Pete Seeger's "Turn, Turn, Turn", Paul Simon's "American Tune," Ray Davies' "Days"
OK, I'm cheating and suggesting three but since there seems to be an organized campaign of dozens of people for one song, and I assume you're not going to want to play one song over and over again, I hope you'll forgive me and consider them all.
I was listening to the Newport Folk Festival on NPR Sunday and "Turn Turn Turn" was one of the closing songs when many of the acts got together for an encore. The lyrics captured for the range of emotions and experiences sparked by September 11 and its aftermath. We've had our time of hate and war and I would like to think that the final line, "a time for peace, I swear it's not too late" is a point we can reach 10 years after.
Written long before September 11, "American Tune" has prescient lyrics: "don't know a soul who's not been battered, don't have a friend who feels at ease, don't know a dream that's not been shattered and driven to its knees"
while also pointing out that "we've lived so well so long" and "you can't be forever blessed."
"Days" is about how you never really lose someone you love--that person lives on in your memories, your thoughts, your dreams.
I'd also like to ditto someone's suggestion of "I'll Be Seeing You" which is thematically similar to "Days"--its poignant lyrics ran through my head frequently in the post-Sept. 11 days.
Andrea
"To Where You Are" by Josh Groban
Josh sang this song at the first NYC memorial concert for the 1st anniversary of 9-11. A beautiful song written by Richard Marx.
Janeen
Beethoven's 9th Symphony
The events of 9/11 reminded many of us about what is truly important in life: freedom, health, happiness, family. To me, these are summed up in Beethoven's 9th Symphony, which blends melancholic and dreamy melodies with a triumphant and joyful "life goes on" finale. As many times as I have listened to it, it never fails to move me emotionally.
Rosie Foster
Brahms - Requiem
(In English) Just a more positive & uplifting celebration. It can sound so joyful, one doesn't realize it is a requiem.
Don Dunsmore
Copland's Lincoln Portrait
It reminds me of how we came together as a country for all the loved one's we lost. It communicates what is so unique about this country and what we all treasure as Americans: freedom. It has become a cliche, but in those moments of loss we remember how precious it truly is.
Megan Powers
Cat Stevens- The Wind
On the first anniversary of September 11th, there was an otherworldly wind that tore through the city. It shrieked and howled around my corner apartment like so many voices. It felt like thousands of spirits not wanting to be forgotten. This song is connected in my head to that day, and to remembering.
jw
J.S. Bach, Dona Nobis Pacem from the B Minor Mass.
This transcendent music conquers hate and fear, and offers the hope of peace, for the living as well as those who have passed on. This wonderful piece has more resonance for this occasion than the Beethoven Ode to Joy. It means a lot to me; we used it at my husband's funeral, a volunteer EMS himself who knew the trauma as well as the need to serve in time of crisis and tragedy.
Laurie Larson
The Lark Ascending
Hope, light, love in perseverance. I remember the morning of Sept 11, 2002. Just as my clock radio went off, WQXR's morning announcer noted the time and date and said "...and the sun rose this morning, of all mornings, just like it always does."
I will never forget that.
Mary
Bach's Cello Suites
During the days and weeks following 9/11 I was glued to my radio. Whenever I could, I had it on listening to the latest update about the attacks.
And then one day, all of a sudden, I just couldn't listen to any more news about 9/11.
Instead, I started playing Bach's Cello Suites. They reflected a deep sadness, but also a sense of calm and balance. The Cello Suites, for me, started the process of healing from that terrible day.
Wendy Greenspan
"Side" by Travis
I was standing on the top deck of a NY Waterway Ferry on my way to downtown NYC when I saw the first plane hit the towers. I turned to the man next to me and asked him "Did that just happen?"--it seemed like a scene from a movie....the plane just melted into the building and rush of papers and debris came out the other side. After circling for a few minutes our fery docked in the shadow of the trade center towers, I meandered around awhile trying to decide whether or not to go into work. After coming to the conclusion that it would be a fiasco going home later I turned and headed back to the ferry. That's when the second plane hit.
I was extremely lucky to be on the ferry on my way back to Hoboken and a train home. The first tower collapsed while i was on the train ride home and people were most frightened then i think--being in a contained space and not being able to run anywhere,
I chose "Side" by Travis because my wife and I had tickets to see them at Radio City in October. It was the only album we could listen to for weeks after 9/11. It means a lot to me becuase its really a song about the world and peace and just getting along with eachother no matter our differences.
9/11 is our anniversary and that day of celebration was forever changed that day.
We went to the Travis concert in October. A ton of security as you can imagine at Radio City.
It was a beacon of light in the darkness for all who attended.
Jeff Kinsey
Leonard Cohen's "The Story of Isaac"
This song is cathartic, beautiful, and eerily applicable to 9/11
Lainie
Faure's Requiem
The first time I heard this was on All Soul's Day and I thought the voices of the chorus sounded so peaceful, so beautiful, so angelic. It would be a very moving piece to remember all those lost.
Kerissa
Moment Away by The Dana Fuchs Banduchs
Dana sang this song at De Noot in Amersfoort in Holland.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBvWSmQVdzE
We were there at DE Noot.We knew,of course, the story of that terrible attack. But when we heard Dana's story how the song was created it came very close.
Johan van Spijker
Dana Fuchs
Another long long year, seems you where just right here...
Jørn Tore
Anything from John Barry's Soundtrack from "Out of Africa"
I do not have the words to describe what this soundtrack does to me. You must listen to it to know.
Jeanne Kirchner Gesicki
If This Is Goodbye by Emmylou Harris & Mark Knopfler on the album Real Live Roadrunning
Inspired by the final cell phone calls made that terrible day, it reminds us all of the fragile nature of our existence here on earth. It makes me think that in any moment of finality, is there anything simpler or more important than love?
"Who knows how long we've got/or what we're made out of/Who knows if there's a plan or not/there is our love, I know there is our love."
Agi Harkay
In America by Greg Tannen
This song brilliantly captured New Yorkers feelings during those days and the pride of being an American
Maria G
Cantique de Jean Racine (Faure)
The Stuyvesant High School Concert Chorus & Orchestra performed this piece in Spring 2012 in tribute to Maurita Tam, a SHS alum we lost on 09/11/01.
Nikko
"Moment Away" by Dana Fuchs
Dana Fuchs sings with such raw emotion, that she should be included in this 9/11 Anniversary list.
Phyllis Canosa
