Covid Blues

Someone gifted my 7 year old daughter (6 at the time) with a harmonica at one of the many house parties we used to have. I hated it at first but I have to admit it put a smile on our faces many mornings (despite ourselves) on the way out the door, late for work or school, or whatever the morning demanded…back in the day.

Now I never gave it a lot of thought before, but as circumstances would have it I’ve had more time for that lately. I’m watching movies I haven’t watched in a long time, listening to music I haven’t listened to in a very long time either.

Not sure about you, but I grew up on 80s chants. To be honest, just like I vowed never to do, it is now my music of choice. One of my favourites was/is the Eurythmics. Who could blame me, who doesn’t stop what they are doing if even just for a second when the first bars of Sweet Dreams play? Well it wasn’t Sweet Dreams I was craving but instead There must be an Angel wouldn’t leave my head, so I played it at full volume for the whole world to hear. Now…was it any wonder…with Stevie Wonder’s incredible harmonica solo and the timeless voice of Annie Lennox? Coincidentally, Annie and her daughter Lola recently performed the same track from isolation. Their singing brought tears to my eyes while it warmed my heart and helped me to remember better days…”and when I think that I’m alone. It seems there’s more of us at home.”.

It got me thinking…why that song? Is it the lyrics? While incredible…no. The voice? Also truly incredibly amazing…but no. The music…close, but no. Methinks it’s the harmonica!

The harmonica is an interesting instrument, typically reserved for guest appearances. Saved for those songs that are meant to truly connect with the audience. The ones where the artist gives up all hope of sexiness in favour of their art and connection with the crowd. Alas, when an artist plays harmonica (alongside guitar) they look like they have just woken up with the adjustment device for their braces still in place. But it’s well worth it. The breath becomes music on an instrument just a few inches wide. Our breath, true indication that we are alive. No wonder it reaches the soul so easily.

So Annie Lennox was the one who opened the flood gates for me. She reminded me of something I was missing. This foreign instrument of old. The one we haven’t heard in such a long, long time. So I started seeking out some more: Piano man by Billy Joel, Heart of Gold by Neil Young. Bob Dylan’s Mr. Tamborine Man. How about Sting – Brand New Day? Springsteen’s Listen to The River and This Hard Land live. Listen to the crowd when he takes hold of that creepy orthodontic harmonica holder, they all go wild! Let’s not forget the incredible Blues Traveller’s Hook or Neil Young’s Heart of Gold. It’s not all good news…the blues never are. One of my personal favourites is Midnight Oil’s Blue Sky Mine. Play it live. Play it loud. Trust me.

Let’s go back a bit further…they knew the power of the harmonica…the Beatles with Love Me Do, the Doors with Road House Blues. It even snuck into rock bands in the 8os. Cryin‘ by Aerosmith and School by Supertramp.

I learned something from the harmonica rabbit hole I gladly jumped down. That this tiny mouth piece could bring an audience thousands strong into a quiet reflective trance. It seemed to be the holy grail of musical instruments reserved only for those songs that the crowd will sing with, sway to and never forget.

I am grateful for the blues during these oftentimes lonely days of Covid. It seems that nothing can stop the magic and influence of Annie Lennox. Just like nothing can stop a harmonica.