THE SOUNDTRACK OF THIS SILENT 2020

Music accompanies us, supports us, guides us. Always, in every single moment of our lives. 

And in dark times, it cures us. Its impact on our souls is so strong that it helps us alleviate the sense of confusion that has crept into us.

The return of the health emergency is making us go through difficult days. Once again, we are being asked to follow rules and change what seemed to have become our new normal. The attention remains high, but life must go on and we have to continue to adapt ourselves to current everyday life. This whole situation has worsened the existential problems, forcing us to keep the distance and to isolate ourselves from our family and friends; it gave us a general distress for everything around us. 

However, it is encouraging to know that this feeling is not just ours, but the concerns are shared.

It is humane to face difficulties and try to relieve the heaviness of the moment by sketching a smile, thinking of the half-full part of the glass. 

And that's when music comes in. 

It is scientifically proven that listening to music helps to relax, raise morale, focus and look forward. It infuses us new strength and grit. Just close your eyes, listen it for a few minutes (even the time of a single song) to find some peace and serenity. Music, one of the oldest forms of art, lends itself to be a formidable antidote to resistance against wars, injustices, moments of crisis... and pandemics!

The nostalgia caused by the absence of live concerts is thunderous. In this "silent" 2020, the web has been inundated with voices and sounds, intimate and deep confessions, messages of strength and hope like never before. All connected virtually, one world: together at home.

According to Counterpoint Research, an authoritative market analysis company, in the first three months of the year there was a huge growth in the market for music streaming services (at the first Spotify, followed a short distance away by Apple Music and Amazon Music). 

Try searching for “crown/corona" on Spotify and you will see a lot of playlists created specifically for lockdown. Among the songs dusted off and which have returned to the present, it is certainly to be mentioned “It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M., because it perfectly describes what we are thinking. The song is certainly better suited to this difficult time than to 1987, when it was recorded. On Spotify's chart, other famous songs from the past came back, such as Phil Collins' “In the Air Tonight” and Joy Division's “Isolation”.

So, inside Italian homes, everyone in his own way and following his own musical strings, has created a kind of playlist on coronavirus. Be honest, which one of you has not posted on your social media account at least one song moved by an emotion felt in quarantine?

The great Italian artists first, in the days of forced isolation, activated and dedicated old songs to the virus or composed new songs for the occasion. Elisa and Tommaso Paradiso made available for the Italian Government communication campaign in support of the Civil Protection for coronavirus the unpublished song “Andrà tutto bene”. The song was composed live on Instagram with their fans. Giuliano Sangiorgi, Negramaro’s singer, posted on his Instagram profile a song with a clear message: “Restiamo a casa” (Stay at home). Roby Facchinetti and Stefano D'Orazio wrote respectively music and words of “Rinascerò rinascerai” after witnessing the passage of the procession of coffins in the center of Bergamo. 

More than 50 Italian music stars have recorded, with the #Italianallstars4life, a new revival of Rino Gaetano's song “Ma il cielo è sempre blu” to support the work of the Italian Red Cross. Mahmood wrote and published ”Eternantena”, a title that plays with the words eternal and quarantine. And, with his traditional irony, Checco Zalone wrote “Immunità di gregge”.

Some songs lyrics have been transformed into some hits about Covid-19. This is the case of the parody of “Bocca di Rosa” by Corrado Nitto, the palermitan musician who took inspiration from the images of his fellow countrymen fleeing Milan station and adapted the text of Fabrizio De André at the time of the corona virus. 

Even the patriotic "Bella ciao" has become the “Canzone dell’amuchina” (Song of the amuchina) and I challenge any of you not to smile in singing: "Un’amuchina/ mi son comprato/ virus ciao/ virus ciao/ virus ciao ciao ciao".

Summing up, there have been many songs composed and distributed during the last few months and many artists have decided to donate the compensation to the current emergency.

Despite the absence of the great live concerts to which we had become attached, thanks to music streaming services, people locked indoors were able to draw comfort, moral support and feel somehow united. 

Forced isolation has brought out our resilience which finds in music its precious and trustworthy ally. This word, so popular nowadays, is used to indicate the ability to cope positively with traumatic events and to positively reorganize one's life in the face of difficulties. 

Let’s remember all this in case we find ourselves feeling all those emotions and sensations experienced in recent months: closed eyes, deep breath and... turn up the volume!

Ps: Never Give Up!

#WeTheFun #BusForFunBlog #Music2020