Natalie Merchant sings old poems to life

http://www.ted.com Natalie Merchant sings from her new album, "Leave Your Sleep." Lyrics from near-forgotten 19th-century poetry pair with her unmistakable voice for a performance that brought the TED audience to its feet.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

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Music

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• music
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• leave
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• sleep
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[ernielabell]

I saw this show at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Ma. She had on a black dress buttoned up to her neckand down to below her calves, but she still managed to appear sexy (in a hot librarian way). I find her so brilliant musically, that I was suprised and taken with her vunerablity and seeming lack of confidence during this show. I have to say that this was one of her first few shows for this album. God bless her!

[Maijlow]

@Ipoonthecasbah 3. Make music which suits the poem. And she did a damn good job.

[zildjiansandtraps]

natalie is a brilliant woman and a very gifted musican.I never know what she will do next and sometimes it takes me awhile to catch up with her.Tigerlily,Motherland,Ophel­ia,leave your sleep.they are nothing like eachother and all of them are amazing.i've never seen a artist ( male or female ) this intelligent and deep.i'm thankfull that i have a understanding of her lyrics.All of this and i did'nt even mention her world class vocals.

[milanc11]

I wish I was there

[happinesson]

i was entertained.Good voice.

[TouchingAcrossTime]

i think i like her version of "the sleepy giant" better on her than i do the actual recording. this version just sound more earthy and in tone with the lyrics and her voice, i find the recorded version`s tempo to be a little fast-paced and for me it kind takes away from the song.

[SenorMatthew]

<3 <3 <3...need I say anymore?

[xamaranto]

Amazing.



[SerachbatAsher]

Awesome....love her....Never get tired of listening to her.

[LostFREEDOM]

i love you baby

[2short2q]

Guess some people will never understand each other. Bold concept, so not commercial.

and Natalie's vocal range is certainly not monotonE.