What Music Uplifts You?

A Saturday Prompt

Bill Withers in 1972. (Photo by Fin Costello via Getty Images)

I had in mind to focus on Harvard University’s uplifting pushback against the latest extreme action by the Trump regime to bar international students from attending the school by revoking its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Harvard was quick to respond to this latest violation with a swiftly filed 72-page lawsuit. “This revocation is a blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act,” its complaint asserted. “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”

A federal judge already blocked the regime’s actions yesterday with a temporary restraining order, but it’s hard to over-estimate the chilling effect for both Harvard and every school that has the good fortune to include a population of international students. Note how Harvard President Alan Garber described this diverse, meaningful group yesterday in his public statement: “You are vital members of our community. You are our classmates and friends, our colleagues and mentors, our partners in the work of this great institution. Thanks to you, we know more and understand more, and our country and our world are more enlightened and more resilient.”

But rather than linger there, I began to reflect on music that uplifts me. In recent weeks, I’ve had a number of conversations with friends and colleagues who told me they’ve been listening to and watching more music documentaries and filmed concerts. The same has been true with me. Honestly, I have to restrain myself from watching The Beatles’ seven-hour-plus documentary, “Get Back,” over and over. I’m enamored by watching the band’s creative process unfold before our eyes.

Lately, it’s been the music of Bill Withers that I’ve especially enjoyed listening to on repeat. Whatever your age, I suspect you’ve heard of some of his most popular songs, including “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lovely Day.” While his words are often poignant, the music and Withers’ singing always provides a kind of warm buoyancy. They provide me a touching mix of honest reflection and positive encouragement. Here’s an example from “Lovely Day”:

When I wake up in the morning, love
And the sunlight hurts my eyes
And something without warning, love
Bears heavy on my mind

Then I look at you
And the world's alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it's gonna be

A lovely day

Recently, I listened closely to Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands.” I didn’t know it before and made a point of checking out the beautifully written lyrics and their vivid storytelling, including this first verse:

Grandma's hands
Clapped in church on Sunday morning
Grandma's hands
Played a tambourine so well
Grandma's hands
Used to issue out a warning
She'd say, Billy don't you run so fast
Might fall on a piece of glass
Might be snakes there in that grass
Grandma's hands

As for the music, I realized this was derived from the tradition of African American spirituals, perhaps best exemplified by “Go Down Moses,” which was said to be used by Harriet Tubman to identify herself to slaves seeking freedom to the north. Many of these were coded protest songs that challenged the status quo at a time when assisting escape was illegal, communicating the possibility of deliverance.

When Israel was in Egypt's land,
Let my people go,
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
Let my people go
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt's land,
Tell old Pharaoh: Let my people go

I find many such spirituals (and gospel music) deeply moving, not only because of their stirring musical quality, but because of how important they were in providing people a source of nourishment and encouragement. They provided a rallying cry for a hopeful future.

What about you? What music uplifts you? What artists or songs do you return to again and again? Are there specific songs that have been important to you during these troubling times? Maybe it’s music that touches your soul or maybe it’s songs that get you up onto your feet to dance.

As always, I look forward to reading your observations and the opportunity for this community to share with each other. Please do be respectful in your remarks. Trolling will not be tolerated.

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