SONGS AND SWAHILI

Dan Saunders complains about singer Me’Shell Ndegeocello because she has the audacity to actually create songs that deal with real human issues (Letters, Sept. 1). Heaven forbid that an artist should be so “indulgent” as to write about real life and express it for the rest of the world to hear.

Too bad he doesn’t live in fantasyland. If he did, all music would be happy-go-lucky drivel that doesn’t force him to think. I’ll take reality any day. Thanks, Me’Shell, for being honest and real!

DANIEL JENKINS

San Francisco

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Me’Shell, thank you for your songs, your labors of love. You and I and many others know that your songs of compassion ultimately embrace everyone, including your detractors.

FUTOSHI TOMORI

Baldwin Park

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In the Aug. 25 Calendar (“She Can’t Hide Her Feelings”), Robert Hilburn informed us that Me’Shell Ndegeocello’s name “is a Swahili phrase that means ‘free like a bird.’ ”

If Ms. Ndegeocello told him this, I would have thought the rendition of her first name might have tipped him off. The Swahili word for “bird” is indeed ndege (no accent mark) but ocello is definitely not Swahili and has an uncanny resemblance to ucello, the Italian word for “bird.”

Has Hilburn caught on to “Yma Sumac” yet? Or “Haagen-Dazs,” for that matter?

FRANZ DELAHAN

Tustin

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I’m a native speaker of Swahili. The correct translation for “free like a bird” is huru kama ndege.

The young lady is obviously talented. However, changing one’s name does not necessarily translate into inner peace.

OBARA ONYANGO

Los Angeles