Songs & Stories From The Heart

[00:00:02] Speaker A: What's up, y' all? Thanks for tuning in. It's Wednesday at 12:20, which means the young men's group at Park Day is in full effect. We're down here in the magnolia basement. My name is Arjuna, Park Day's director of Equity Inclusion Belonging. And with me I have August Bailey. [00:00:17] Speaker B: Lucas, Rita Seaver, Zuri Harrington, Gab. [00:00:20] Speaker A: And for the first time joining our group, we have Kabir. And we don't have Meg in the room. He's being a responsible young man doing some work in the classroom, but he's with us in spirit and together we are putting together a mixtape. Keep listening and you will hear important songs in our lives and some of the stories that come along with it. Some of the stories that we are telling with this music are stories about. [00:00:44] Speaker B: Inspirational men in our lives and our. [00:00:47] Speaker A: Own development, also family members. So stay tuned. And here we go. We're going to get into it. [00:00:56] Speaker B: What does music have to do with being a young man? I think it has to relate to one of the topics about being a young man in this group is our experiences about being young men. And the songs can kind of relate to our past and different things we've experienced through our lives that we can relate to. Personally, what if I, like low key, have like no hard experiences? I go to private school and stuff? Like, I don't have that hard experiences in my life. I think you might view some experiences as not bad, but others can view them as such. It's really just perspective. But the songs aren't about bad experiences. It's about experiences as a whole. You can dial down on an emotion if you want to. [00:01:44] Speaker A: Zuri, what's one of your earliest musical memories as a child? [00:01:48] Speaker B: I would say Ghost Riders in the sky by Johnny Cash because my grandpa used to play it on guitar for me whenever he'd come over. He used to sing it too. I remember when he used to come over for like Christmas and like, play his guitar and like, sing songs and stuff because he used to be like a rock star. His name's Greg Kinn. You can look him up on Spotify. Let's listen to a bit of Ghost Riders in the Sky. [00:02:26] Speaker C: An old cowboy went from riding out one dark and windy day up on a ridge he rested as he went along his way when all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw plowing through the ragged skies and up a cloudy draw Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could Feel a bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky. For he saw the riders coming hard and he heard their mournful cry. Yip the I O Yip the I. [00:03:26] Speaker D: A. [00:03:31] Speaker C: Ghost riders in the sky. Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred. Their shirts all soaked with sweat. He's riding hard to catch that herd. But he ain't caught him yet. Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky. All the horses snorting fire as they ride on. Hear their cry as a rider floated on by him. He heard one call his name. If you want to save your soul from hell Riding on our range? Then cowboy, change your ways. If they are with us you will ride. Trying to catch the devil's herd across these endless skies. Yippee I O Yip E I O Ghost riders in the sky. Ghost riders in the sky. Ghost riders in the sky. [00:05:52] Speaker B: Once again this song is called Ghost Riders in the sky by Johnny Cash. There were people who came up, like, at his memorial to play music, and they played a lot of different songs that, like, he liked and songs of his, and this was one of them. Like, around Christmas time, he'd come over, like, every week. [00:06:11] Speaker A: Did you ever make any music with him? [00:06:14] Speaker B: I would try to play the guitar, but I was pretty young, so I wasn't very good at it. He just had an acoustic guitar, I think. I tried playing Ghost Riders in the Sky a couple times, but I was kind of just strumming the guitar immediately. [00:06:27] Speaker A: When you mentioned Johnny Cash, it brought my dear friend Kyle Metzner to mind, who has passed away now. But Kyle is an amazing human being, a deep inspiration for me as a human, but also as a parent. He was the first man with two daughters that I knew, and at a time where I didn't know much about parenthood. So he put me on a lot of game. We worked at the same school together. And one of my birthdays, he surprised me with the Johnny Cash live at Folsom 45. And he got everyone on our team to sign the 45. And so it's a prized possession for me. And it's the first song I think of when I hear Johnny Cash. [00:07:07] Speaker E: The song is called Nature Boy by Nat King Cole. My dad, Eric, introduced it to me. He would sing it to me when I was really young. And it kind of stuck into my head, the song, I feel like it represents me in a way. And the story about how the man that Nat King Cole met was a very wise man and how that he was, like, how he was a very successful man. And I always just strive. I always strive to be something like that. My dad, he's just really nice, and, I don't know, we relate in a lot of ways. And he's my homie. The name of the song is Nature Boy by Nat King Cole. [00:07:57] Speaker C: There was a boy A very strange. [00:08:03] Speaker D: Enchanted boy. [00:08:07] Speaker C: They say he wandered very. [00:08:10] Speaker D: Far Very far Over land and sea A little shy. [00:08:24] Speaker C: And sad have I But very wise. [00:08:33] Speaker A: Was he. [00:08:39] Speaker C: And then. [00:08:40] Speaker A: One day. [00:08:43] Speaker D: A magic day he passed. [00:08:46] Speaker A: My way. [00:08:49] Speaker C: And while we spoke of. [00:08:51] Speaker D: Many things Fools and kings. [00:08:56] Speaker C: This he. [00:08:56] Speaker D: Said to me. [00:09:03] Speaker A: The greatest thing. [00:09:09] Speaker B: You. [00:09:09] Speaker C: Ever learn Is just to love. [00:09:20] Speaker A: And. [00:09:20] Speaker C: Be love. [00:09:27] Speaker B: In return. [00:09:35] Speaker E: Listen to the last part. It's the. The last part has a very strong message. The greatest thing you'll ever learn Is just to love and be loved in. [00:09:47] Speaker A: Return what do you think that. What do you think that means, Mike? [00:09:53] Speaker B: I think it means that it's just, like. It's just a great thing, a truly beautiful thing to be loved and, like, you know, it's beautiful to love someone, too. That's the Nat King Cole message, is. [00:10:16] Speaker C: Just alive and be loved. [00:10:31] Speaker B: In return. [00:10:42] Speaker A: Zuri, what do you think that means? Or what does that mean for you? [00:10:46] Speaker B: I'm not really sure. Maybe, like, what was it? To be loved the greatest thing Is to be loved and to be loved in return the greatest thing you'll ever. [00:10:57] Speaker E: Learn Is just to love and be loved in return. [00:11:00] Speaker B: It's talking about how, like, love is good. I'm not, like, entirely sure. [00:11:11] Speaker A: It's basic, but it's also deep at the same time. What's that again? [00:11:15] Speaker B: It's powerful. [00:11:16] Speaker A: I agree. What about you? What do you think that means to you? [00:11:18] Speaker E: Sensational. [00:11:20] Speaker A: Indeed. [00:11:20] Speaker B: I think in a way, it could just be like another term as, like, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. You love me, I'll love you. [00:11:29] Speaker A: All right, so I'm gonna share a song. Hoping you've heard this song before. It's. It's a song by Most Def, who now goes by the name Yasin Bay. Y' all heard of Most Def is an incredible lyricist. He's a poet, he's an actor. He's just an amazing thinker. [00:11:51] Speaker E: Yo, Miss Fat Booty is a tough song. [00:11:53] Speaker A: Yeah, Miss Fat Booty is a tough song, but this. And so this song is actually from that album, the Miss Fat Booty he's on. It's called. The album is called Black on Both Sides. And it's his first solo album he made prior to that, an album called Black Star with Talib Kweli. And that song blew my mind. It blew so many minds of people around me. And it was. It had a lot of themes of like black consciousness, liberation, etc, but when he came out with black on both sides, there was a song. It was like one of the first songs that I. I heard by a rap artist with like live jazz instrumentation. And the song is called Umi says, and umi is a term for grandmother in. In Arabic. There's few words in the song, but they're super powerful. Not to mention as a. As a musician, I was like, wow, you don't have to be a producer making music on a drum machine or a sequencer. He had live musicians in the mix. So I'm gonna press pause right now and just let you hear it. And there's also a music video that goes along with it. So here we go. We're gonna tune into Most def. Ume says, like I said, I'm 15, 16 hearing this, and he's given me a picture of what manhood is like. And I respect him as an emcee, as someone with crazy bars and coming up from the streets of Brooklyn. But then here he is painting a picture of a much more holistic, well rounded, sophisticated man and the context of a crazy world. [00:13:19] Speaker D: I don't wanna write this down. I wanna tell right now. I don't want to take no time to write this down. I don't want to tell you how I feel right now. Hey, tomorrow may never come for you or me. Life is not promised. Tomorrow may never show up for you and me. This life is not a promise. I ain't no perfect man I'm trying to do the best that I can with what it is I have. I ain't no perfect man I'm trying to do the best that I can with what it is I have put my heart and soul into the song. I hope you feel me from where I am to wherever you are. I mean, I can say tomorrow may never come for you Me life is not promised. Tomorrow may never appear. You better hold this very moment Very close to you right now. Very close to you. Don't be afraid, let it shine. My homie said shine your light on the world? Shine your light for the world to see. My army said shine your light on the world? Shine your light for the world to see. My army say shine your light on the world? Shine your light for the world my. Shine your light both. Sometimes I get discouraged I look around and things are so weak? [00:15:31] Speaker A: People are so weak. [00:15:33] Speaker D: Time sometimes my Heart gets heavy Sometimes I just want to leave and fly away Sometimes I don't know what to do myself Passion takes over me Feel like a man Times I don't want to be bothered Sometimes I just want a quiet life Me and my baby Me and my lady Times I don't want to get into snowball Sometimes I don't want to be a soul Sometimes I just want to be a man but pull me say shine your light the world Shine your light for the world to see My aunt be say shine your light on the world Shine your light for the world to see My dream will say shine your light on the world Shine your light for the world to see My elder say shine your light on the world Shine your light for the world I won't like people to be free to be free to be free for my people to be free to be free to be free for my people to be free to be free to be free. [00:18:01] Speaker A: What'S the message of the song? You think he wants black people to be free? Oh, that's part of it, but mostly there's. He says at the end, the majority of the song, he has a slightly different message. What do you think the message of that song is, Kabir? [00:18:13] Speaker B: He wants to be a better man. [00:18:15] Speaker A: Anyone else? What do you think? [00:18:16] Speaker E: I think he. He's gonna do what he can to be a better man with what that he has. That. That he has. And I think. I think he's just painting a picture of what it's like, like, the challenges and stuff of being, like, a black man, you know, for. For, like, I guess, younger, for the next generation. [00:18:40] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. Kabir, you asked about what music has to do with being a young man. Well, like I said, when I heard this, I wasn't thinking about parenthood, but he planted a seed in my mind, and I had so much respect for him. Him. And so that seed was significant. And then when I grew up older, that seed sprouted. And who I am as a parent, who I am as a. Is a. As a father and a husband that is very much informed by the seed that he planted that I. I heard many years earlier. So that's. That's, you know, that's kind of the connection I'm trying to make here. Also, when this song came out and I heard this, I played it from my parents because mostly at that time, they were, like, they weren't into the. The rap music that I was listening to for all those reasons that I mention, because it was super, like, misogynistic and violent. A lot of cuss words. And I took it home to share with my parents, and particularly my dad, who's a black man from Brooklyn. I'm like, yo, listen to this. And my dad's a black Muslim man from Brooklyn. And I'm like, yo, listen to most deaf. This song's all about, you know, shining your light on the world and honoring his Muslim heritage. And my dad was like, that's cool. So my dad wasn't crazy about it, but he said it was cool. And in a quiet way, he let me know that he appreciated the song because that was the first rap song that he gave any love to. [00:20:00] Speaker B: The name of the song is To Zion by Lauryn Hill. And the story of it is my mom dedicated it to me when she was pregnant with me. [00:20:09] Speaker A: How do you know that? Because you weren't. You don't remember that? [00:20:12] Speaker B: Three stories passed down by her and family members. [00:20:15] Speaker A: So how many times have you heard that story? [00:20:19] Speaker B: Around, like, 10 times, I'd say. But, you know, it's just, like, really important to me. And that's why this song has deeper meaning. [00:20:30] Speaker A: How many times have you heard this song? You think, where have you heard this song? Like, paint a picture. Where in your life physically have you heard this song? [00:20:37] Speaker B: Records, CDs, cars. [00:20:43] Speaker D: I touch my belly over everything by what I had been chosen to perform but then an angel came one day Told me to kneel down and pray for until me, a man child would be born oh, this crazy circumstance I knew his life deserved a chance but everybody told me to be smart look at your career they said, lauren, baby, use your head but instead I chose to use my heart now the joy of my world is in Zion now the door of my world in Zion how beautiful Is nothing more than two way to Zion's door I've never been in love like this before now let me pray to keep you from the perils that will surely come See life for you my prince has just begun and I thank you for choosing me to come through on your life to be a beautiful reflection of his grace See, I know that a gift so great is only one God could create and I'm reminded every time I see your face at the joy of my worthy is in Zion now the joy of my world is in Zion now the joy, the joy of my world is in Zion Watching marching, watching washing Marching watching Beautiful. Beautiful. [00:24:28] Speaker A: And how does this song make you feel? Or what is it? What does it make you think of? [00:24:33] Speaker B: Makes me think of motherhood and unconditional love. [00:24:38] Speaker E: Shout out to McKee, bro. [00:24:39] Speaker B: Yeah. Shout out to my mom. Shout out to my grandma. Shout out to Lauryn Hill. Shout out to Wyclef. Shout out to music. Shout out to. I'm in it. Shout out to me. Shout out to us. Shout out to this. Shout out to you and me forever. Forever. Shout out to August. Shout out to Kabir. Shout out to Zuri. Shout out to Luke. Shout out to aj Shout out to Arjuna is what he wanted me to call. Yeah. Yeah. [00:25:17] Speaker A: All right, we're talking music. Think we're sharing stories that connect us as young men. So, Kabir, last week we were sharing songs and you were. You were thinking about what song to. To share and you went home to have a good conversation with your. Your parents. You're back this week, and I believe you have a song that you. You learn about from talking to your dad. Is that right? [00:25:42] Speaker B: Yeah, it's Fight the Power by Public Enemy. [00:25:46] Speaker A: All right, so from talking to your dad, what did you learn about this song? What's the significance for him that you can share with the group? [00:25:53] Speaker B: I think he listened to it when his, like, he was going through rough times. It helped him realize they have to fight the power and, like, stand up for what's right. [00:26:05] Speaker A: A lot of times people think about power as a good thing. Power is something that they want, not necessarily something to fight against. So what do you think in this case is the power that you're fighting against anyone? [00:26:17] Speaker B: Like, racist people and, like, I don't. [00:26:21] Speaker E: Know, the popo assimilationists. People with power tend to be bi sometimes. So they tend to sometimes, like, spread hate. And the basically, people in power, it's. People with less power are basically saying that, like, minority groups are basically saying that we need to, like, fight these guys so that we can, like, have equal rights. [00:26:44] Speaker A: In other words, like, there are people who like, to hoard the power, keep it for themselves. And so there are people like Public Enemy who want to fight the power so the power can be freed for everyone to share. Is that right? [00:26:56] Speaker B: I think it's about how, like, power and numbers, like, all of us who are like, like, not the 1% richest. I feel like if we all try to, like, work together, then we can, like, stop, like, as many people from, like, starving as many people who, like, don't have homes. All the people are here, like, struggling to pay rent and stuff. And I think that's kind of what the song's about. [00:27:18] Speaker A: You know, who here has actually heard Public Enemies Fight the Power? Okay, so some of you, but not everyone. [00:27:24] Speaker B: Yo, August Lay down a beat, bruh. [00:27:26] Speaker E: It goes a little something like this. [00:27:28] Speaker B: Fight the power. [00:27:30] Speaker D: Fight the fuck? [00:27:57] Speaker F: Sound of the funky drummer music hitting your heart. Cause I know you got soul. Listen if you're missing y' all swinging while I'm singing. Giving what you're getting. Knowing what I knowing While the black band sweating in the rhythm I'm rolling. Gotta give us what we want. Gotta give us what we need. Our freedom of speech is freedom of death. We got to fight the powers that be. Face the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. [00:28:30] Speaker D: Fight the power. [00:28:33] Speaker F: Fight the power. Fight the power. We got to fight the powers that be. Algorithms designed to bounce with counter that's the rhyme designed to fill your mind. Now that you realize the prize arrives. We got to pump the stuff that makes it's a start a work of art to revolutionize Make a change thus it's great we are the same. No, we're not the same. Cause we don't know the game. What we need is awareness. We can't get careless, you say what is this? My beloved? Let's get down to business. Mental self defense or fitness? Don't rush the show. [00:29:08] Speaker D: You got the thought of what you know. [00:29:10] Speaker F: To make everybody see. In order to fight the powers that be. Fight the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. We gotta fight the power that be. [00:29:41] Speaker D: Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. [00:29:52] Speaker F: Fight the power. Fight the power. Fight the power. [00:30:01] Speaker D: Fight the power. [00:30:04] Speaker F: Fight the power. Fight the power. We gotta fight the powers that be. Elvis was a hero to mope But Elvis was a hero to mope. Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant to me yes, he's straight out racist the sucker was simple and plain. [00:30:22] Speaker D: Wayne. [00:30:23] Speaker F: Cause I'm black and I'm proud already I'm hyped cause I'm amped Most of my heroes don't appear in no stamps Samp all look back, you look and find nothing but redneck for 400 years if you text don't worry, be happy was a number one one jam Damn if I said you can slap me right here get it let's get this party started right, right on, come on. What we got to say? Power to the people, no delay, make everybody see. In order to fight the powers that be. Fight the power. Fight the power. We got to fight the powers that be. What we got to say? What we got to say? Fight the power. [00:31:35] Speaker D: Come on. [00:31:36] Speaker F: What we got to say? Fight the power. What we got to say fight the power. [00:31:44] Speaker A: Come on. [00:31:45] Speaker D: Yo, check this out, man. [00:31:47] Speaker A: All right, so they in the song saying, don't believe the hype. What do you think? But don't. Why are they saying don't believe the hype? [00:31:51] Speaker E: Maybe it's because, like, there's so much hype around people with power. Like, you can't take them down. Like, they're kind of untouchable. But he was just saying, like, he's getting people to, like, say that, like, don't believe the hype, you know, like, we can take them down, like power numbers, you know, and, like, we gotta fight the power. [00:32:06] Speaker A: When we talk about fighting the power, what's the relevance of that message to us as men, as young men? [00:32:13] Speaker B: I think the relevance to fight the power, especially as a young black man, I feel like often black people are, like, discriminated against by people in higher power. So I think just fighting the power is, like, still relevant, especially to us in the young men's group. [00:32:31] Speaker E: I believe that fighting the power also not only relates to the power, like, usually going against minority groups such as black men and. Or black women. I also believe that fighting the power is sometimes there's a non existent power. Sometimes it's just like if there's some, like, like, unspoken rule or something that, like, men can't, or black men in general can't be vulnerable, I feel that is also like a power that we need to fight, which is why we're talking about the stuff we're talking about in this, you know, in this segment, I guess, and why we're sharing these songs is that's a form of fighting the power. And it just like letting yourself be true and letting yourself be vulnerable. [00:33:21] Speaker A: I agree with all of that. And I would also add that fighting the power also means fighting patriarchy. Fighting the power, for me means fighting homophobia. Fighting the power means fighting all of the forces that prevent us from being our best selves as individuals, as men. And so, yeah, I agree with August. And even just having honest conversations from the heart, vulnerably with other men is a small form, but an important form of fighting the power. So that's what this mixtape is all about. I appreciate you listening. I appreciate you participating. Any last, last words before we close out? [00:34:04] Speaker B: The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. Just because we can't see doesn't mean it's not there. [00:34:10] Speaker A: Okay, hold on. We were trying to close out, but then you just hit me with that. Hold on. Can you repeat that one more time A little more slowly. Let me just make sure I got this, all right? [00:34:20] Speaker B: The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. Just because we don't have evidence of something doesn't mean it's not there. [00:34:27] Speaker A: What? What he just said. Yeah, bruh, what he just said. We're out. [00:34:34] Speaker B: Sa.