There is something about this song that resonates deep within me. It is a reggae classic, written in 1970, that has been remade many times over by reggae artists, gospel choirs and everyone in-between. This version is by Jimmy Cliff, a reggae legend, and it shows the up-lifting power of the song. It’s a song that is meant to be experienced, I highly recommend you sing along while playing it loudly.

And we wept as we remembered Zion

This is a song of mourning and grief. The song is based on Psalm 137: 1- 4:

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion… For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song… How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land? (1-4)

It is some dark subject matter. This song was written about Africans being taken from their homelands and sold into slavery, based on a bible verse about the Jews being exiled to Babylonia (6th-5th centuries, B.C. ) This song describes terrible events yet goes on to encourage the listener to continue to walk with God and do right. The second half of the song is based on Psalm 19:14:

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

How will you handle adversity?

My family has faced great change and upheaval over the course of the last two years. It’s been a long process filled with grieving and rebuilding. I know things are happening as they should, but my faith has been stretched to its limits at times.

Reggae is music born from people who know hardship and suffering. Yet the music is filled with love, gratitude and humor. It’s music that is meant to be danced to and experienced with others. By the Rivers of Babylon takes tragic events and makes something beautiful that conveys strength and power. I love the congregational aspect of this song, it uplifts me like a hymn. In Jimmy Cliff’s capable hands, it’s practically a religious experience.

Recommended Versions

This version by Sublime is a favorite because the harmonies are lovely and I have a soft spot for marimba. If you are interested in purchasing this song, I highly recommend the gospel version by Sweet Honey in the Rock titled Waters of Babylon. Blessings!

This song is such a throwback to early NWA while being totally modern. That booming bassline was made for a stompin’ system in a car. I play this song LOUD, as it was meant to be heard. Those pounding beats vibrate your lower chakras, scratching an itch you didn’t know you had. This song is pure west coast at its finest: clever, laid-back, and hella danceable.

We are lost but we are not alone

Here is the introduction for the latest collaboration between the Grouch and Zion I titled Heroes in the Healing of a Nation. It’s an excellent album from the jump, I highly recommend you purchase it. This is the intro by Brother Ali. His preachers delivery style always makes me want to yell, “Amen!”

And lest you forget, they are from Cali….

IT WON”T. Not doing anything guarantees more of the same. People are trying to stand up for something different and they need your help.  After the jump, pictures of democracy at its most basic level. It’s not easy but it’s exciting to see people who are willing to take a stand against corporations that are too big to fail and running amok.

He is the 99%, he is our friend

Occupy Seattle

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got to Occupy Seattle on Thursday evening. I was concerned that it was starting to get rowdy. When I arrived, I witnessed an organized, managed, peaceful demonstration with a lot of open discussion. Each evening they have open work group meetings at 4 pm. They stand in different areas and each group holds up a sign such as Process and Facilitation, Tactical, Demands, and Internet Communication. Anyone can participate in any workgroup.

I enjoyed listening to the issues being discussed in all the workgroups. There was an emphasis on consensus and letting everyone get heard. I really enjoyed listening in on all of the discussions while I decide if I want to put my support behind this group. The “march” was announced when a woman strolled over to our discussion group and said, “We are going to take a walk if anyone wants to go.” We did.

General Assembly

The General Assembly starts at 6:30 in the evening. If you are curious about the Occupy Movement, I highly recommend you stop by during their General Assembly. It gives you a real feel for the group and their priorities. There are procedures complete with call and response, repeating the speaker and hand signals.

It reminds me of the state caucus system when work is being done at the most grassroots level. Real discussion is not possible in soundbites, status updates and tweets. We need to talk, discuss the problems, and decide what needs to be done to hold our lawmakers and the stakeholders accountable to the 99%.

We have to stop being so comfortable in our little bubbles and find a lifestyle that is sustainable for us all. These systems are not made by nature. They were made by us so we can change them. People are quick to complain yet slow to act. We have to wake up and get involved. It won’t get better on its own.

Don’t wait for the election

The stakes are getting higher. People have lost jobs, now they are losing homes, insurance and savings. And hope. Our politicians are a joke, we don’t need another multi-million dollar election cycle.  It is just one more opportunity for special interests to buy politicians so they may all continue to operate outside the law. I think Obama is doing the best he can, but he is so bogged down in the political quagmire that nothing gets accomplished.  We have our smartest, best man on the job but it’s unrealistic to thing he can do everything on his own.

We need to help by exerting pressure on the system.  Things will only change when there is impetus to do so and so far we have not demanded better.  No wonder corporations run amok while politicians do nothing. Why would they change? They are all benefiting handsomely from the system as it is. They are the 1%.

Related posts by Bonita Applebum

What needs to happen to you to get you to do something?

I just keep thinking that we all felt so great about getting Obama elected and then we went back to sleep. And now we criticize Obama but did we keep up our side of the deal? Did we get more socially aware and politically active? Because I sort of went back to my life. And now it seems things are not better, in fact, most people I know are worse off than they were a year ago.

So after the jump. a few things to think about and at least one thing you must do NOW.

Crabs in a barrel

When I saw this letter on the We are the 99% tumblr and I could no longer stay blind:

I have a BA and an MA in econ, 10 years work experience in my field and I have been unemployed for 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, almost 1 year now. So much for the “knowlege economy.” I will dig ditchess to be able to take care of my family again.

We know who caused the “crises.” I’m looking at you Merrill, Citibank, S&P and the SEC.  You all should be in jail. Instead you get bonuses. And tax cuts. Ad tax expenditures. And bailouts. We got laid off, our bus routes cut, our schools closed and our pensions frozen. My husband nearly DIED for this country. Now Wall Street’s GOP stooges in DC are trying to take away the measly $125 disability check the VA sends him so the “job creators” of America can have more tax breaks to pay themselves more bonuses. [emphasis mine]

The pursuit of the American dream has become a crabs in a barrel situation. The only way out is to climb out on top of the backs of everyone else. And the “everyone else” pile is getter bigger and wider and the climb is getting steeper with fewer people making it out. I can’t help thinking that if I get a job, that helps me and mine, but what about everyone else? We can’t just focus on ourselves, we have to work make it better for everyone.

So I’m deciding on how I feel about the Occupy Seattle movement, I am going to go to a General Assembly meeting to get more info. This movement is forming, we need cool-headed thinking people out there supporting the first wave of people who are brave enough to act. I am glad there are people out there thinking of the common good not just individual benefit.

We can’t keep doing more of the same

A movement needs momentum and direction. Find a place to jump in and get involved. If this isn’t your cause, find one that is. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. If not, we are all destined to more of the same.

And quit your too big to fail bank

Bank of America has caused so many people to loose so much. I have to take my business elsewhere.  I just can’t take any more of their greed and corruption. They have no remorse for what they did, just a greater sense of entitlement. Because they didn’t just get away with it, they got bail-outs, bonuses and still greater salaries. Buh bye, B of A. I shall miss your the convenience, but at least I can respect myself as a consumer and socially responsible person.

I have always considered myself a good dresser, but that’s not the same as knowing your own style.

For me, defining my personal style was a part of a bigger process. The cosmic colonic was about stream-lining  my life. I got rid of what wasn’t working to clear space for the things that do work. In order to find the true me hidden beneath the shlumpadinka facade, I went about defining my personal style and then cleared out my closet to reflect that person back to me.

After the jump, some ideas and suggestions to help you find your own style. It’s not about spending money, it’s about getting rid of what’s not working in your wardrobe so you can easily access the stuff that does.

Your style should suit your life

Style is the outward presentation of the inward you. It takes time to grow into your style, because it takes a lifetime to grow into yourself.   Your style should fit your life. I am an active person, I walk, dance, chase kids and cover a lot of ground on any given day. I like to look dressed and put together, but I can move quickly and easily in everything I’m wearing.

I have no patience for constrictive or restrictive clothing. I love skirts, but I wear them with sneakers. All my heels are purchased with the understanding that I will have to navigate downtown Seattle in all  its hilly, rainy glory. Because for me, as soon as the clothes are on, I’m over it. I’m just ready to get into whatever I’m doing.

Your style should emphasize your strengths, minimize your weaknesses

What is nice on you? For me, I have a nice shape that is curvy and feminine. I have good posture and broad shoulders. One characteristic of my style has been to emphasize my silhouette. I have always looked more athletic than I actually am. A BFF once described my college look as preppy meets hip hop and sporty spice. I laughed my head off, because she nailed me on the sporty spice.

My style is an under-stated, classic look with a bit of an edge. I like to mix current favorite pieces with well-cut basics. I always have one or two items I LOVE and I wear the heck out of them. Last winter it was a green stripped sweater and a killer pair of brown boots I got for Christmas. One fall, it was that turquoise blazer and silver ballet flats.  This summer, it was those black wedges and the navy skirt.  This winter, it’s going to be the black equestrian boots I just purchased. Everything in my closet goes with everything else. I can mix an match everything around whatever top, accessory or shoe I want to wear. I like to mix high end with low end, I always have on something that was purchased used, but you’d never know.

This took time and reflection up front but has paid off in spades over the long run. Not only do I look better most of the time, but I rarely suffer from outfit trauma anymore. The fact is, I always have something to wear because everything in my closet works together, works on me and makes me feel great. It allows me to spend a lot less time worrying about how I look and a lot more time living the life I want to lead.

Five tips to make your closet reflect your style

1. Try to define your personal style by summarizing it in three words. Think about your favorite outfits over the years, what do they have in common?

Think about whose style  you admire, it may give you some insight into your own tastes. It would surprise you not at all that I admire:  Kate Winslet, Michelle Obama, Victoria Beckham, Gwen Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, Gwen Stefani, Rihanna.

2. Take a hard look at what you have. Try everything on, get rid of anything that is ill-fitting and that’s not your taste. If clothes do not  feel good on, then they aren’t your size or they aren’t cut for you. Either way, they need to go.

I do keep larger and smaller sizes in my wardrobe, every woman waxes and wanes over the years, but I don’t keep them all in the closet. The larger and smaller clothes are stored. I can get to them if I need, but I’m not looking at a closet filled with clothes from size 6 to size 12. And yes, clothes in all those sizes have fit me in the last three years. That’s life, ya’ll.

3. The only clothes that should be left in your closet are the clothes make you feel good and look good. It’s okay if there’s not much, I’d rather have one great pair of jeans, than three okay pairs. Plus, there’s a 99% chance you have way too many clothes in your closet. I’m sure that even with some ruthless weeding, you will have plenty of clothes left in your closet.

4.  I only shop when I need something and I only buy what I am looking for. I have been looking for black boots since last March when I had to retire the pair that I had for years. I am a patient shopper. I look until I find exactly what I want at a price I can live with. This takes time, but no money is wasted. And when I do purchase something, it gets tons of use, because it is exactly what I want and need.

5.  Change the seasons of your closet. It keeps the visual clutter out of your closet and forces you to naturally reassess your wardrobe every six months. I give everything a good once over when I switch the seasons out. I repair little things such as scuff marks or missing buttons.  Shirts that are looking ratty or worn, gets downgraded to sleep shirts. Pants that haven’t been worn in three summers get passed on to a friend. Shoes that look rode hard and hung wet, get retired. The beloved ones get archived, the rest get donated.

Related posts by Bonita Applebum

Is your style still working for you? Are you sure?

Return it!

A little bit, every day

The journey of the cosmic colonic begins

Clearing space

After the jump, two hilarious dance scenes including a killer breakdance crew dance-off. I love the Zoolander breakdace fight, but those clowns got nothing on Micheal Kyle at his 1985 High School Reunion.

Everybody form a Soul Train

This is an example of Tisha’s comedy genius. It can’t be easy to play opposite Damon Wayans, but she makes it look easy. Whatever he pitches to her, she knocks out the park.  I love when beautiful women act like they could care less about their looks. Tisha is gorgeous, but what you think after you see her  is how talented she is and she always keeps it real. Still aren’t convinced? Check out how she takes it low at 1:52.

Don’t kill my crush groove

This is an amazing hip hop dance scene in such an unexpected place.  (Start wathing at 5:15.) I love how they take it completely over the top. Tisha is hilarious on the sidelines, all tough high school girlfriend. Everything in this scene is pitch perfect, from the gear on the crews, to the 1980′s trash talk (Let’s do this like Brutus!),  to the song  choices of White Lines and Planet Rock. When the music starts, the crews go to work.  When they played Work It  for Micheal’s big move at the end, I cheered. Enjoy!

You know we had to have a big finish, who better to close this down than Daddy Fat Sacks Sir Lucious L. Leftfoot, The Son of Chico Dusty Big Boi. This album is outstanding, I did a post about it when it came out. In fact, just hearing it now, I am compelled to go listen to it in it’s entirety as soon as I finish this post.

I was so sad when Outkast decided to pursue solo projects. But in retrospect, it has been a good thing. Big Boi was always in Andre’s shadow. I think most of us assumed he was the lesser talent, when in fact, he is not. After really getting to know Big Boi’s flow and voice from Sir Lucious Leftfoot, I realized that for many Outkast songs, I thought his flow was Andre. Embarrassing to admit, but I’ll bet you’ve done the same without realizing it.

After the jump, a classic Outkast cut, featuring one of my favorite videos.

Thanks for celebrating with me. I really, really hope Twitter doesn’t go all MySpace on me, now that I’ve finally gotten to the party.

We disappear, then reappear again in a fresh new light

I LOVE when he kicks the package. I cheer everytime!

Talib Kweli is so talented. His voice is distinctive, his flow is clear. Both his parents worked at a university, his mother was a professor and his father was an administrator, so you know he was well educated. I was so moved by his song, the Manifesto, that I did an entire blog post about the song complete with the lyrics for the last verse.

Reflection Eternal is a collaboration between Talib and Hi Tek and their album, Revolutions per Minute came out last year. It’s a great album, I highly recommend you purchase it in it’s entirety, preferably from a record store. This song, featuring Estelle is a favorite. So retro and modern at the same time. And I love the art direction and styling of the video, they both look so sharp.

Couldn’t wrap this party up without hearing from the Boys.  Every album they drop is different from the last as they continue to grow and evolve as musicians. And it speaks volumes that they have stayed together for 25 years. (!) It’s always been an equal collaboration. I read an article about them in Rolling Stone where they joked that if one of them makes the lunch decision, the other two are like, “Oh, so your the leader of the group now.” These guys are funny, but you’ve heard their lyrics, you know this.  They also  do the most wildly creative videos.

After the jump, an AMAZING video of my favorite song off the  new album.

20 years of schooling and they put you on the day shift

Don’t play no game that I can’t win has become my mantra. Santigold post coming soon. I luff her.