I Speak To You With Song (poem) by Alisa Apps

I Speak To You With Song

Some people love to chat by text; others on the phone.
Some talk all day long cause they cant stand to be alone.
I’m not too much of a conversationalist - face-to-face or any of the above for long. I’d rather sit and write in melody and speak to you with a song.

-Alisa Apps

The White Rose (poem) by Alisa Apps

The White Rose by Alisa Apps

The white rose with dew drops smiles upon the morning moon
Awaiting a new day to send innocence in bloom
Her petals of pearly white are as soft as inexperienced love
And encourage a safe passage to a truce or peace, a flying dove
The message of the white rose speaks in tender tone
“You are loved by me; and even after I fade away, you shall never be alone”

the VMA Lip Syncing Turn Off

I was that the MTV music video awards (VMA’s) the other week and I noticed all he singers were lip syncing and that got me thinking- here is Kanye West who calls himself a genius and yet he was using auto tune and a vocoder – which makes any voice sound good.

Am I dreaming or is this all fake?

I think back to the great voices– Billie Holiday, Elvis, Freddie Mercury and try to imagine them using a vocoder.

I hear the echoes of the cheers and chanting Kanye got and my heart cries.

I cry out for authenticity and human imperfection. I cry out for the beauty of a voice reaching for perfection.

Rap, Body Builders and the Meaning of Life

Yesterday at the gym I was listening in on a casual conversation that two of the body builders were having. Now these were full-out "tough guys" - mid 20's, extremely ripped African Americans and super serious about power and strength.


One was asking the other about a song they were listening to on the way there. (The other must have had his music player in the car.) The inquisitive one was thirsting for new music and said he's sick of rap and can't listen to it anymore...wants to hear different, new things.


After hearing this I was a bit struck back as I foolishly assumed he would primarily like rap. So I broke into their conversation asked him, "Why is it that you don't like rap or don't want to listen to it anymore?"

He laughed and said "Rap is horrible now there is no meaning in it. Its all meaningless and the rappers are heartless. When rap started it was good. It was real. But now its all crap. All they talk about is money, girls, sex, partying- even the videos are a joke. I want to listen to music that moves me, that comes from a real place. Rap's a joke."


Interesting tidbit- he was wearing a vintage Marvin Gaye t-shirt

AA final thoughts: The age of the computers and technology has definitely changed our artistic world into being dehumanized and dumbed down (movies, music, painings,etc.)...but because of this, we are craving meaning and purpose more than ever. A change is a coming!!

the Native Blood Within

Ever since I was a little girl, I felt as though I had a spiritual connection with Native Americans. It was if I had their blood coursing through my veins - that I was misbirthed into my family and that an untold secret had been wrapped around my life.

When seeing photographs, I'm transfixed and my soul cries out to join their spirit - I have visions of pow wows and ceremonial chanting, fire burning crackling and animal hides being fitted to my soft virgin body -feathers in my hair. Shaman speaking wise forecasts and smoking calumet pipes in his tepee.

FREEDOM

Sometimes Freedom can be bought
Sometimes sold

Freedom is often taken for granted

And held more dear to the old

I stop to think about my Freedom today

It's the Fourth of July - I hear the children play

When I was a little girl I was free

Now this means so much more to me

In some countries I wouldn't be able to sing my music

In others I'd have to cover my face

Sometimes I curse our leaders and dream of moving to another place

But when I sit with myself and think of what true Freedom we have

There's no other place that I'd rather stand

Land of the Free, home of the brave

For Today and everyday the American Flag I wave

ALISA APPS in the Recording Studio