Self Evident by Ani DiFranco
Last week, Sara asked what book, movie or song changed our lives. I feel like my brain is a movie reel of every film I’ve ever seen, and at any given moment, the frames change to accommodate whatever situation I’m in. For instance, today I quoted this scene from The Sweetest Thing (my all time favorite, but definitely not life-changing.) “Hello! Is Jane there?!”
Afterwards, my colleagues told me Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate’s characters were mocking Moviefone – who knew?!
Okay, let’s get down to business…
Ani DiFranco (from adamperrywrites.wordpress.com)
Ani DiFranco changed my life. I was a late bloomer as far as Ani goes, but her records dribbled in. I bought a cassette tape of hers the summer after my senior year in high school and a CD my freshman year of college. “Untouchable Face” was the second song I downloaded when I got my first computer (also my freshman year). But it wasn’t until my junior year of college when a then-girlfriend opened my eyes. M copied several of Ani’s albums for me and I embraced them all. I loved “Shy” and anything on To The Teeth. Right around that time, I scooped Ani’s second live album, So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter, and to this day I remember riding around campus at nite listening to the poem “Self Evident” – it changed my life forever. Ani encouraged the activist in me, which explains where I am today (facing up and singing!) And she spoke the language of my heart when I couldn’t. I feel quite indebted to the lady, and am grateful for the experience of her music.
July 13th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Oh Ani. My first ever Ani concert was in the fall of 1996 when I was a freshman in college. She was playing at a nearby school, in a small gymnasium, on a stage made up of cheaply (and poorly constructed) wooden blocks. There were about 30 of us there for the show that, if I remember correctly, cost $10 to get into. Ani performed on these bowing and swaying blocks, dreads swaying around and sweat dripping off of her face. The 30 of us in that little gymnasium were the proud recipients of an Ani Sweat Shower, as I like to call it, and as a total babydyke at the time I just about passed out. I remember walking around campus the next day telling almost anyone who would listen that Ani DiFranco’s sweat dripped off of her brow and onto my face. Those were the days.
July 22nd, 2010 at 1:25 pm
I ADORE ANI!!!!! I started listening to her my frosh year of college too!!
Such an amazing artist with such a powerful voice and message!! My hubs makes fun of me whenever I need to listen to some of my “Angry Girl Music”, but I know he likes it too!! 