In Swahili Lyrics

In her song "In Swahili" her vocal tone is lullaby smooth even though the lyrics are of great importance and loaded with African references. It begins with a Swahili wise man (young Kenyan rapper Kiiru Wa Ngotho of Rafiqi) retelling the sayings passed down through the generations. A sparse acoustic guitar/bass (both duties cleanly handled by Claude Tshibasu) accompanies Christi as she sings and echoes back to the American folk movement when songs of importance and protest were usually presented with just a simple guitar and vocal. Her vocal flows along like a leaf on a gentle stream; until the end when she begins to lightly scat, and the voice of the "wise elder" returns. Upon close scrutiny, the lyrics reveal the immense pride for her homeland and ancestors. They tell the parable of the bird having to one day leave the safeness of his nest and the moral lesson that all persons share that need for security, but each must in time walk on their own two feet. I fell in love with these lyrics when I first read them, even before they had any music. But, her vocals add a texture that makes this song special. Her soul speaks volumes through her voice, and touches the listener in a way that is hard to describe with words. Christi has this ability to paint vivid pictures with her wordplay that is exceptional. As Carlos Santana said "All music is important if it comes from the heart", and this is very important music. Randall Parish - New Era 2008