Stand By Me

I recommend letting it load fully before playing through.

A friend of mines shared this with me and I thought I’d do the same. I remember hearing this song throughout my childhood as my father always kept the radio tuned into 96.5 KOIT. I was never really impressed by the actual lyrics of the song nor have I been big of a fan of covers, but I thought that the way this particular piece was put together was quite powerful.

Musically speaking, I thought the solos, voices, and intricate percussions was placed appropriately, giving the listener multiple ways of listening to the song without letting the song lose its true essence and feel as the composition became more and more complex. The playing of non-electronic instrument gave it a sort of intimate feel that I felt captured the rawness and spirit of street performance.

From a critical lens, despite the lack of female representation, I thought the way in which this piece started with one performer and then ending with many others, paralleled how movements are often sparked. Often times, all it takes is one person to outwardly articulate a sentiment many others have felt but could not find the words or space to express it. Additionally, the diverse blend of instruments reflects a successful movement in which every piece and part, even those pieces that are often overlooked or rarely credited, to be working in harmony and in cadence with each other. Lastly, movements are collective, allowing everyone to contribute in their own individual way while still remaining unified and loyal to the purpose of the song or movement. This notion of collectivity acts as a counter-narrative to western cultures’ articulation of myopic individualism. It moves beyond the limits and borders one person or one country (America). The piece acknowledges the other voices in a way that allows people to organically react or respond in a way that is constructive and beneficial to the composition of the song.

-ARISTYLES