Lauhaz NasjąA couple years ago, I started a ritual in my family's group chat called #ThreeMinuteThursday or #3MT in which each Thursday (or Friday if I forget), I share a piece of #music. The "three–minute" piece referred to the fact that initially, the songs were from #Eurovision or adjacent contests, most of which impose a 3–minute limit. Over time, I expanded the scope, so selections are sometimes longer, but the name remains.
The change in scope was initially motivated in part by craving more geographically variety, so I began adding music from other countries. Over time, I also became more disillusioned with the #EBU, which organizes Eurovision, particularly for its opposition to anyone speaking out for Palestine, so Eurovision became much rarer in #3MT.
I'm interested in trying out #3MT on Mastodon. It won't necessarily be the same selections I share with my family, e.g., since sometimes those are chosen to commemorate family-specific anniversaries and since I keep them PG. But anyway, here goes:
1) The inaugural #ThreeMinuteThursday selection is by #Senyawa, an experimental duo of incredible sonic architects from #Java, #Indonesia, who build their own instruments. This song, "Istana," is from their 2021 album #Alkisah, all of which is well worth a listen. #3MT #Music #NotActually3Minutes https://youtu.be/zBCrOTS4dE4?si=YX-Cxg9hvbwGCZR7
Senyawa - Istana [official video]
2) This week's #ThreeMinuteThursday selection is "Somos Sur," a powerful anthem from 2014 for the #GlobalSouth by #AnaTijoux featuring #ShadiaMansour. Both artists were born far from the land of their parents. Tijoux grew up in #France, where her parents had gone from #Chile to escape the #Pinochet dictatorship. The family returned when she was 14. Mansour was born in the #UnitedKingdom to parents who had left occupied #Palestine. #3MT #Music #NotActually3Minutes https://youtu.be/EKGUJXzxNqc?si=i55o3rhO2hMzrgnN
Ana Tijoux - Somos Sur ft. Shadia Mansour (Official Music Video)
3) With "Gimme Tha Power," originally released in 1997, #Molotov reminds us that "la gente de arriba te detesta" (the people at the top despise you), but also that "el pueblo unido jamás será vencido" (the people united will never be defeated). #ThreeMinuteThursday #3MT #Music #Mexico #VivaMéxicoCabrones #NotActually3Minutes https://youtu.be/_5DeFKlLbL8?si=flTGszwEbb7zM6mU
Molotov - Gimme Tha Power (Desde El Palacio De Los Deportes)
The phrase "El pueblo unido jamás será vencido" has its origins in a 1940s speech by #Colombian politician Jorge Eliécer Gaitán. In 1970s #Chile, Unidad Popular protesters adopted it, and #SergioOrtegaAlvarado and #Quilapayún made an iconic #ProtestSong out of it in the #NuevaCanciónChilena genre, just months before #Pinochet began his murderous #dictatorship.
Molotov's is far from the only song to have quoted or adapted Quilapayún's original. Another example is "Razom nas bahato" (Together we are many) in 2004 by #GreenJolly in #Ukraine during the #OrangeRevolution, which would be selected to represent them at #Eurovision in 2005.
4) In Husák's #Czechoslovakia, the poems of #EgonBondy were banned. The #PlasticPeopleOfTheUniverse were not allowed to record/distribute their #music. This didn't stop PPU from recording an album in 1974–75 with lyrics mainly taken from Bondy poems. After PPU's 1976 imprisonment, a Czech in London tried to get the album released abroad. It was released in 1978 in France and England, including the track "Toxica." #ThreeMinuteThursday #3MT #Czechia #PragueUnderground https://youtu.be/4X46rmf8534?si=h_ksZ8_9TD1mm2wI
Toxika
5) With the passing of Amadou Bagayoko last week, it feels fitting to share an example of the brilliant #music of #AmadouEtMariam, the duo of Amadou and his wife Mariam Doumbia. In 2005, they released "Sénégal Fast Food," a song about the challenges of seeking a better life through #migration, with guest artist and producer #ManuChao. #ThreeMinuteThursday #3MT #Mali #France #Spain https://youtu.be/J43T8rEOg-I?si=hnRPSFqPkdIHzkQ3
Amadou & Mariam (feat. Manu Chao) - Sénégal Fast Food (Official Music Video)
6) #Namgar performs #traditional #Buryat and #Mongolian #music. Their leader and namesake is lead singer Namgar Lhasaranova, who is from the borderlands of #Russia, #Mongolia, and #China. This is a Buryat traditional song called "Two Yokhors." #ThreeMinuteThursday #3MT https://youtu.be/A8zD2m24Bpk?si=M7Sq1fBWgoHfF650
NAMGAR* Buryat traditional song" Two Yokhors"
7) Today's #ThreeMinuteThursday pick is "Viimane vihm" by #MandoTrio. #3MT #Music #Instrumental #Estonia https://youtu.be/tZjJaRI9rQM?si=vYkRjLniGM4H3ig
MandoTrio- Viimane vihm
8) Today's #ThreeMinuteThursday pick is "Invader Invader" by #KyaryPamyuPamyu. #3MT #Music #Japan https://youtu.be/jcIOg_m-bp4?si=tfLFUdPgbAlnuhj_
きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ - インベーダーインベーダー / Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Invader Invader
9) Today's #ThreeMinuteThursday pick is #ArchyJay and #RohitChawla putting a #Bhangra twist on the traditional Irish song "Toss the Feathers." #3MT #Music #India https://youtu.be/WCS-JDhsYvE?si=MjIaTDnP4GT0MgtL
Celtic-Indian Folk Music (Bagpipes & Bhangra) - Frantic Feathers (Toss the feathers)
10) Today's #ThreeMinuteThursday pick is "Opakování" by #TataBojs. #3MT #Music #Czechia https://youtu.be/0AWLWeX35YQ?si=yD2uFcKWDgxg5szn
Tata Bojs - Opakování (oficiální video)
11) This is #SnarkyPuppy and #Väsen performing "Shapons Vindaloo." I find it amazing that even with that many musicians and rhythms that intricate, their playing is still so tight. It's in 23/16, but imo it doesn't sound at all forced or gimmicky—it just works. #ThreeMinuteThursday #3MT #Music #UnitedStates #Sweden #TimeSignature #Nyckelharpa https://youtu.be/GG34pxW_N4c?si=pzaLSORYlSCXu0O-
