Songs
A documentary song comes from a person’s actual, lived experience. DocSongs document the emotions of that experience through music and share it with the world.
Documentary songwriting is a powerful vehicle for telling women’s stories. It turns difficult experiences into beautiful music, and through collaboration it creates lasting bonds between participants. These real, truthful stories can help connect even more people.
SELECTED SONGS
A number of our story sources and creative partners struggle with a mix or change of self-identity. They may hide away a part of themselves – the part that doesn’t fit or cannot adjust – to be accepted. This part of one’s self has a voice that deserves to be heard.
PROJECT PROFILE
Identities Project
From Melodi Var Öngel and Malcolm Brooks: "We have met a number of people who struggle with a mix or a change of self-identity. In some instances, the struggle arises from upbringing. One of their parents may be from one culture and the other parent from another, quite different culture.
In other instances, the struggle arises from a foundational change in their life. A loved one dies, and the world may expect them to act in a different way.
To be accepted in their own culture, they may hide away a part of themselves – the part that doesn’t fit or cannot adjust. Yet this part of one’s identity has a voice. It, too, deserves to be heard.
We began collaborating with people who have experienced this inner conflict. The songs in this project come from people from contrasting cultures, such as Québec, Iraq, the United Kingdom, and the Côte d’Ivoire. What the songs reveal, at least to us, is grace and strength. Each song feels like an unanticipated treasure."
SELECTED SONGS
Archival songs from this project will be added soon.
Documentary songwriting can also be a potent humanitarian tool. From those who have found new homes, reflecting on journeys both intimate and international, these personal peace stories from cultures in conflict serve as the basis for powerful original songs.
SELECTED SONGS
A documentary song reflects the impressions of a lived event, based on spoken words. The question arises, how would a visual artist convey their impression of a documentary song? This collaborative, multimedia project explores the intersection of these interpretations.
PROJECT PROFILE
Documentary Art Project
A documentary song reflects the impressions of a lived event, based on spoken words. The question arises, how would a visual artist convey their impression of a documentary song?
Here are four answers to that question.
Raspberries – Clio Berta (art), Don Mitchell (story source)
One Girl to Another – Hannah Wells (art), Genevieve Roby (story source)
I Lay My Eyes on You – Clio Berta (art), Hannah Batley and Malcolm Brooks (song)
Off to Find Peace – Anna French (art), Hannah Batley and Malcolm Brooks (song)
The Documentary Art Project was inspired by the work of painter Monica Kelly.
SELECTED SONGS
Documentary songwriting is a perfect vehicle to propel the work of Oswald and Biddy Chambers into the future. This intrepid pair served as support to the British Army abroad during World War I. This project puts their devotional words to music for the first time.
SELECTED SONGS
With every veteran, there is a life deeper than the uniform worn. This project helps veterans tell their stories through documentary songwriting. Through one-on-one songwriting sessions, our teaching artists collaborate with veterans to create true and meaningful songs.
SELECTED SONGS
DocSong Archive
- All
- Documentary Art Project
- Songs Across Boundaries
- Songs from Oswald Chambers
- Songs of #MeToo
- Uncategorized
- Veteran Songs
Patates Kamyonunda (On the Potato Truck)
“One of the policemen comes
And pushes the potato cases
I resist against the cases
I silence my children
Thank god, they don’t find us”
Suli and I
Androulla tells of Dali, her home town, where her house was between a church and a mosque. A documentary song for the Cyprus Peace-Music Project.
The Key
Adapted from “The Key to the Master’s Orders.” This chapter is from, “My Upmost to His Highest”—a classic in devotional literature.
Rasberries
As a young boy, Don Mitchell witnessed a fire sweeping through his Maine village and then found delicious raspberries growing in the aftermath.
I Lay my Eyes on You
A precursor to a full-fledged documentary song, “I Lay My Eyes on You” relates Hannah Batley and Malcolm Brooks’s impressions of Barbara Brooks’s work balance with 2 year-old Ian in childcare.
