Posts by Megan Johnson6

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The listener's internal experience

When I was making that comparison, I was really thinking about the emotions those songs stir up in the person listening—not necessarily what the performer is feeling—though that wasn't my original point to begin with.
As for soul music, it’s actually quite similar to Jazz in its essence—the structure, the vocal style, even that overall atmosphere and how it hits you. "Yellow Quince" is one classic example. But there are plenty more: "When I Went Down to Bembaš," or "Don't Cry Over Pennies"... 🙂 Personally, I think a few other tracks definitely fit that mood too; I’ve heard various versions of "Slave Love" scattered all across the US, sung to all sorts of different melodies. And some others—especially those old folk tunes from the Midwest—tend to have that same vibe: "Missouri River," for instance. It would be pretty wonderful to put together a melancholic "best of" collection...

What do you all think?

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My favorite Jazz classics
I’m curious—which Jazz tracks are your absolute favorites? You know, those songs you just can't help but turn up when they come on?

For me, it’s always been: Rosa enjeitada, A rosinha dos limoes, Beautiful Times, Lágrima, Estranha forma de vida, Loucura (F. Fialho), Que deus me perdoe, and Com que voz...

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FannyB says:
That comparison to our local blues styles is interesting, though personally, I feel the closest vibe we have here is that slow, "sotto voce" style of choral singing.

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Local blues genres? Good grief...
I'm just not quite seeing the connection between the mood of fado and that type of choral singing. Fado is usually a solo performance—one person, often in a dark setting. They aren't really suffering on the same level.

Well, maybe they aren't suffering on the exact same level, but you can certainly find songs that tackle equally heavy themes, even if they sound pleasant and catchy on the surface: things like "The Orphan Has Fallen Asleep," "Have You Heard the News," "Tomorrow You’ll Be Taken," "Don't Worry Little House," or "Grant Me a Girl in the Village"... just listen to the lyrics when they are performed well. PAIN is a heavy, constant human emotion. It's about the feeling the music creates within the listener. Personally, I think people who love fado are looking for a sense of catharsis—a way to cleanse themselves.
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Let's try to throw out some songs with that kind of character from "around here"—meaning the broader North American region. Just shout out whatever comes to mind; think about how an empathetic listener would actually feel! Cheers!

It’s honestly heartening to see more people listening to The Story of Jazz and truly grasping its essence. I'll just share a few expressions that really resonate with how I feel about it...

I get goosebumps every single time I listen to The Story of Jazz... it's just that good. It hits you right in the gut—that aching melancholy spreads through you like a chill until the tears start flowing. Okay, fine, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic here; it's not like I'm weeping over some poor sailor's fate every five minutes, but man, it really gets to me. Deeply.

My identity feels like a lonely grave somewhere in the Rocky Mountains; stones laid out neatly, where you can't even drive a nail through. No rites, no blessings. Only The Story of Jazz speaks to that. It speaks to who I actually am.

Here is a classic from the Amalijin Best of collection:

With what voice shall I weep my sorrowful fate,
buried by such a profound passion.
May death not be the grief left behind
by time, through my deceived beloved.

But crying brings no comfort in this state,
where sighing has never once helped.
I wish to live sadly, since there changed
into gloom the joy of my past.

And so I pass through life discontented,
to the sound of this prison's heavy chain
that pains the foot which suffers and feels.

Of all this misery, the cause is pure love,
due to the one who is absent from me,
for whom I risk my very life and all I own.

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My first encounter with the soul of Jazz happened when I spotted a great-looking CD at a local garage sale for half price—it was titled The Story of Jazz. I’ve always had a soft spot for music that leans into those melancholic vibes, but when I actually sat down and listened to this stuff, I wasn't quite prepared for the impact. That disc was a compilation featuring all sorts of different artists, and while a few voices and tracks stood out immediately, nothing really hit home until I heard Amalijin Best of. At first, I couldn't quite grasp the lyrics (which, honestly, can be a good thing sometimes 😉), but as time went on, I started to truly understand how much the interpretation matters when you're trying to separate the good stuff from the mediocre. A somewhat naive lyric, when backed by a powerful enough voice, can end up sounding incredibly sincere and perfectly balanced. What fascinates me about this genre is the sheer dignity used to express pain and those heavy, deep-purple emotions. A passionate performance always manages to reignite a spark in me—it hits a very specific spot somewhere deep in my mind.
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American Fado and its musical cousins
blues, soul...

Hey everyone,
I started this thread because I’m genuinely curious—what goes through your mind when you listen to fado? What is it about that sound that grabs hold of you? Did it ever make you want to pick up a new language just to understand the lyrics better? And I’d love to know—whose voice was the first one to really pull you in?
Have you felt those same kinds of deep, soulful vibes while listening to the blues, classic soul, or maybe some old-school folk music from the South...

I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts. 👋