In the Age of Corona: Pandemic Playlist

All posts on this blog are my own; they do not represent any institution.

     The present state of the world, in pandemic, reminds us that we are all connected, and we are all in this together.  For that reason, my current playlist includes a set of recordings by many different artists the world over called, “Playing for Change” –songs around the world. Here are just some of many Playing for Change songs:

  • One Love/Playing for Change
  • A Change is Gonna Come/Playing for Change
  • The Weight/Playing for Change
  • La Bamba/Playing for Change
  • Clandestino/Playing for Change
  • Redemption Song/Playing for Change
  • Lean on Me/Playing for Change
  • What’s Going On/Playing for Change
  • Ripple/Playing for Change
  • Down By the Riverside/Playing for Change
  • Sitting on the Dock of the Bay/Playing for Change
  • Higher Ground/Playing for Change
  • Imagine/Playing for Change
  • Gimme Shelter/Playing for Change
  • Take me Home Country Roads/Playing for Change
  • Stand By Me/Playing for Change
  • Words of Wonder/Get Up Stand Up/Playing for Change
  • Rivers of Babylon/Playing for Change
  • Pata Pata/Playing for Change
  • Listen to the Music/Playing for Chane
  • Everyday People/Playing for Change

For more info, from Wikipedia: “Playing For Change was founded in 2002 by Mark Johnson and Whitney Kroenke.[1][2] Producers Johnson and Enzo Buono traveled around the world to places including New Orleans, Barcelona, South Africa, India, Nepal, the Middle East and Ireland. Using mobile recording equipment, the duo recorded local musicians performing the same song, interpreted in their own style.  Among the artists participating or openly involved in the project are Vusi Mahlasela, Louis Mhlanga,Clarence Bekker, David Guido Pietroni, Tal Ben Ari (Tula), Bono, Keb’ Mo’, David Broza, Manu Chao, Grandpa Elliott, Keith Richards, Toots Hibbert from Toots & the Maytals, Taj Mahal and Stephen Marley.[3][4][5]  This resulted in the documentary A Cinematic Discovery of Street Musicians that won the Audience Award at theWoodstock Film Festival in September 2008.[6][7]Mark Johnson was walking in Santa Monica, California, when he heard the voice of Roger Ridley (deceased in 2005)[8]singing “Stand By Me“; it was this experience that sent Playing For Change on its mission to connect the world through music.[9] The founders of Playing For Change created the Playing For Change Foundation, a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.”

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Author: Sara Berman

Sara J. Berman, a graduate of the UCLA School of Law, is a Professor of Lawyering Skills and Director of the Academic Success Program at the USC Gould School of Law. She formerly served as a Director at the Washington DC-based AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence.

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