The Dharma In Song

The Dharma In Song: Nagdeo’s Complete Lyrics (1987-2022)

Ano started writing songs in college, in 1987. Since then he’s written over 150 songs (and a few poems), but Nagdeo didn’t start making albums until 2013 (25 years after Ano started writing songs). Because of this, Nagdeo albums are typically a mix of songs from various periods of songwriting and some new songs written specifically for the current album being worked on. This allows Nagdeo albums to have a very strong thematic cohesion (often known as a “concept album.”)

It’s going to take many years to produce all the Nagdeo albums that are already organized with titles and working song lists, but you can enjoy the lyrics of them now. And you can witness the movement through consciousness that Ano has gone through since this book is organized chronologically – subdivided into defined periods of investigation and passion.

“Dharma” is a Sanskrit word for truth or the truths of teaching. This book was first published as a hand-bound, homemade book in 1998 under the title Transplant-Shock-Therapy: The Poetic Pilgrimage of a Suburban Refugee. And then reprinted every few years as new songs were written. In 2017, Ano “heard” an inner message to change the name of the book to what it is now, so as to be more honest about the true intention behind these songs. Nagdeo songs, as a whole body of work, are musical expressions of truths, perspectives, and ways of relating, that are both born out of and cultivate a most beautiful world that is holistic and sustainable and rooted in love and consciousness.

Ano’s first reason to write a song is to write it for himself — to express energies, emotions, and insights moving through his being and to remind him of this precious experience and wisdom that might be forgotten. While hopefully the songs and lyrics are entertaining, ultimately they are prayers and mantras to help increase Consciousness and Love through the miraculous combination of the words and music.