The origins of this song began over ten years ago. I found myself being compelled to write about the sheer emancipation of spirit that frolicking in water brings; water, life’s panacea. Now, the strange thing about this song is at the time I had begun to write it I couldn’t swim. Not only could I not swim, but I had an abject fear of being in water. I had tried on many occasions as a child to learn how to swim, but I just could not get the hang of it. The sum of all my fears of being in water, like most people with this fear was the fact that I had almost drowned as a child...twice.
A few years passed after writing the beginnings of Underwater and like a lot of my songs, it remained in my consciousness quite happily torpid until awakened. I still could not swim and while it would have been nice to have been able to, I did not find it a huge inconvenience in my life.
Then came the catalyst; I found myself in a situation where not being able to swim would have meant that I would be missing out on one of the most important moments in my life. I was to spend twelve glorious days with the man of my dreams in a paradise island resort – how could I not swim? Thankfully I broached the subject with my beau who had the solution; he would teach me how to swim. I did doubt that I would be able to learn within that time, since I had spent most of my childhood trying to learn, but never got past the fear. And there, indeed was the crux – it was pure, undeniable terror that was keeping me from learning how to swim.
Would you believe I learnt how to swim in a few mere hours? It was trust which finally overcame the fear. I trusted the love of my life and with his gentle guidance and in the safety of his presence, I was treading water in no time; segue from frantic strain of body against water to a silken glide of muscles relaxing into the groove.
The moment I began to actually swim I felt something heal in me. Not only was I in my own personal Shangri La with my soul mate, but I was now overcoming a monumental obstacle in my life. I found myself suddenly so at home in the water, as if none of my past fears were ever something I had to contend with. I was free, I was more alive than I had ever been, I was happy, joyful, ecstatic, and I was surrounded by this substance that was making me feel so unfathomably good!
In that stunning swimming pool, in that cool water, under the moon and the stars, there was only my love and I ... and time stood still for us. From such fear came such liberation, such healing, such wonder and indescribable love. The song, Underwater breathed deeply as it arose from its slumber...
One of my most cherished life lessons was learnt during this period. It’s about the things we are most resistant to in life. I have found that sometimes, the thing we are most resistant to is the thing we not only enjoy the most, but are quite often most brilliant at. Today, once I get into a pool, you’d be hard pressed to get me out of it again! It’s one of my life’s greatest pleasures, obviously made infinitely greater when my husband is swimming alongside me.
One of my favourite quotes from the legendary Bruce Lee comes to mind when I write this blog. He says,
“Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; you put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; you put it into a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
Bruce Lee
To learn to swim I had to embrace the thing that I feared; water. Our bodies are made up of this substance and yet we can have such fear of something that is an integral part of us. That applies to so much in life, perhaps we fear things sometimes because we are what we fear….food for thought at any rate.
I do hope you enjoy listening to my acoustic version of Underwater. This video comes complete with furtive glances, effervescent eyebrow antics and the occasional pout! It is after all a little bit of a saucy song so it called for a few saucy escapades.
To view Underwater – go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHtatsBykyk
To hear Underwater ‘in Fusion’ go to www.prema.net
Lyrics to Underwater by Prema
Separate the bad from the good
And see the amber in the wood
Rush to me like a wave coming fast from the open sea
Get the story from within my eyes
So far below there can be no lies
Rush to me like a wave coming fast from the open sea
And I feel love, washing through me
And I feel love, washing through you
And I feel love, washing through us, so endlessly
Timeless and holy
Here underwater where the angels fly
Here underwater you can ask me why
Here underwater baby you and I,
So alive and holding on, and breathing
Here underwater we can reach for the stars
Here underwater we are Venus and Mars
Here underwater baby you and I,
So alive and holding on, and breathing on
Touch my skin it gets softer still
Scratch my back with an ancient quill
Rush to me like a wave coming fast from the open sea
Educate me in your ways
Then let the sunlight spill her rays
Rush to me like a wave coming fast from the open sea
I feel it stronger when it flows
I will follow love wherever it goes
I just want to ride it nice and slow
‘Cos it could lead us to a better place
We could be together face to face
We could dive deep into the blue
We could be together me and you
And we could live on
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
A gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do
I started this day on full tilt as I had a lot to accomplish before this afternoon. So, having been to the gym, practiced and also done some PR I am now poised to enjoy what is to come. I have an afternoon planned with a close gal pal of mine whom I haven’t seen since before Christmas! We are going to chill out, listen to music, indulge in teeny bit of vino (famous last words) as we catch up with each other.
It’s one of those little pleasures of life I really enjoy, just shooting the breeze with a mate. I hardly have enough time these days for the endless list of things I have to do which is why it’s so refreshing to take time out with a friend. It takes you out of your immediate world for a little bit and I think our souls need that more often than we realise.
So, I always set the stage for such events – choose the right tunes for the stereo, light my favourite scented tea lights, put on the mood lighting, get the little nibbles out and as is my wont indulge in my unhealthy obsession with serviettes! I simply MUST have gorgeous serviettes when entertaining ... my friends tease me endlessly about this, but a gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do!
Today’s listening experience – Chick Corea ‘Spain’
I adore this track – in the first few seconds, I’m there ... in Spain – with sun streaming down on my skin, cocktail in hand, surround by great company with wonderful music making its mark on my soul. So, it’s time for you to leap in to the azure waters of this elevating track – and you will emerge refreshed, revitalised and ready for what life has in store for you next! Enjoy!
Prema
x
It’s one of those little pleasures of life I really enjoy, just shooting the breeze with a mate. I hardly have enough time these days for the endless list of things I have to do which is why it’s so refreshing to take time out with a friend. It takes you out of your immediate world for a little bit and I think our souls need that more often than we realise.
So, I always set the stage for such events – choose the right tunes for the stereo, light my favourite scented tea lights, put on the mood lighting, get the little nibbles out and as is my wont indulge in my unhealthy obsession with serviettes! I simply MUST have gorgeous serviettes when entertaining ... my friends tease me endlessly about this, but a gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do!
Today’s listening experience – Chick Corea ‘Spain’
I adore this track – in the first few seconds, I’m there ... in Spain – with sun streaming down on my skin, cocktail in hand, surround by great company with wonderful music making its mark on my soul. So, it’s time for you to leap in to the azure waters of this elevating track – and you will emerge refreshed, revitalised and ready for what life has in store for you next! Enjoy!
Prema
x
Monday, 1 February 2010
My Beautiful Affair - The Beginning
It’s the first of February 2010 & I thought it an auspicious time to start my first ever blog. I’ve been quite resistant to writing a blog for the longest time but it seems like the moment has arrived – so here I am folks, ready, willing and able!
As music is the frequency around which my soul vibrates it is only fitting that this blog, has music at its core. As some of you may know, I’ve released my second album ‘in Fusion’ recently, under my own record label MoreReverb.com. It is a huge deal for me because I finally made an album that was a true and authentic reflection of me, which as a musician might know, can be a very difficult thing to do if one has record labels and fiscal issues to think about. Making a record for the sole purpose of wanting to enjoy listening to it is a luxury these days, especially for the artiste/musician. I am blessed to have been able to do this and still have to pinch myself when I think of how we’ve managed to make this happen. The icing on the cake of course was the fact that I was able to enlist my musical heroes into this project – this incredible list is as follows; Wah Wah Watson, Peter Erskine, Luis Perdomo, Damian Erskine & Bashiri Johnson. Now I am unable to talk about these gentlemen without gushing – they really are inspiring people and musicians and have made a lasting and positive impact on my soul. If you’d like to know more about me, the album ‘in Fusion’ and the phenomenal musicians who played on the album, then please drop by www.prema.net for the lowdown.
So, my beautiful affair is of course my affair with music. For lack of a better word (because affair does conjure up images of it being fleeting) my ‘affair’ with music is all consuming and perhaps a little scandalous! However, ask any passionate musician and he/she will say the same – you live, breathe and vibrate music...’tis it’s nature.
It is my feelings about music that I want to share with you all, because I want for more and more people to experience music as intensely as it is humanly possible. In this day of ‘fast music’ very much akin to ‘fast food’, we just don’t savour it. We guzzle down the music, allowing only a moment of instant gratification, a quick fix as it courses through our beings giving us an ephemeral sense of joy which never lingers long enough for us to really FEEL it.
Music is so much more though; it heals, it inspires, it soothes, it elevates, it resonates and does everything we need it to do – we just have to learn to let it do what it was created to do. So, that’s my blog – it begins here today on the first of February 2010 and I hope in a year’s time you will all have your own beautiful affair with music!
Today’s listening experience – Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’
Sit yourself down somewhere comfy, get yourself a lovely drink – take the time to make the best cup of coffee or whatever you fancy... Put this track on, take a sip and close your eyes to the opening strains. Let yourself sink in to the guitar lick, let your body move, stick a knowing smile on your face – ‘only love can conquer hate’, let the swell of the strings fill your heart, exhale and feel the lump in your throat at the chorus. Now, key change...a time for you to put your personal memories into the song and then, slowly, from minor to major... a sense of hope, good things are coming your way ... feel it deeper now, feel the music channel love into your heart – sing along baby! Move your body, you’re on the ride now ... no getting off, here it comes, getting faster, stronger...let go of your fears. You’re home free! When the song is over, exhale deeply and smile. I guarantee you it will set you up for the whole day. :-)
With love and peace,
Prema
X
As music is the frequency around which my soul vibrates it is only fitting that this blog, has music at its core. As some of you may know, I’ve released my second album ‘in Fusion’ recently, under my own record label MoreReverb.com. It is a huge deal for me because I finally made an album that was a true and authentic reflection of me, which as a musician might know, can be a very difficult thing to do if one has record labels and fiscal issues to think about. Making a record for the sole purpose of wanting to enjoy listening to it is a luxury these days, especially for the artiste/musician. I am blessed to have been able to do this and still have to pinch myself when I think of how we’ve managed to make this happen. The icing on the cake of course was the fact that I was able to enlist my musical heroes into this project – this incredible list is as follows; Wah Wah Watson, Peter Erskine, Luis Perdomo, Damian Erskine & Bashiri Johnson. Now I am unable to talk about these gentlemen without gushing – they really are inspiring people and musicians and have made a lasting and positive impact on my soul. If you’d like to know more about me, the album ‘in Fusion’ and the phenomenal musicians who played on the album, then please drop by www.prema.net for the lowdown.
So, my beautiful affair is of course my affair with music. For lack of a better word (because affair does conjure up images of it being fleeting) my ‘affair’ with music is all consuming and perhaps a little scandalous! However, ask any passionate musician and he/she will say the same – you live, breathe and vibrate music...’tis it’s nature.
It is my feelings about music that I want to share with you all, because I want for more and more people to experience music as intensely as it is humanly possible. In this day of ‘fast music’ very much akin to ‘fast food’, we just don’t savour it. We guzzle down the music, allowing only a moment of instant gratification, a quick fix as it courses through our beings giving us an ephemeral sense of joy which never lingers long enough for us to really FEEL it.
Music is so much more though; it heals, it inspires, it soothes, it elevates, it resonates and does everything we need it to do – we just have to learn to let it do what it was created to do. So, that’s my blog – it begins here today on the first of February 2010 and I hope in a year’s time you will all have your own beautiful affair with music!
Today’s listening experience – Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’
Sit yourself down somewhere comfy, get yourself a lovely drink – take the time to make the best cup of coffee or whatever you fancy... Put this track on, take a sip and close your eyes to the opening strains. Let yourself sink in to the guitar lick, let your body move, stick a knowing smile on your face – ‘only love can conquer hate’, let the swell of the strings fill your heart, exhale and feel the lump in your throat at the chorus. Now, key change...a time for you to put your personal memories into the song and then, slowly, from minor to major... a sense of hope, good things are coming your way ... feel it deeper now, feel the music channel love into your heart – sing along baby! Move your body, you’re on the ride now ... no getting off, here it comes, getting faster, stronger...let go of your fears. You’re home free! When the song is over, exhale deeply and smile. I guarantee you it will set you up for the whole day. :-)
With love and peace,
Prema
X
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