Brown-Eyed Girl Kasam Se
Whatever your situation is as we are all navigating this new reality of a global pandemic, if you need a short break from it all then I hope this new mashup video brings some delight. In the Hindi song (Gazab Ka Hai Din from the film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak), actress Juhi Chawla is depicted wooing her co-star Aamir Khan to make the best of their time alone together in the outdoors, while in the other song song Van Morrison reminisces about his “Brown-Eyed Girl” (through interestingly the song was originally titled “Brown-Skinned Girl”).
During a recent trip to Hawaii, I bought a ukulele and started strumming chords to Gazab Ka Hai Din, and every time I started to sing the song, my wife would hear a different song to the same chords and start humming Brown-Eyed Girl. After some repetition I couldn’t stop thinking of both songs when I played the chords, thus the combination of our musical ideas gave birth to this mashup baby.
I started recording this mashup when COVID-19 had not yet seemed to reach the shores of North America. Since that time, much has changed as self-quarantines and being around your loved ones 24/7 is the new normal. It’s not always easy, especially if you have children, elderly relatives, or other loved ones to take care of. We are all encountering a variety of very real scenarios, and one of my experiences this past week has reinforced to me not take these moments for granted. There are people positive for COVID-19 staying quarantined from their families. There are healthcare workers on the front lines working hard to keep their patients safe at at the hospital while social distancing from their own families at home to keep them safe from disease. For these people, they don’t have the luxury of simple pleasures like an embrace with their loved ones, or sharing food from the same plate. I salute and thank all healthcare workers, including my own spouse, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law, for their tireless efforts in the fight against COVID-19. For those positive with the virus, I wish you a safe and speedy recovery. As I worked on this video, I realized that the words of the songs were all about enjoying time with the people you care about and it truly felt timely. With that in mind, through all the craziness we are dealing with, I hope all of you are able to truly cherish the time you have alone with your loved ones. Stay safe and wash your hands!