Hi friends! It has been about half a year. I'm attempting to ease my way back into writing with an effort that takes no effort. So. Here you go! It's a song by Fort Atlantic that has beautiful lyrics and a great melody. I hope you enjoy it.
There Is Love
By Fort Atlantic
Lyrics:
"Don't let the sadness grow You're beautiful, don't you know? It's easy to dive into doubt But harder to climb back out
Don't drink from the well Where the bitterness dwells That water is wasting your time
And push past the anger And cynical strangers Whose sharp words are always unkind Oh, there is love we can find We will find
When lies get a voice in your ear And whisper your deepest fears You can either believe Or look through these empty things
Acknowledge the hard things As ships that are passing Don't let pain destroy your life Pray that your misses Find gentle forgiveness As deep as the hue of red wine Oh, there is love we can find We will find.
Come hearts that are scared and alone Let love give you warmth in the cold Let faith and hope lead you on Let joy be the theme of your song..."
I've been dealing with a lot of conflicting wants lately. This song is pretty accurate of how I feel. And, since I haven't posted in a very long time, a song seems like a good way to attempt to ease my way back in. Over the Rhine is one of my favorite bands, primarily for the amazing way they entwine bittersweetness and artistry. On this blog, and in my life, that is valued.
Enjoy. Tell me your thoughts, if you wish. What does this song and its words mean to you?
Lyrics:
Goodbye (This Is Not Goodbye)
help me tell the truth you see
that’s all i’m trying to do is
tell the truth
i’m not that shy
this is not goodbye
and later on i won’t know how
i don’t know who else to be
more and more i’m secretly just me
open your eyes
help me tell the truth you see
that’s all i’m trying to do is
tell the truth
it’s just in my head
all i’ve left unsaid
and later on it won’t come out
i have seen the final curtain fall
If i have to i’ll surrender all
Sometimes I have thoughts of things I'd like to do. Some days phrases fill my mind, short sentences that streak through the slick passageways of my mind. I realized after my last post that it was my 100th post. It seems crazy to say, but I've been writing on this blog with some level of consistency since January of 2009. So many things have happened in my life in the time between the past and present. For my 101st word-sprinkling, I'm thinking it's time for a series of staccato blurbs, single notes jabbed without rational connection.
I want to chase the sunset, to drive down a westward road following the light. I had this thought last week for the first time. It's tugging at my heart.
I've been realizing lately how much a part of my life is influenced by music. Martin Luther said something interesting: "Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." I may not agree completely with him, but there's some truth in what he says. I think that few things have such bearing on how I think and act. There's literally a song for every emotion that I've felt. Lyrics have the capability to make me laugh. There are some songs that only have to begin in order to cause a broad smile break out across my face. For that reason, when I share music, I share a part of myself. The music I love tells the story of who I am.
Point 1: Our bad things will turn out for good.
Point 2: Our good things can never be taken away from us.
Point 3: The best things are yet to come."-Jonathan Edwards' first sermon
There's something amazing in knowing that nothing will ever happen to me that is not for my ultimate good. That's a reason not to stress out. "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."-Isaiah 26:3
All the joy I ever experience is undeserved.
The rain falls, tiny orbs of liquid dribbling and plopping down on the dry earth. Rivulets form. Roots drink deeply of the nectar, the perfect combination of oxygen and hydrogen that distinguishes this planet from everything else in the solar system. Don't try to tell me that we are accidents, that this happened by blind chance. Even with all of the problems that come with living in a broken world...this is too perfect. It works too well.
I'm sorry, friends. :/ The only words I have right now to say are conveyed through other people's music and lyrics. I'm getting past a hard thing...I think. It always takes time. And I'd appreciate your prayer. Anyway. Here's an applicable song:
What if there was no light.
Nothing wrong, nothing right.
What if there was no time?
And no reason or rhyme?
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there by your side.
That you don't want me there in your life.
What if I got it wrong?
And no poem or song..
Could put right what I got wrong,
Or make you feel I belong
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there by your side
That you don't want me there in your life.
Oooooh, that's right
Let's take a breath, jump over the side.
Oooooh, that's right
How can you know it if you don't even try?
Oooooh, that's right
Every step that you take
Could be your biggest mistake
It could bend or it could break
But that's the risk that you take
What if you should decide
That you don't want me there in your life.
That you don't want me there by your side.
Oooooh, that's right
Let's take a breath jump over the side.
Oooooh, that's right
How can you know it when you don't even try?
Oooooh, that's right
Oooooh, that's right
Let's take a breath jump over the side
Oooooh, that's right
You know that darkness always turns into light
Oooooh, that's right.
Everything is changing
You're looking for the cure
And you feel like you're the loneliest girl in the
world
Trouble in your head now
Don't know what to do
Seems like up is down and red is blue
Red is blue
Red is blue
Remember when we started
Days when all was fun
All that we could make when life was young
Now you're getting older
Nothing feels the same
You can't even make sense of your own name
Because red is blue
(Doesn't make much sense)
But red is blue
(Messing with your head now)
Red is blue
Oohh
Oohh
In your heart
There's a room where you lock up
All the times and the things that she said
And now red is blue
What was near is far now
Red is blue
Like a fallen star
And red is blue
Shoot a dream in your arm and sleep away
It's not the stuff that kills you, that keeps your life at bay
Every crash pulls you in reach
Of a watershed of signal flares that cover your beach
These are just placebos to make us feel all right
Illusions in our pockets make our feather float us high
For a second I thought I saw you eyelids rise
A moment, something restless caught you by surprise,
Surprise, surprise
We are so beautiful when we sleep
Hearts of gold and eyes so deep, deep, deep
But love won't cure the chaos
And hope won't hide the loss
And peace is not the heroine that shouts above the cause
And love is wild for reasons
And hope though short in sight
Might be the only thing that wakes you by surprise
Surprise, surprise
Dream little one
See the world just begun
Love is wild for reasons
And hope feels short in sight
Might be the only thing that brings you back to life
For a moment I thought I saw your eyelids rise
It's been a long time since I've posted a poem. It will be a while longer. For now, as I take a short break from turning my brain to mush over college algebra homework, I will give you a taste, once again, of the Weakerthans. They are, as I've said before, one of the best bands out there these days as far as incorporating great lyrics and music. Whenever I listen to them I remember why I love them so much. As far as I know, this is the only band I've posted three times on here. Pretty high on the list of amazing bands, then. Definitely recommended. Especially if you're interested in checking out a Canadian band in the wake of the Olympics, which have suddenly faded as quickly as the hopes of the Kansas Jayhawks' hopes to win another national championship. Next year. :) Hope you enjoy this amazing song. It's an epitome of why I started this blog: it is poetry, music, and it's about real life. Please, do yourself a favor, humor me, and listen to this song. Then think about it.
A New Name For Everything
When the bus shelter windows and napkin-dispensers surprise With distorted reflections, it's never the someone you're hoping to recognize. And the rent is too high living here between reasons to live Where you can't sleep alone and your memories groan and the borders of night start to give. When you can't save cash or conviction; you're broke and you're breaking - a tired shoelace or a wave. So long past, past-due. A new name for everything.
When the one-ways collude with the map that you've folded wrong And the route you abandoned is always the path you probably should be upon. When the bottle-cap ashtrays and intimate's ears are all full With results of your breath and the threads of your fear are unfurled with the tiniest pull.
One more time, try. Stand with your hands in your pockets and stare at the smudge of a newspaper sky And ask it to rain a new name for everything.
Fire every phrase. They don't want to work for us anymore. Dot or Dash our days. Make your face the flag of a semaphore.
All you won't show. The boxes you brought here and never unpacked are still patiently waiting to go. So put on those clothes you never grew into and smile like you mean it for once. If you come back, bring a new name for everything.
And that was a very long-winded title that said basically everything I need to say. My mind is no good. I have filthied it for too long. It needs a baptizing. And I'd appreciate your prayers to aid me in that pursuit. Please pray that God will give me the strength to act. I need meditation, I need strength to say no, I need time in the Word.
Lyrics:
Reaching always reaching Never reaching solid ground Seeking always seeking Never seeking what I've found
Hey, baptize my mind Hey, baptize my eyes Hey, baptize my mind For these seeds to give birth to life First it must die
Both my hands are filled with guilt (Be my absolution) Oh with my eyes are blind with filth (Be my absolution, absolution)
Hey, baptize my mind Hey, baptize my eyes Hey, baptize my mind For these seeds to give birth to life First they must die
Hey, baptize my mind Hey, baptize my eyes Hey, baptize my mind For these seeds to give birth to life First they must die
Late at night, my thoughts often turn melancholy. It doesn't help when I am addicted to a band that is largely melancholy. And beautiful. And haunting. This has been my favorite band for about two months now. They are incredible. And you're already heard a song of theirs on this blog. But this song is better than the previous one I shared. This one, called Alone Apart, by the Swell Season, offers a grain of hope, amidst sadness and pain and apologies.
I think I'll actually break down the lyrics of this song, something I do not do normally. Here they are, with comments of mine included throughout:
How many times have I been here How many times was I lost And how many times I'd be lost in the sea If you weren't there to rescue me
The singer realizes again how often they have been in this place of being lost, only to be rescued by the person this song is written to. It's too easy to forget how much other people do for us. Until we are in the depths of the pit again, and we realize again how many times we have been in the exact or same position.
We're sailing, sailing every night We're drifting, drifting alone apart Not to show that we're in need But I'd heal your wounds if you bleed
Next Marketa Irglova (half of the Swell Season and star in the movie Once) voices something that changes perspective: they are slowly moving apart from each other, becoming more and more alone. It's not too show that they have needs; there is something else that is causing the rift (isn't "rift" a beautiful, haunting word?). Irglova still cares deeply for whatever person this song is sung to; when a breakdown or wound happens, she will take care of them and "heal" their wounds.
How many times have I hurt you How many times have you And how many times I'd been on my knees Begging, begging please forgive me
Next she realizes how much pain she has given, and how much she has received. She dives into her mind to remember how many times she has asked for forgiveness (a positive thing!). Pain is inevitable in any long-term, deep relationship. Forgiveness is necessary for success.
We're sailing, sailing every night We're drifting, drifting alone apart Not to show that we're in need But I'd heal your wounds if you bleed
Chorus again. See above comments.
Thank you for being so patient with me I've been weaker than I ought to be Despair and jealousy blinded my mind And I couldn't see how you're trying for me.
The song ends on hope, and admitting that there is still work to do. She realizes that she has been jealous and hopeless, weak and headstrong. She expresses her gratitude for the patience and effort expended in the middle of her problems. The song doesn't exactly resolve. It ends.
You could take this song and do a lot of things with it: point out that this is how we are with God, that we do not realize our need many times until we are in trouble, that we do not listen to Him and stray. Or you could realize that life is running on a parallel line as our eternal life with God. There will be times when this song is probably very true in your life. I think it shows that the right attitude is asking for forgiveness, and admitting that there is a need. And finally, to hope.
I'm overdue on a music post, although those posts rarely get comments. They bring in the visitors, though. Got to keep everybody happy.
Today we focus on a newer band, Other Lives. They have released one full-length album which is self-titled. They blend beautiful strings with haunting melodies and well-thought out lyrics. Definitely recommended. I'll post one of the two songs of theirs that I have heard, E Minor. I am hereby resolving to listen to more of Other Lives. They deserve it.
Lyrics:
I forgot something of younger days when there were no cares Clouds appear lit that made me ask how their lives could have been spent
Carelessly wasting our days Inquires of what is the way With no reply
When you were young there's a lightness around you, the world turns But when you take back all the things that you've earned you find nothing at all
Carelessly wasting our days Inquires of what is the way With no reply
Where did it go now All that you thought was worth a fight It's all but become just A passing thought in spite
Don't let it go now Our lives could be much more than this Let go and find it
I have been realizing lately a lot of things about myself. Some things are little, others insignificant, others painful, all the product of having tons of time to think about myself. Two days before Christmas now, and I think I have just enough brain power left in me tonight to post some fragments that have been floating around in my brain.
Fragments like this:
*I love to use "....."s They are fun. And a good way to drift off into nothingness. Now, when I am talking to you in person, text, email, twitter, and you notice a pause, there is an unwritten ellipsis there. Whoops, you know my secret now. Oh well... *I have a natural tendency to be gloomy, depressed, depressing, discouraging, etc. And I am in a dangerous place, because something in me likes to be in that state. Maybe it's because of the attention I get from acting that way, maybe it's because gloominess has a lot of music that goes great with it, but I have been "down" a lot this year. It's definitely because I am a sinful person. *The times when I am not down are the times when I get my eyes off of myself and on God, and through that on others. The times when I am not focused on myself are the times when I am happiest. And I am happiest when I am making others happy. Even in my "Scrooge" or Eeyore mindsets, making people like my nephews laugh makes me happy. *I love music. This is not a new revelation. I especially love great music: music that blends artistic instrumentation with well-written words that I can identify with. I will give an example of music like this at the end of this post. *I get annoyed with people too easily. Way too easily. I think sometimes that I have my emotions and feelings under control and don't realize how wrong I am. When somebody talking too loud gets on my nerves, something is wrong. *I have an amazing family, no matter how many things are going wrong. I will never fully realize how blessed I am, just like I can never really understand what God has done and is doing for me. *I am not a very thankful person. It's easy for me to see ungratefulness in others, but I am just as guilty myself. *I am a sucker for interesting words. Like introspection. Reverberate. Etcetera. Magnetic. That's what words are to me...and perhaps this is why *I could spend my life in bookstores around the world. I am haunted by the allure of books, music, movies...and this is why I am a shameless Half Price Books addict. I think I have been in a Half Price Books store at least three, maybe 6 times in the last week. And spent a lot of money there, too. I am not just a browser. I am a consumer. *I care what people think about me. A lot. I will hopefully address this more in another post, but this is the reason that I am deeply saddened when people don't like music I love, when people make fun of me, when I don't fit in or am no longer part of a group or a friendship I have known my whole life. *I need God. This is what I need the most and forget the most. *I hate exercise without purpose, or exercise simply for the purpose of exercising. I need a game or sport to occupy my attention and brain. *I am not going to show you the contents of my thoughts any more tonight.
Here's a song like I was talking about. It's from a beautiful movie called Once (rated R for lots of language) which has an amazing story and incredible music. Highly recommended. However, I am claiming ownership of having found this band in my family: The Swell Season. They are my most listened music currently. There is not a lot of hope in their music, but their most well-known song is probably one that a lot of whoever is reading this blog can identify with: Falling Slowly. Enjoy. And merry Christmas. Maybe I will write a post about Jesus' sacrifice another time.
I don't know you But I want you All the more for that Words fall through me And always fool me And I can't react And games that never amount To more than they're meant Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home We've still got time Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice You'll make it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me And I can't go back Moods that take me and erase me And I'm painted black You have suffered enough And warred with yourself It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home We've still got time Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice You've made it now Falling slowly sing your melody I'll sing along
So, after I posted Regina Spektor's new song, Laughing With, I've gotten a huge influx of visitors. As a result, I'm happy to say my blog has now had more than 2000 pageloads since it's origin in January. Thank you, all of those who contributed to that. It's encouraging to know that people read what I write, even if they just come to my blog because I posted a really good song. Here's a graphic of my blog traffic from the last few months, thanks to Statcounter:
Also...I'm going away again, this time only for a week. Have a fun time on the blog! Try listening to all the music in the sidebar widget...it's good stuff.
And now, I'll post the song I talked about in my last post. I bought Jon Foreman's cd, Limbs and Branches, with a Borders card I got for my graduation party. It was basically the exact amount I had on the card, so it was pretty cool how that worked out. And I like the whole cd a whole bunch; there are no songs that aren't up to par with the rest of the cd, and it's a contemplative album as well. Foreman has different styles, for sure. If you're familiar with Switchfoot, Foreman's main band, this music is completely different than that. Anyway, this song from that cd, Instead of a Show, resonated with me. It's a call that's been around for a long time: stop being hypocritical and showy, and get to work addressing what's wrong with the world. I hope you like it.
Here are the lyrics: I hate all your show and pretense The hypocrisy of your praise The hypocrisy of your festivals I hate all your show Away with your noisy worship Away with your noisy hymns I stomp on my ears when you're singing 'em I hate all your show
Instead let there be a flood of justice An endless procession of righteous living, living Instead let there be a flood of justice Instead of a show
Your eyes are closed when you're praying You sing right along with the band You shine up your shoes for services There's blood on your hands You turned your back on the homeless And the ones that don't fit in your plan Quit playing religion games There's blood on your hands
Instead let there be a flood of justice An endless procession of righteous living, living Instead let there be a flood of justice Instead of a show I hate all your show
Let's argue this out If your sins are blood red Let's argue this out You'll be one of the clouds Let's argue this out Quit fooling around Give love to the ones who can't love at all Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all, all I hate all your show I hate all your show I hate all your show I hate all your show
Instead let there be a flood of justice An endless procession of righteous living, living Instead let there be a flood of justice Instead of a show I hate all your show
Okay. I can't resist. Jars of Clay's new album has some VERY good songs on it. And I love this one. So, if you get this in feedblitz, you need to come here and listen to this song. It's called Safe To Land:
Here are the lyrics:
Getting tired from all this circling Not much grace left on a broken wing I feel the wind trying to push me down It happens every time I get to town
I search for shelter near the mines we swept I guess forgiveness hasn’t happened yet There are no words that I can say to you That turn this careless sky from black to blue So I’m asking you is it safe? Is it safe to land? ‘Cuz I’m not going far on an empty heart Is it safe? Is it safe to land? It’s the long fall back to earth is the hardest part
I’m in no weather for apologies I need your runway lights to burn for me And if you say that I can come around I’ll love you right, yea I won’t let you down, I won’t let you down
‘Cuz I’m coming home, if these wheels touch down I’m coming home I’m waking you up in the middle of the night I’m not giving up I’m gonna stay ‘til we make it work We’re not going down even if it gets worse We’ll work it out. Yeah we’ll work it out. I need light to guide me in Oh, Yeah is it safe?
That was three weeks of my life. And I'm different, I think. It's been three weeks, and I'm still digesting the feelings and happenings that I experienced. I miss people, and I'm glad I'm home. I'm sad, and I'm happy. I'm tired, and I'm awake. I have two hands that want to each do their own thing. Like this Jars of Clay song. They have a new album. And I think I like it a lot. I'm sorry this post isn't longer, but I need to find out whether I'm allowed to post my camp pictures, so I can't do that, and I just got finished sorting through 272 emails, mostly junk. So I'm just gonna post this song by Jars. Because they're the best.
Here's the lyrics:
I’ve been living out of sanity I’ve been splitting hairs and blurring lines I am a house that is divided In my heart and in my mind
I use one hand to pull closer The other to push you away If I had two hands doing the same thing Lifted high, lifted high
I have a broken disposition I’m a liar who thirsts for the truth And while I ache for faith to hold me I need to feel the scars and see the proof
And if we just keep digging we can reach the foundation Of our souls And if we just keep cutting all the chains from our hearts We’ll lose control
And it feels like giving in It feels like starting over It feels like waking up, and you know it’s coming It feels like a brand new day Open your eyes
Well. Not really. Monday morning, two friends of mine and I will be heading off to Oklahoma, to work at a camp that focuses on inner-city kids who have horrible living situations and parental situations. I'll be gone for three weeks, and there will be no way to contact me. : )So. If you have any last words, say them now. Otherwise, leave them to be read on my return, the 28th of June. I'll miss this blog. I think this will be the first time since this blog's advent that I haven't posted at least once a week. But it's for a good cause, and hopefully I'll have a whole bunch of really cool stories of how God worked in these kids' lives and how He worked in mine. Pray for me, okay? I'll post again when I get back...Here's a song to listen to while I'm gone. It's not a very kind one. But it says So Long in it...that's all you need to take from this song. : )
Yes I heard all that you had to say That's when it all fell apart Might be hated but I can't pretend I liked you better before
So long so long Front foot leads the back one Go on and it wont be too soon I'm gone I'm gone and on to the next one So long and I wont be back soon
Yes I'm blue but from holding my breath Like I had from the start I'm the villian and I should confess I liked you better before
So long so long And on to the next one Go on and it wont be too soon I'm gone I'm gone Bet you saw this one coming So long and I wont be back soon
It's hateful to say I see it this way I don't even know who you are But in my defense I'd do it again I don't need to know who you are
So long so long And on to the next one Go on and it wont be too soon You're gone You're gone Are you waiting for something? Go on cause I wont be back soon
It's hateful to say I see it this way I don't even know who you are But in my defense I'd do it again I don't need to know who you are
So long so long Front foot leads the back one Go on cause it wont be too soon You're lost and gone and on to the next one Don't need to know who you are Don't need to know who you are
So, after one of my most popular/commented posts ever, I think I'll have some fun with this one. You know...to get everybody back into comfortable zone. Not that being open and talking about hard issues doesn't...but sometimes fun stuff is the easiest way to stay loose. Ummm...this doesn't make sense. I'm changing subject.
I think I'm addicted to IBC Root Beer. There's something amazing about holding a glass bottle in your hand, and sipping from a small spout that releases cool, wonderful liquid into your taste buds. I've been buying at least a six-pack a week for about a month or a month and a half...or maybe longer. I have a huge line up the bottles on a shelf in my closet that now is two-deep and at least ten long.
I am happy, and I will be even happier after this next week is over. Unless something happens bigger than what I'll be finishing and really sad. Because I'm in the last stages of doing anything to do with homeschool. Yesterday I finished a 1000 word law essay which will determine my final grade in the online law course I'm taking with Michael Farris, a famous lawyer in homeschool circles. : ) The case we had to decide about was called Beautiful Babes with Burqas and Bazookas v. City of Purcellville. Don't blame me for that title...blame Farris. Anyway...it's extremely satisfying to finish a subject and know you will never have to do it again, ever, in the current setting or format. I will NOT be sad about high school being over. Maybe it's because I'm the only member of my class, but it's more likely because I have never, ever, enjoyed school. Unless it's reading.
There is a wonderful, calming, almost therapeutic band that my oldest bro Arie introduced me to. They're called the Weepies. And I have not heard a song by them that I don't like. So here's a song by them. Enjoy it, and then look up more of their music on Grooveshark. The only album of theirs that I've listened to much is Hideaway, but that one is excellent. Looking at the lyrics of this song, I can see they're also really talented lyricists. And I like the story that song tells...it's easy to identify with. Anyway...here's Orbiting:
You named me judge the day that I was born You asked too much to fix what you had torn Things got out of hand, now I understand
And I'm out of your range Now it's kind of strange How we change orbit in our lives You were kind of a moon outside of my room I could just feel you nearby Now I feel you gone 'Cause I know which side you're on And it's not mine
I walk the line between now and then It's deep-sea diving with no oxygen Guess I went somewhere to hide Far behind my eyes I willed you there to see But you never came for me
And I'm out of your range Now it's kind of strange How we change orbit in our lives You were kind of a moon outside of my room I could just feel you nearby Now I feel you gone 'Cause I know which side you're on And it's not mine And it's not mine And it's not mine
If you listen to any song on this blog, I'd recommend this one. I think this is the best example of music merged with poetry I have ever come across, and it's by one of the kings of that craft, Paul Simon. I heard a rumor that he wrote this song about a word that appeared very shortly on the cover of Simon and Garfunkel's first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., until it was noticed and removed.The writing is simply amazing in this song. He used alliteration, rhyming, and personification. There may even some more poetic devices used in this song. Either way, it's an incredible job.
Here is the song, and below it are the lyrics. Let me know what you think.
The last train is nearly due the underground is closing soon in the dark deserted station restless in anticipation a man waits in the shadows.
His restless eyes leap and scratch at all that they can touch or catch hidden deep within his pocket safe within his silent socket he holds his colored crayon.
Now from the tunnel's stony womb the carriage rides to meet the groom and opens wide and welcome doors but he hesitates then withdraws deeper in the shadows
And the train is gone suddenly on wheels clicking silently like a gently tapping litany and he holds his crayon rosary tighter in his hand
Now from his pocket he quickly flashes the crayon on the wall he slashes deep upon the advertising a single-worded poem comprised of - four letters
And his heart is laughing, screaming, pounding the poem across the tracks rebounding shadowed by the exit light his legs take their ascending flight to seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night.
Guster is an amazing band. If you haven't listened to them, or heard more than one song of theirs, listen to them. They have a lot of albums, but only three that are amazing. Those would be Ganging Up On the Sun, Keep It Together, and Lost and Gone Forever. Their lyrics are well-written, their melodies are unpredictable and ridiculously catchy, and the vocals and instruments are also extremely well-done. That's what comprises a great band, and Guster is one of the best. The three albums mentioned above don't really have too many songs that aren't great. Whenever I'm on the computer, I find myself going to Grooveshark, typing in Guster, and listening to Keep It Together for the duration of my time on the compy. Please, for the pleasure of your own ears, listen to Guster.
The song I'm posting here isn't necessarily the best song, but its hard to assign that label to any particular Guster song. Here is Homecoming King:
On your way to the best years of your life Everyone's banging on their gongs The sooner you leave the sooner you're home Back in Massachusetts To your golden age where they tuck you in at night You didn't see it coming Now who you gonna wave to? This time you're not homecoming king Did you hear that? Have you heard that sound before? Do you even know where it is coming from? Its getting too loud It keeps on pushing you out Into the arms of 1994 You didn't see it coming Now who you gonna wave to? 'Cause this time you're not homecoming king You're not homecoming king You stand on your own wasn't what you hoped at all Do you still recall it, giving dead-arms in the hall? Stay right where you are You'll be half of who you were When you always would win So count the days till you give in Back to massachusetts To your golden age where your crown is shining bright You didn't see it coming Now who you gonna wave to? This time you're not homecoming king Did you see it coming? Now who you gonna wave to? This time you're not homecoming king
Lately I've been doing mostly poetry and music posts, and as the title of my blog proclaims, this blog is supposed to also touch on real life. It's a lot easier for me to write posts on music and poetry, because I don't have to do as much thinking. Posts of depth require a lot of thought and time to decide what exactly you need to say and how to say it. Also, I need to think about exactly what I want to write about. Cause I don't really know right now. I guess I can talk about how people are like projectors. I just thought about that. And I think it's true. Here's how people are like projectors: projectors display whatever it is the computer or slide controlling it wants it to. Click the arrow button, and the image or words displayed on the screen change. People do the same thing. I was talking to a friend today, and we remarked about how we say things with some people we wouldn't among others. Obviously, that's a normal thing. With different people, we have different comfort levels and different levels of trust. Everybody knows that. Everybody is like that, and everybody is different when they're around different circles or groups of people. (And I just used the word "different" 5 times in two sentences...bad writing.) The problem I have with tapping the "arrow key" and changing the slide is that sometimes the image or face or persona we display is entirely fake: we lie with our face. The question becomes whether or not the command to tell the truth extends to the impressions we give people: should we ever act like somebody we're not? People lie every day and say they're fine when they're not, mostly because they doubt whether the people asking how they are really care. There are some lyrics in a song I listened to today by a very obscure and now dead band, 5 O'Clock People, that are relevant to the topic:
maybe you'll never know why i stare off into silence sometimes maybe you'll never see maybe that's what scares me
i'm afraid of the times when my honesty becomes unkind i'll learn to justify the words that my actions deny
it's the same old line if it makes you happy i'll say that i'm fine it's the same old line look in my eyes and i'll lie every time
the more that i try to explain only the questions remain take these words that i say wash them all away
maybe you'll never see maybe you'll never see maybe you'll never see maybe that's what scares me
People wear masks, and here's the question: is that a good thing or a bad thing? Can it ever be good? Is it inevitable, and should we just resign ourselves to the fact that fakeness is part of life, and always will be? What do you think? I didn't really come to a conclusion in this post. Perhaps that's because I don't really know what I think. I hate acting like I'm a person that I'm not. So I don't like being fake. But I wonder whether it's possible to be completely real all the time. If you have thoughts on this topic, please don't be shy. Talk about it. On here. Or you can email. But I don't know why you would do that. : )
I've been meaning to post a Weakerthans song for some while now, but they keep slipping out of my mind when I post. No longer. The Weakerthans are a Canadian indie rock band, who combine brilliant lyrics with usually great melodies. (Sometimes I think they get a bit far from their best stuff, but I listen anyway to hear the words, which are incredibly written.) I could post a bunch of their songs which I love a bunch, but I'll have to choose just one. Which will be Civil Twilight. Listen carefully...if you don't catch the words from the song, then you can read the lyrics. This is probably their most popular song to date, as it reached number 1 on the Canadian charts for a long time. Listen for alliteration. They're incredible alliteration writers. (If that makes sense...)
The lyrics: My confusion corner commuters are cursing the cold away As December tries to dissemble the length of their working day And they bite their mitts off to show me transfers, deposit change and I can't stop finding your face in their faces, all rearranged and angry like you never were;
And I ease us back into traffic dusk comes on and I wonder why I'm always remembering you in civil twilight
for the most part I think about golfing and constantly calculate all the seconds left in the minutes, and so on, etcetera Or recite the names of provinces and Hollywood actors; Oh, Ontario! Oh, Jennifer Jason Leigh! This part of the day bewilders me
Streets slow down and ice over, Dusk comes on and I struggle to stop, To stop to stop thinking of you In civil twilight
Hey, every other hour I pass that house, Where you told me that you had to go I wonder if the landlord has fixed the crack, That I stared at, instead of staring back at you;
My chance to say something seemed so brief It wasn't. Now I know I had plenty of time Between the sunset and certified darkness Dusk comes on and I follow the exhaust from memory up to the end
The civil twilight The civil twilight The civil twilight The civil twilight
