Talk:Bles Bridges

In 1986, while visiting South Africa for the first time, I asked the clerk at a record store for

something good in the Afrikaans language. He handed me a few tapes by Bles Bridges.

  I loved the music and have worn the tapes out, even though I don't understand the language. Some

passages have brought tears to my eyes. The language has a very soft but undeniably masculine quality

that has fascinating and interesting sounds and nuances. As a language, it seems to come mostly from

deep in the belly, giving it a depth which is missing in English, which seems to originate in the

throat and rear of the mouth, and Spanish, which seems to come mostly from the front of the mouth.

  He is a fine and strong singer who compares well to Andrea Bocelli and Elvis Presley in his later

years, after Elvis had taken voice lessons. He is also similar to Elvis in that he starred in movies

that were made solely to showcase his wholesome personality.

  Most of the songs that I heard would fit into a country-western category, but his choices ranged

far, to include Swiss yodeling and Danny Boy.