Why do the nations?

Handel's Messiah is almost cliche in church especially the Hallelujah Chorus but my favorite has always been "Why do the nations?". It's so in tune with the times as technology has pushed our lives to new opportunities to grow and improve, wealth and power that resulted also gave us new ways to destroy and oppress.

The lyrics simply mean (for me) why do the powerful think they are something or someone except for our humanity? Why imagine meaningless ways to increase temporal power at the expense of life?

Serious, true and worth celebrating once you've come to terms with it's meaning. It takes suffering, relearning how to live but celebrating the whole process. That's why Al Jarreau is right to jazz it up.

I love the music of the African American tradition that is now mainstream in hip hop, urban, jazz, rap imitated by the most popular acts today. But it all started in hardship, oppression, struggle and a long wait which included much evil, yet out of the darkness there is a human wealth expressed by music.

 I'll post this incredible live version of "A partial history of black music" from the same CD as Al's take on my favorite Messiah song.