Music Around the World

INSP Vendor Playlist:
Street Paper Vendors On Their Favorite Songs And What They Mean To Them

By Street Paper Vendors, Courtesy of INSP.ngo
Editing by Tony Inglis
Additional Editing by Sarah Ford
Special thanks to those who translated for this feature: Patricia Pereira, Melanie Vogt, Kathryn Ness, Louise Thomas, Cedric Horbach, Jessica Michaels, Hollie Davies, Jessica Gert, Sean Morris, Ute Kahle.

---

Each year, the International Street Paper Network (INSP) features the network’s over 9,000 vendors across 35 countries for Vendor Week, a week celebrating vendors around the world. While it’s important to confront the issues vulnerable people deal with daily, sometimes we can miss the little things that make us all, homeless or not, who we are. So, this year we asked something a little different of vendors: if you could share your favorite song with everyone, what track would you choose and why? Music is universal and ties us together, much like the street paper network ties vendors together from all over the world. The following feature has vendors explaining the meaning behind their choices. As expected, the list is as diverse and eclectic as our vendors. Click here to discover the full Vendor Playlist on Spotify! ■

---

Megaphone - British Colombia, Canada

Priscilla Tait, who vends Megaphone in Vancouver, British Colombia, chose Harry Belafonte’s ‘Turn the World Around,’ which was performed as the closing number to a 1970s episode of The Muppet Show.

“I grew up with my late grandparents Sarah and Thomas in the Wet’suwet’en Territory. On Sundays, we watched The Muppet Show and the song made me dance with no care in the world. My grandparents allowed me to explore imagination. They were my rock — they anchored me with love and tears and laughter.”

The Denver VOICE - Colorado, United States

Denver VOICE vendor Rea Brown didn’t have to consider the question long before choosing the song “Lose Myself” by Lauryn Hill.

The song was first released on the album for the 2007 movie “Surf’s Up.” Brown feels the lyrics ­­­– which discuss losing past hurts, betrayal, and fears to love better – are honest and resonant. The song, he says, has a great beat, too.

“It’s just real,” he says. “That’s it. It’s real.”

Mi Valedor - Mexico

The work of tenor vocalist José José, specifically his performance of ‘Lo Pasado, Pasado,’ meaning ‘What is Past, is Past,’ is the object of Erasmo Navarrete’s affections. The 65-year-old sells Mexican street paper Mi Valedor at the Hotel Krystal, in Reforma in the country’s capital. He believes the song has played a large part in forming his life story.

“I first came across José José when I was 16 years old. He’s an alcoholic, just like me, and I’ve had a drink with him in a few bars. Who would have thought that later on, I would drink to his songs? Despite the fact that alcoholism led me to many low points, even hitting rock bottom, it also brought me happiness as I got to know many people and made friends in different places,” he says. “José José is, for me, an example that, although someone may be an alcoholic, they have to be able to enjoy life, just like someone who has next to nothing. I didn’t expect anything good would happen in my life, but then someone spoke to me about Mi Valedor and now, as the song says: ‘I am now a new person.’”

Aurora da Rua - Brazil

Luís Lázaro Silva Nascimento sells the street paper Aurora da Rua at traffic light intersections, outside schools and at events across the Brazilian city of Salvador. At the city’s carnival in the region of Bahia, the song ‘Revolta do Olodum’ is a staple of the samba-reggae music, or bloco-afro, that is famous there.

Performed by a band known as Olodum, the song is part of the foundation of Brazilian culture and is rooted in African styles of playing.

“Olodum has songs that evoke social justice and citizenship. ‘Revolta do Olodum’ (meaning something like ‘Olodum’s revolt’) is one of those songs that gets people’s attention and makes them think about their social reality,” says Luís. “I am from Pelourinho [ a historical neighborhood in the centre of Salvador and main hub of Afro-Brazilian culture]. It is a good song and very moving. It talks about our people and the injustices of slavery, even now, in our country. The music’s cadence and speed evokes the African drums of slavery times. Nowadays, I really like playing the cajon, a percussion instrument that originates from Peru’s colonial period, where African slaves used wooden boxes and drawers to play their beats.”

BISS - Germany

Toni Menacher, a BISS vendor in Munich city centre, has known John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ for a long time. But in 2001, it took on a special meaning for the now 57-year-old.

“At the time, I was with my girlfriend visiting the Western-City event venue in [Bavarian town] Dasing for the first time,” he explains. “A band was playing, and the first song was this famous one by John Denver. ‘…Country Roads’ became our song, but I’m sad to say that my girlfriend has since passed away.”

The Big Issue Korea - South Korea

Outside Exit 5 of Gangnam subway station in Seoul, 65-year-old Hong-Wu Moon sells copies of The Big Issue Korea. He explains that his song choice – the 1960s Korean folk tune 傷砕裾 択炭 [which literally translates as ‘the youth of the father’] by 穣瓜艇 [O Gi Taek] – makes him think of his family.

“I really like the melody of this song, and also the lyrics. Most importantly, for me, it feels like a consolation. When I have a had a rough day on the streets, listening to and singing along with this song makes all my stress disappear. I can erase the memory of that bad day in a moment.

“When I had a family and, I realized how much my father sacrificed his life for us, and worked hard for us. I am away from my family now because of work, so I miss them a lot. So, when I miss my family, I sing this song and [mimicking the lyrics] say ‘bravo!’ to my life.” (Interview by Jieun Jung)

Shedia - Greece

Irini Ampeliotou, 48, sells Shedia all over Athens. She has experienced some hard times, including a stint in prison. Because of this, she relates to the Greek singer-songwriter Dionysis Savopoulos, who was imprisoned during the Greek military junta of 1967 to 1974.

“It refers to the feelings of a prisoner and, for this reason, I have a very strong emotional response when I hear it,” says Irini of Savopoulos’ song ‘Dimosthenous leksis’hich,’ which refers to a eulogy in ancient Greece. “It is describing a situation which is experiential for me. Being in prison, more than once, is something that I will never forget.”

The Big Issue Australia - Australia

58-year-old Sue, who sells The Big Issue Australia in Melbourne city centre, chose a well-known classic – ‘Amazing Grace.’ Specifically, a rousing rendition by the late Aretha Franklin, who died in August of 2018.

“When you face any difficulties in life, this song gives me hope,” says Sue. “It reminds me of where I’ve been, how far I have come and what lies ahead. I love the words and meaning behind the song – it shows the grace of God. It is very touching and Aretha’s voice is so beautiful.”