously amusing! The whole picture totally makes sense, makes evident, non-chaotic, delightful and strong sense. There is reason why a part of Phil died when Victor was murdered. Victor, in all his entirety, was not just a leader, not just a revolutionary, not just him - he was the voice of a movement, he was the name of a movement and only sometimes...he was but a song!
If you have particular songs in mind that are not popular in the mainstream sense of popularity but you feel are important, you can drop me a message using the contact form below or by dropping a mail at titassparkles[at the rate]gmail[dot]com.
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