CONTINUUM the title track – Narrative by Adjoa Andoh
In January 2021, I heard an amazing piece broadcast on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, written and spoken by the extraordinarily talented actor Adjoa Andoh, ‘Moments of Light’ real talk, an emotional monologue about the pandemic. Her words and mesmerising voice rang in my head as the track was developing, I could hear Adjoa narrating over the music creating a soundtrack to the pandemic.
Working with a demo of the track, she created the incredibly moving narrative ‘Hold out the Heart’, impeccably timed to the ebb and flow of the music and capturing the essence and emotions of the pandemic lockdowns with unbelievable accuracy.
And so between us CONTINUUM was born and became the obvious title track for the album.
Watch Adjoa narrating her introduction to the title track.
Read Adjoa’s original poem: ‘Hold Out the Heart’ (below the film)
Hold Out the Heart
by Adjoa Andoh
The universe
a river of light, of stars and planets long since gone
their echo singing and shimmering to us in the star bright night..
Or is the wonder we gaze upon in that mesmerising dark, filled new-born with satellite light.
The twinkle of technology – the coming age – ancient and modern- of nature and of not nature
The silence of no traffic
the resurgent song of birds,
the pre-eminence of other life in action
as our inaction leaves us at peace or in isolation
And in this new sound
Sing to the universe all ye starlit souls caught, surprised, stopped.
A year of not hugging not holding not breathing in our loved ones
Darlings dying, beloveds birthing and birthed, all unheld
Festivals of light come and gone, celebrated alone
the missing of people, the pub, the terraces, places of worship, lunchclubs, nightclubs, theatres..
The yearning for touch
To hug my elderly father – grateful for my stepmother.
My mum celebrating her 80th birthday alone…
Then the knock at the door,
on the doorstep homemade cake, candles, flowers, freshly laid eggs
the whole street out, filling the air
happy birthday dear Jackie
the physical distance – like starlight on water – bridged by love.
Life’s raw truth exposed in the enforced pause of the pandemic…
Yet Still, amongst the loss, the close-binding gift of sorrow,
How are you? Now a real question, not just a greeting
Hardships eased by kindness
And oh our pandemic-paused-emboldening,
Suddenly unfrenzied undistracted
We challenge the failing equasion of infinite growth in a finite world
Of ice caps melting, storms raging, forests and species gone
We witness, speak up, speak out
We ask
If we can house the homeless in a pandemic – can’t they just be housed?
If we can extend financial support, can’t we just support?
If we have enough
Can’t we just share – vaccines wealth hope?
Sustain not profit?
Whose lives matter, whose service do we reward,
How shall we embed and encourage our instinctive goodness
For Anger is just
Fear denied
Justice ignored.
Hold out the Heart
Ours all one..
Longing to be seen and heard
Stardust and Loving and Golden
©Adjoa Andoh 2021
