Thank You For a Life Making People Feel Happy

The happiest day of 2014

One of the biggest events of this past autumn for me and many other fans was the release of Manolo García's latest album, Todo es ahora ("Everything is Now"). The digital copies were never made available for download in the US, so I had to order the double CD from a French company doing business in Spain and charging enough money for shipping to mortgage a vacation home.

But I can't really complain. I received the disk the day after its European release with liner notes signed by Manolo García himself! How unexpected and wonderful. I can verify the signature because of a previous signed-item-by-mail-adventure.

I mention all this because the joy I and so many others have derived from the simple pleasure of Manolo's musical artistic expression is so great as to defy description. Which makes this song all the more surprising:

"Last Night I Dreamed of David Bowie"
Manolo García 2014 (translated by Jessica Knauss)

Last night I dreamed of David Bowie.
I ran into him on the street and said as we passed,
"I don't want to bother you, sir, but I must tell you
thank you, thank you so much."

Thank you for a life making people happy
Thank you for a life making people feel happy 
Thank you for that life, for that breath of life

He whispered something, then turned around,
drying a tear that welled up
from the center of the Earth.
From his mouth flew butterflies.

I woke up thinking that each of us plays our own cards.
I woke up thinking that each of us uses up our foundations.

When I first heard this song, of course I thought, "No, Manolo, thank YOU." That one of the most beautifully creative people in the world has another artist to look up to gives hope to everyone who plies an artistic trade. And, as the final verses indicate, we all have something to share from our own well of creativity.

¡Gracias, Manolo! To all writers, singers, painters, actors, etc, famous and obscure: thank you! Art is what makes life more than survival.