I have to admit that last week’s Song of the Week post was not an upbeat one. It did say that we can, and should, make the world a better place than it is now. However, the mention of the existing problems rather overwhelmed the hope of improvement. Here for a change is a song that is positive and uplifting; a song for “Feeling Good.”
This song sort of found me by accident. Our local recreation center has a class at 7:00 on Monday and Friday mornings that is described as “tai chi fusion.” I had been meaning to see what that entailed, and I finally tried a class last week.
The instructor began by saying that she was going to start the music. That, in itself, was different from any other tai chi class I have attended. The first song she played (this song) was by Michael Bublé; and I felt I was going to be disappointed, I have never been much of a Michael Bublé fan.
As I listened, and moved, though, I concluded that the song was quite appropriate. Tai chi developed in China. While it is not necessarily a Taoist discipline, it was certainly influenced by Taoist concepts like balance and yielding. Also, Tao is an integral part of the natural world, and the goal of wu wei is to do nothing contrary to Nature.
In commenting on the Tao Te Ching, I have made several references to the practice of tai chi – with respect to Chapters 10 and 36, for example – so I won’t repeat that here. I will only point out that the names given to many of the movements in the tai chi set come directly from, and are integral with, Nature – like white crane spreads wings, snake creeps down, golden cock stands on one leg, snake sticks out its tongue, etc.
The song “Feeling Good” places the singer within the flow of the natural world as he or she recognizes an affinity with birds and fish, dragonflies and butterflies, rivers and trees, the sun and the whole world. Thus, the song fits with Tao; tai chi fits with both; and the outcome should be a good feeling for the participant in the practice.
The song, itself, is from the musical theater, written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, which was first performed in 1964. That play is an allegorical look at the relationship between the upper and lower classes in British society. A character named “Cocky,” who represents the lower class, is continually thwarted in the “game of life” by the upper class representative, “Sir,” because Sir keeps changing the rules. However at one point, while “Sir” and “Cocky” argue over those rules, a character called “the Negro” sneaks behind their backs to “win.” He sings “Feeling Good” to celebrate the accomplishment.
“Feeling Good” has become a “standard” recorded by the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr., Jack Jones and Julie London, besides Michael Bublé. John Coltrane released a great jazz instrumental version and Traffic presented the song as an extended jam on its Last Exit album. A modern rock version was done by Muse in 2001. The Pussycat Dolls had a minor hit with it in 2005; and it was redone as a single and Volvo commercial by Swedish electronic musician Avicii in May of 2015.
Many, many other versions of the song are available, but THE definitive rendition is the one by Nina Simone from 1965. She did it like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Y11hwjMNs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Y11hwjMNs
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Breeze driftin’ on by
You know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good
Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom on a tree
You know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don’t you know
Butterflies all havin’ fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
That’s what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me
For me
Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good
I feel so good
I feel so good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Y11hwjMNs
I’ve been really enjoying your song choices lately, Louis. “I’m Feeling Good” is another all-time favorite of mine, and I agree – Nina Simone’s rendition is the definitive one.
I can appreciate how the tempo and phrasing would lend themselves to the movements of Tai Chi. The ebb and flow of the song’s energy moving between the contemplative lines, where the listener is calmly beholding and experiencing things, to the exultant phrases expressing an epiphanal burst of joyful connection could produce a fulfilling experience in combination with movement. When I’m listening to it my mind and breathing and body just naturally join the fluid movement of the song.
What sometimes happens next is my sweet wife comes around the corner and finds me doing the cosmic Bob dance, which usually is embarrassing for me, and is also one of the reasons she loves me.
I suppose if loose terms applied it could be called Bob style Tai Chi, if there were enough qualifiers attached to the definition. First, it owes itself to no established or historical form or construct. It is unique, present, and unprecedented. Second, it can not be taught, because it is unteachable – it can only be done. Third, it does not live anywhere other than the core being, in the present – and loses all juice, power and vitality on its way to the dojo, ashram, church, dance hall or any other matrix of understanding or point of perspective. Fourth, it’s a bit weird from the outside looking in and – as I mentioned earlier – the only thing that saves me there is having someone come around the corner who is able to be on the inside with me, looking out. And when I realize she knows how I feel… Well, it’s a new dawn, and a new day, and a new life for me – and I’m feeling good.
Great song choice, Louis.
Thanks. It seems like you understand the song and some of the concepts of tai chi viscerally.
I am listening to this 1964 rendition and picturing doing tai chi to this. I will have to also listen to the Michael Bublé version. I practiced tai chi for many years. My practice has faded, but the principles were really my introduction to the Tao practice and study. I loved how nature and my body could be examples of the patterns in the rest of my life. As for listening to music while practicing tai chi, we never did that but I have had some yoga classes where we listened to music and it was very interesting to note the difference in a practice with and without music. I like both for very different reasons. I would almost say that they are two completely different things.
Happy Thanksgiving, Louis. I wish you and your family all the best!
Tai chi fusion is not really tai chi, so the music sort of works. I have also been to yoga classes that use music, and found that to be okay. I am sort of a purist, and would rather do tai chi without music.
Having said that, you might be interested in some very strange music for tai chi. Lou Reed, who started with the Velvet Underground and then had a successful solo career was – on top of everything else – a tai chi master. The drugs and things he did over the years destroyed his liver, but he lived a much longer and more robust life than one might expect because of his tai chi practice. His last album, in 2007, was called “Hudson River Wind Meditations.” It is definitely not rock and roll. It is very meditational (if that’s a word) and meant as an adjunct to the moving meditation of his tai chi practice. You can hear the whole album (over an hour long) on YouTube – though you have to be in the right frame of mind (which is a rather strange frame of mind) to enjoy it Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv8vurgchj8