Dolcy D’Cruz
Remo Fernandes is an internationally recognised Goan artiste who holds up a mirror to society and says it how he sees it. His latest composition, ‘Just Another War Song,’ may sound deceptively light, but beneath its tone lies a deeply sobering reflection on conflict and helplessness. Explaining this artistic choice, he says, “It’s precisely this helplessness which made me write it in a very light manner. War is a terrible folly, and there is no arguing or reasoning with it’s perpetuators in a serious way. All we can do is accept that they are going to drop those bombs without questioning Why, because there is no sane answer to this question.” Despite a career filled with songs rooted in social realities, Siolim-based Remo remains skeptical about the power of music to influence change. He says, “Of course not. It never did. If music and newspapers and films and books had that power, the history of mankind would have been very different. The history of war is created by madmen who are crazed by power and greed, and who no longer fight in the wars themselves. Why, they don’t even send their children to join their armies. I write these songs to get things off my chest, not to try and change those lunatics. I don’t think they even listen to music or read books.” He finished the song fast, because of how immediate the theme was. “I worked on it for a day, including the writing and recording. It’s not really a full song, just a little ditty about the present war.” When asked whether audiences today interpret socially conscious songs differently than before, Remo remains consistent in his perspective. “Maybe. I have always written them for myself, to get things off my chest, not really to try and change the people around me. The role of the artist is to hold up a mirror to society. What society does with that image is up to them.” His ability to make serious themes accessible lies in simplicity and relatability. He does it by writing in everyday language and evoking everyday imagery which people can relate to. Reflecting on his past work, Remo finds it difficult to single out just one meaningful piece. “There are too many to name one. But perhaps I’m particularly fond of ‘When will you learn, man?’ which I wrote and released during the beginning of Covid. There is another one I wrote during Covid which I think is even better, called ‘Keep the Faith’, but I have not released it to the public. There is also my song ‘O, Panjim’ from my very first album, which has come true with a vengeance; Panjim (and Goa) will unfortunately never ever be the same again. Of course, everything has to change, but you can either direct that change towards the better (like wise, educated countries do) or the worse (like illiterate, greedy countries do).” As for what lies ahead, Remo is content with a slower, more relaxed pace of creativity. “After I completed writing my autobiography and composing and recording my opera on Mother Teresa, I have done the two main long-term tasks which I had set to myself in life. Each of those tasks was about 3 or 4 years long. Now I just write or compose the odd piece whenever the mood or inspiration strikes. Now is the time to relax and take it easy without deadlines!”
