Song Of The Week Nov 24 - Nov 30: People Get Ready

Every once in a while, songs come along that speak right to your soul. These songs feel right. They feel good. And they feel natural, even on the first listen. I found one of those songs this week, and it's one that you may have heard before. It was originally recorded by The Impressions back in 1965 and Seal has given the track new life on his new album, appropriately titled Soul. The song is called "People Get Ready," and it's the Song Of The Week for November 24 - November 30.

Seal has been one of my favorite artists since I started listening to his music in the mid '90s. In our pop-saturated sonic atmosphere, there are few artists left whose work can be called legitimately authentic, but "authentic" is the word that comes to mind whenever I listen to Seal's music. Can you really compare "Kiss From A Rose" to any other song you've ever heard? Think about it. I try to pay attention whenever Seal does anything new, because I know it's going to be unique.

I believe that even muses have muses of their own. The honest artists will pay homage to their inspirations, many times in the form of covered songs or tribute albums. Those who know me will also know that Eric Clapton is the reason I started playing the guitar. And yet, the first experience I had with Clapton's music, the Unplugged album, was actually an example of him paying his respects to his own musical heroes. As he covers songs written by his distant tutors, Clapton honors and perpetuates the music they lived. Hearing Clapton play old blues music taught me early on that the artist who remembers his musical ancestors will also be remembered. I began to realize that the music I loved wasn't created in a vacuum, but was part of a chain that had been forged almost 50 years before.

This "chain" concept clearly guided the creation of Seal's sixth studio album, Soul. He examines the music that has guided his musical wanderings and formed the foundation for some of his most memorable tunes. The album's closing track, "People Get Ready" is by no means obscure, but Seal still manages to take a well-known Impressions track and introduce it to a whole new generation of grateful listeners. It's a singular performance and the arrangement is powerful, but that's not why I love the track; for me, it was the message of this song that create immediate interest, which brings me to my final point.

"People Get Ready" is a song for all the heavy laden. It's for the people who are trying to do what's right but still make mistakes. Those people may sometimes even wonder if God's love is sufficient to save them. But the message of this song is that there is room enough for all people who are willing to do what it takes to board God's train. "You don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord" say the lyrics. The inspired words are reminiscent of Another who invited "every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." It's clear that the Lord's plan is not a game of musical chairs. Sincere participants will not be left alone. It's a truth that many people need in the world today, and it's a concept that has helped me keep pushing forward even when things were difficult.

So give Seal's version of "People Get Ready" a listen and think about the message of the song. And from The Sonic Landscape, I wish everone a very happy Thanksgiving on this slightly-more-enlightening installment of Song Of The Week. Until next time.