Best song number deux

I was having one of those persistent headaches that are caused by a random mix of unfortunate events like stupidity on the internet, a workmate’s loud, green “dollars and Girls” t-shirt and the fact that it’s a Monday. 

I needed something soothing, so I went to YouTube to look for one of those 3 hour nature sound videos. Instead I saw this and had to have a listen because it is a remix of the other best song in the world. (Yes, in the universe of this blog there can be two best songs ever. That's because we almost never use superlatives, so when we do, we can go crazy.)

Hurry on now was the first song I ever heard by Alice Russell.

Yup...she's white.

Early on a Sunday morning in June 2010, I sat in a small living room of a studio atop an Indian-owned, bathroom appliance shop on Kijabe street. About six other people that I had only just met the night before were in the room with me as we sat silently smoking, listening to Ms. Russell and watching the sky turn pink. When the song came to an end, I picked my bag, said goodbye to my new friends and walked through an empty Nairobi CBD with cigarette smoke in my braids and that song in my heart. I was a changed person.

I can talk about all the great things about this song, but I don’t want to. Why analyze such a gift? I just want to listen again. And when you are done with that you can listen to this other one.

My headache is completely gone.

Thanks Alice.

K.