TED Salon Brightline Initiative
Rei: "my mama" / "BLACK BANANA"
Filmed:
Readability: 5
499,185 views
Singer-songwriter Rei brings her mix of indie rock and blues to the TED stage in a performance of two songs, "my mama" and "BLACK BANANA."
Rei - Singer-songwriter
Born in Japan's Hyogo prefecture, Rei spent her childhood years in New York and now sings her unique, self-penned lyrics in both Japanese and English. Full bio
Born in Japan's Hyogo prefecture, Rei spent her childhood years in New York and now sings her unique, self-penned lyrics in both Japanese and English. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
(Guitar music starts)
0
1212
1150
01:32
I've been looking
1
80149
1540
01:33
Several days now
2
81713
1859
01:35
Where did they go?
3
83596
1760
01:37
Where did they go?
4
85380
2951
01:40
My mama told me long ago
5
88802
2060
01:46
I've lost so many precious things, I know
6
94053
3556
01:49
They won't be back
7
97633
1708
01:51
Where did they go?
8
99365
3021
01:54
My mama told me long ago
9
102989
2168
01:59
Ain't nobody's ever gonna tell me
to abandon my old friend
to abandon my old friend
10
107950
2913
02:03
Happy days, walking on the shore
11
111720
3468
02:07
Happy days, walking on the shore
12
115212
3516
02:10
Happy days, walking on the shore
13
118752
4202
02:15
Ain't nobody's ever gonna tell me
to abandon my good memories at all
to abandon my good memories at all
14
123806
6911
02:26
I've seen so many pretty things
15
134362
2803
02:29
They don't mean a thing now
16
137189
2587
02:31
Listen to the song
17
139800
3690
02:35
My mama told me long ago
18
143514
2387
03:00
Ain't nobody's ever gonna tell me
to doubt my good old days
to doubt my good old days
19
168933
3155
03:04
Happy days, walking on the shore
20
172715
2937
03:08
Happy days, walking on the shore
21
176309
3556
03:11
Happy days, walking on the shore
22
179889
4510
03:17
Ain't nobody's ever gonna tell me
to abandon my good memories at all
to abandon my good memories at all
23
185065
4626
03:22
Abandon my good memories at all
24
190347
2514
03:25
Abandon my good memories at all
25
193919
4361
03:48
(Music ends)
26
216191
1150
03:49
(Applause)
27
217663
2017
03:51
Thank you.
28
219704
1151
03:52
(Applause)
29
220879
5624
03:58
Thank you for giving me the opportunity
to perform tonight at TED New York.
to perform tonight at TED New York.
30
226527
5034
04:04
I've been a dedicated TED fan and viewer,
31
232442
3468
04:07
and also, I actually used to live
in Manhattan when I was younger,
in Manhattan when I was younger,
32
235934
4715
04:12
so New York is like a second home to me,
and it's great to be back.
and it's great to be back.
33
240673
4557
04:18
The song I just performed
was called "my mama,"
was called "my mama,"
34
246333
2689
04:21
and the next song I'm going to perform
35
249046
2181
04:23
is another original song of mine
called "BLACK BANANA."
called "BLACK BANANA."
36
251251
3657
04:28
This song I wrote about the importance
of being patient with your dreams.
of being patient with your dreams.
37
256240
6304
04:34
Because I think commitment
will always be rewarded.
will always be rewarded.
38
262568
4621
04:39
Just like fruit ripens
when the time is right.
when the time is right.
39
267601
2934
04:42
So it's my interpretation
of building the future.
of building the future.
40
270988
3095
04:49
(Guitar music starts)
41
277852
1150
05:07
Clap your hands.
42
295972
1150
05:37
One!
43
325032
1150
05:38
Two!
44
326827
1150
05:40
One, two, one, two, three, four.
45
328606
3573
05:57
Sitting here, killing time,
I've been doing it all day
I've been doing it all day
46
345941
3353
06:01
I've been always smart
when it comes to gettin' away
when it comes to gettin' away
47
349318
3489
06:04
Got a soda pop fizzin' hard
in my empty brain
in my empty brain
48
352831
3524
06:08
When the time is right I'll move
alright so don't get too uptight
alright so don't get too uptight
49
356379
3582
06:12
Silly girls in bathing suits
cleaning cars on Sundays
cleaning cars on Sundays
50
360497
3051
06:15
They're living a lie
don't make as fool of yourself too soon
don't make as fool of yourself too soon
51
363572
3971
06:19
Lining my bananas
on the window sill to ripen
on the window sill to ripen
52
367567
3123
06:22
When the time is right I'll move
alright so don't get too uptight
alright so don't get too uptight
53
370714
3566
06:27
Bananananana sekasanaide
54
375222
2962
06:30
Bananananana-ri yuki makase
55
378888
2858
06:34
Bananananana wagamamana mi ga jukusu made
56
382543
3504
06:38
Black Banana Black Banana
57
386071
1777
06:39
Banananananana
58
387872
1558
06:48
Remember last December
when we went to get some pizza
when we went to get some pizza
59
396384
3746
06:52
Was a brat, was running fast
to get home by my curfew
to get home by my curfew
60
400154
3406
06:55
Silly me, tripping quick,
I was almost killed by a honker
I was almost killed by a honker
61
403584
3174
06:58
When the time is right I'll move
alright so don't get too uptight
alright so don't get too uptight
62
406782
3739
07:03
Bananananana isoganaide
63
411195
2709
07:06
Bananananana-ri yuki makase
64
414807
2920
07:10
Bananananana mō ato
chotto dake jukusu made
chotto dake jukusu made
65
418418
3556
07:13
Black Banana Black Banana
66
421998
1762
07:15
Banananananana
67
423784
1629
07:38
Bananananana Don't push me baby
68
446438
2798
07:42
Bananananana All I want is leeway
69
450060
2885
07:45
Bananananana You gotta be patient
for the fruit to ripen
for the fruit to ripen
70
453667
3582
07:49
Black Banana Black Banana
71
457273
1786
07:51
Banananana
72
459083
1772
07:52
Bananananana isoganaide
73
460879
3137
07:56
Banananananano yori nari
74
464499
2846
08:00
Bananananana wagamamana mi ga jukusu made
75
468068
3627
08:03
Black Banana Black Banana
76
471719
1783
08:05
Bananananana
77
473526
1200
08:06
Bananananana
78
474750
1183
08:07
Banananananana
79
475957
1150
08:14
(Music ends)
80
482365
1373
08:15
Thank you.
81
483762
1274
08:17
(Applause)
82
485060
4708
08:21
(Guitar music)
83
489792
1396
08:29
(Music ends)
84
497063
1342
08:30
(Applause)
85
498429
5936
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rei - Singer-songwriterBorn in Japan's Hyogo prefecture, Rei spent her childhood years in New York and now sings her unique, self-penned lyrics in both Japanese and English.
Why you should listen
Having started classical guitar at the age of four, Rei became fascinated with blues music at 5. She primarily uses an acoustic guitar in her performances, but simulates electric sounds with effects and audio feedback, allowing her to perform a wide range of music genres.
Rei has also garnered appraise for her performances at major music events such as Japan's FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, Peter Barakan's Live Magic in Tokyo, Java Jazz Indonesia, and most recently Les Eurockeennes 2017 at Belfort, etc. Stateside, she played at SXSW 2016 and a showcase at San Francisco's iconic Amoeba Music. She has released 5 mini-albums to date, her first of which was produced by Ryosuke Nagaoka from PETROLZ. All releases featured her self-illustrated or designed covers and visuals. Her latest release, "FLY," with four new songs and a music film, was released in February 2018.
Rei | Speaker | TED.com