In late July 2013, artist Jenifer Bacon created an enticing video for my song "Night and Day/The Cat Goddess." It was recorded with marvelous engineer and co-producer Jim Gardiner at Pajama Studios in Oakland, California. On the track with me are Frank Martin, keyboards, Troy Lampkins, bass, Paul van Wageningen, drums, and John Santos, percussion.
With its echoes of an Islamic call to prayer, according to Porter, and its intensely yearning quality, "Night and Day" conveys a longing not only for the beloved but also for the divine. The hunger and burning referred to in the lyrics show the intense intertwining of the physical and the spiritual, and they suggested to me the figure of the cat and the cat goddess, as well as the goddess in her many forms. I yoke these elements together in my spoken segment of the tune, with imagery spanning the goddess's (and the cat's) agility and mystery, revelations of darkness and light, the magic of witches and their burning, nursery rhymes, and the continuation of these memories by we who recall, know, and keep singing.
All this is intimated in Jenifer Bacon's stirring video, with its imagery of the romantic hero and heroine; the moon, the sky, and our planet; fleeting images of the cat goddess and her suppression; and modern-day dancing goddesses.
We know that nursery rhymes can be the repository of some of the oldest forms of culture that have otherwise died out in their original forms. Below you can see how the cat goddess Bastet and her sacred musical instrument the sistrum live on in the figure of the cat and the fiddle (which I connect in my spoken lyrics). The images of the cow and the moon are additional echoes of the goddess.
copyright © 2013 Lisa Bernstein
Very cool, Lisa B, who woulda thought? I'm happy to see all the connections from ancient to now that you provide. !
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this video. The combination of burlesque dancing, with Ava Gardner and Gregory Peck, with the shots of the planet and the cat are too cool! But I have to admit that I like your song better.
ReplyDeleteSome comments from You Tube:
ReplyDeleteLori Callies
Hey, I love how you handle this song, Lisa, such a fresh take on it. The spoken word is a nice compliment to the Porter lyrics, and puts an intriguing spin on it. Too sexual? Well, I wouldn't show the vid to my daughter, but the dancing is fun and expressive.
Voices of Music
wonderful!
DARIA Vocalist
Very sexy and cool footage with sultry vocals!!
eveyirene
Love those passionate tones you put out, innocent, romantic, and sexy all at the same time!
Theresa Greene
who knew? what a beautiful unique sultry singing style...reminds me of an earlier time period...can't pinpoint it, definitely out of time in a good way
primaveralatinjazz
What a creative rendering of this Cole Porter favorite -- silky smooth, and the images enhance the sound..
smith arrow
what a gr8 combination of music and images.
keep up the good work
John H
Berkeley
Brent Sunderland
What a powerful and beautiful voice. The images of the video are provocative and evocative.
rebecuzspz
Beautiful Lisa!
TheNygirl78
So original and creative. Love how the music and spoken word are interspersed. Have always adored this Cole Porter song and this interpretation is no exception!
-Helayne
ben flint
very sultry.
Martin Grantham
Clean vocals, like the "leaving to rats and plague doom" -More light than dark here...
lisabsingerpoet
Martin, thanks. For those just reading this, "Leaving the village to rats..." is from the end of the first rap section, about one result of the witchhunts. I'm not surprised you're drawn to this part, for some reason!
Beth Sheffield
Smooth, silky, sultry, sexy! Love the vocals! Love the arrangement. The spoken word sections blends nicely with the song. Oh, and the video is a nice compliment to the music. Will share this with friends!