Hello Meltingpot Readers,
Last night I was deep diving into my music-loving past, trying to find music that moved me. I was looking for samples of the type of music that conveyed a certain feeling and mood to send to the composer who is working on the theme song for the new My American Meltingpot podcast. Yes, we’re going to have an original theme song. *squeal*
Anywho, as I was paging through my mental playlist of favorites, both past and present, I remembered my deep and abiding love for Terrence Trent D’Arby. I hope some of my readers share this love because then I know we are truly kindred spirits. As a Black teenager desperately searching for a representation of Blackness that was left of center, totally cool, unapologetic and sexy as hell, Terrence Trent D’Arby fit the bill and then some. And his music left me breathless. His lyrics and melodies were unlike anything I’d heard before. Playful, meaningful, defiant. The defied easy categorization. Like me.
I played Introducing the Hardline According to Terrence Trent D’Arby on my Sony walkman 24-hours a day. It was one of the three cassette tapes I took with me to Morocco as an exchange student in 1989. I knew the lyrics to every single song. I tried to dance like D’Arby and sometimes I wore all black in homage. And I also might be one of the few people who also bought and enjoyed his third album, Symphony or Damn (That was my soundtrack when I lived in Spain for a year in college.)
I know Terrence Trent D’Arby was laid to rest and now the artist formerly known as Terrence has been reborn as Sananda Maitreya and he is still recording music in Europe. That’s a long, slightly bizarre story that you can read here. But I still like to think of Terrence the way he was because his music defined a very significant part of my youth. When I was searching for my authentic Black identity, Terrence Trent D’Arby gave me the soundtrack for the journey.
For your listening pleasure, here are three of my favorite Terrence Trent D’Arby songs. Imagine teenage me, singing along.
Introducing the Hardline …
Rain
Seven More Days
Peace!
Comments
2 responses to “Terrence Trent D’Arby and the Soundtrack of my Identity”
Terrence/Sananda is an old favorite of mine too! I have harmonized at home with his Sign Your Name song over and over again – his voice is laser imprinted on my heart . : ) Glad to know he found a way to survive the foundry of fame, unlike Prince Nelson and Michael Jackson. I’d like to enjoy his music for many years to come. Thanks for the spotlight! -Rebecca
Rebecca,
We have too much in common I think! So happy we have Terrence in common too!