It was December 1969 and I was 5 years old. I will never forget this night because it was the first pivotal moment in my life. I was taken to see my very first professional ballet, The Nutcracker. I remember coming home and telling my mother, "I can do that!". From that moment on, dance and music have been an integral part of my existence.
Music and movement are the visceral part of my emotions. Whatever I am feeling I can pop out my iPod and play a song that speaks the words that I can't say myself, and from the music is born movement. It's gotten to the point that as soon as I don my ear buds or head phones, turn up the music and close my eyes, I become lost in the choreography inside of my mind.
I was thinking back over my life, as one tends to do when one gets a certain age, and I realized that there was one song in particular that has been a constant in my music repertoire, Donny Hathaway's version of "A Song For You". (My other favorite must have artists are Chayanne, Tracey Chapman, Sade, and Phoebe Snow. I'm sure I'll write about all of them eventually)
"A Song For You" is the song that sums up so beautifully one of the great quests of my life. "I've acted out my life on stages, with ten thousand people watching, but we're alone, and I'm singing this song for you." The quest for that one person that is my safe harbor from everything and everyone. That at the end of the day it doesn't matter who I have to be to the rest of the world, this person will accept me for who I really am.
For this person I will dance the language of my soul and they will understand, because this dance is meant for and audience of one.
"I've been so many places
In my life and time
I've sung a lot of songs
I've made some bad rhymes
I've acted out my life on stages
With 10,000 people watching
But we're alone now
And I'm singing this song to you
I know your image of me
Is what I hoped to be
I treated you unkindly
But darling, can't you see?
There's no one more important to me
Baby, can't you see through me?
'Cause we're alone now
And I'm singing this song to you
You taught me precious secrets
Of a true love while holding nothing
You came out in front when I was hiding
But now I'm so much better
And if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody
'Cuz my love is in there hiding
I love you in a place
Where there's no space or time
I love you for my life
'Cuz you' re a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone
And I was singing this song to you
I love you in a place
Where there's no space or time
I love you for my life
'Cuz you' re a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone
And I was singing this song to you
We were alone
And I was singing this song to you
We were alone
And I was singing this song
Singing this song to you"
Songwriters
RUSSELL, LEON
Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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