On May 22, the radio program "Murakami Radio" starring Haruki Murakami launched a special program, hoping to make everyone who has suffered under the COVID-19 epidemic feel the power of music.
This radio special program is available in both Japanese and English. The following is most of the English version, written by Haruki Murakami himself and translated by David Boyd.
Murakami Radio Home Special Edition
Hello everyone, I am Haruki Murakami.
I usually do murakami radio every two months, but today, I will present you with a special program of two hours. Today's theme is "Beautiful Music of Tomorrow". I want to use the power of music to dispel the haze of the new crown virus.
The show was recorded in my study, and I stayed at home instead of the usual Tokyo fm studio. The show is produced independently by myself, but Cat Shan will do me a little favor (a cat that appears on the show). "Meow!" Okay, now please don't bother me.
In the current situation, I think your life is also inconvenient due to various restrictions. You can't meet the people you want to meet, you can't go where you want to go, you can't do what you want to do, it's painful. For some of you, I have chosen music that brings you more energy and comfort. I'm not very confident I'll do well, but I'll do my best.
Today, I use the sound system that I usually use at home to play, not the equipment of the radio station. So the sound may be a little different from usual.
1. Modern Folk Quartet: Looking for a Glimmer of Hope
（the modern folk quartet: look for the silver lining）
The first is the modern folk quartet's "In Search of a Glimmer of Hope."
There is a saying in English called "every cloud has a silver lining", which means "there is always a glimmer of light in the darkness". No matter how difficult the situation is, it always has a good side, so trust tomorrow. It's a very positive song.
The Modern Folk Quartet was originally founded in the 1960s and, as the name suggests, its repertoire is centered on folk songs, but later it began to cover a variety of other musical genres. It presents a wonderful harmony, so you should also look for a glimmer of hope.
2. Bruce Springsteen: Wait on a sunny day
（bruce springsteen: waitin 'on a sunny day）
"Waiting on a Sunny Day" is one of the songs from Bruce Springsteen's 2001 album The Rising, released after 9/11.
A New Yorker I know said, "This album has helped me a lot mentally. "Music has that power. This song "Waiting on a Sunny Day" is also a song that touched my heart.
3. Eisley meets Baklach: Raindrops keep falling on my head
（isley meets bacharach: raindrops keep falling on my head）
The next song is "I'm wet in the rain," which is when I'm depressed.
Today, let's enjoy this song by Ronald Eisley, lead singer of the Band Esley, and composer Bart Baclach.
Indeed it is. Let us move up firmly.
There has been a strong trend in the recent world where people are accustomed to dividing things simply into black and white. Especially in the world of the Internet, those who use tough tones over and over again can win the victory of public opinion. It sounds a bit cheeky, and I really don't like it. People get confused when they're not sure if they're good or bad, and the real role of music and fiction is to portray and heal them with compassion. When I listened to such beautiful music, I realized this again.
4. Nina Simone: The sun is out
（nina simone: here comes the sun）
Nina Simone sang George Harrison's famous 1971 song "The Sun Is Out", accompanied by her piano accompaniment. The lyrics are simple, but such simple music has reverberated in my heart for a long time.
I have run 10 kilometers as a companion of visually impaired people. I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer, so I applied to run with a blind person, which required tying a rope to the other person's hand, and I learned the details through running. But if I'm not used to it, it's hard to run with a blind guy. I want to adjust the speed according to the situation of the opponent and pass on the road information accurately and quickly. I was running at the U.S. Army airfield, but the ground at the airport was unexpectedly rough, so it was very dangerous, and I had to be careful not to trip. I tried to pretend to be happy without any difficulty.
We talked a lot before and after the run. But it's hard for blind people to practice running, and I don't always have companions, so I have to plan and train on my own. I always ask myself a little reluctantly, "Do you want to stop running because you're tired today?" "I feel very sorry when I hear that.
What we're dealing with now is not a small thing like "even if you get wet with rain," but even if you complain, nothing can be solved. We have no choice but to plan and accomplish what you can do at our own pace. The same goes for writing novels. Let's do our best without giving up on each other.
5. Carol King: You have a friend
（carole king: you've got a friend）
Next up is Carol King's masterpiece You Have a Friend. Listen to a demo tape recorded by Carol King herself. Carol King was better known as a composer rather than a singer in his youth, and he also wrote songs for other singers. So I did a lot of auditions to bring this song to play.
I tried to recreate the song with a piano or a simple accompaniment and said, "This is a song like this." But it did so well that I think when listening to it, Carol King would think, "I wish I could sing this song." "Carol King didn't feel like he could be a star when he was younger.
Lyricist Jerry Goffin is very handsome and strong, so Carol King has been hiding in the shadows. However, he gradually became independent and made a great breakthrough on the album Tapestry.
"You Have a Friend" is a demo tape for the album Tapestry, with Carol King singing only to the piano. Of course, the sound of the audition tape is rough, but it conveys a rare sensibility and emotion. It's a good song.
6. Ella Fitzgerald: Flying over a rainbow
（ella fitzgerald: over the rainbow）
There were a lot of singers who sang the famous theme song "Flying Over the Rainbow" from the movie The Wizard of Ors, but I liked the version with lyrics, so I chose this song by Ella Fitzgerald. Poetry is the prelude to the main melody. The song sounds very charming. The upcoming tenor solo is sung by Johnson. No matter when you listen, this is a very good song.
7. Bob Marley and the Howler: The Sun Shines
（bob marley & the wailers：sun is shining）
I know the song came from Bob Marley's natural mystic album, but I didn't buy the CD myself. I rented a car in Maui, Hawaii a long time ago, and the CD was in the stereo of the car, and the person who borrowed it before forgot about it. This happens a lot. So while listening to music, I've been walking around Maui and I really like this CD. When I returned the car, I didn't say anything about it. That's why I have a glossy CD without a box.
One day, two years later, however, I found Will Alone, a charity store, in Honolulu and found a natural mystery box and lyrics book. I'm sure someone forgot the CD on Maui and he only donated a box and a padding. Then I bought it for a dollar. That's why I now have a complete picture of Natural Mysticism. The encounter was really interesting. Yes, I believe there will be good luck in life.
8 Louis Armstrong: What a wonderful world
（louis armstrong: what a wonderful world）
This is "what a wonderful world" from Louis Armstrong's late masterpiece, This Wonderful World.
It was a good song, but I didn't like it before because the CEO of Paramount sold the record for some reason hating the song, so it couldn't sell in the U.S. at all. However, it caused a stir in many other countries, including the United Kingdom, and then gradually became known in the United States. The world has not abandoned it.
And it's really exciting, and the movie "Good Morning Vietnam" uses the song out of irony.
9. Kate Taylor: Happy Birthday, my dear
（kate taylor: happy birthday sweet darling）
Many people may have a tough time because of the coronavirus. Especially for people who have birthdays at this time, or who have birthdays in the near future, their birthdays will definitely be boring. In this case, it is difficult for people to get blessings, it is difficult to eat delicious food, and it is possible that they will not receive so many gifts.
For those of you, I'll give you a birthday song. James Taylor's sister Kate Taylor sang "Happy Birthday Dear." The song is so good that I often listen to it on my birthdays.
Happy birthday. You're a little older now. - You're just a little old. Yes, there will definitely be a lot of good things going on this time next year.