| Bob Dylan – My Back Pages Lyrics | 5 years ago |
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“In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand At the mongrel dogs who teach Fearing not that I'd become my enemy In the instant that I preach My pathway led by confusion boats Mutiny from stern to bow. Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.” Having listened to the 30th Anniversary version of this song with the collection of some of my most favored musicians (Dylan, McGuinn, Petty, Young...), this whole verse spoke volumes to me now in my 50’s. Everyone says this song speaks about disillusionment of one’s youthful ideals and settling for mediocrity once older. To me, it speaks of humility borne of maturity. In youth, it is true we are self-convinced we have a crystal-clear view of what is before us and we “preach” to our elders as if we know much better (“ so much older”) because our youthfulness afford us the clarity they have lost. Or so we believe. We eschew their wisdom and call it complacency, “sell out”, or worse...”cowardice”. It is only at the onset of maturity...after painful lessons in actual reality (whether that comes at the age of 20, if one is lucky and an attentive student, or much later, for some who have had to go through repeated refresher lessons as I have...not to mention those of course that never learn), that we look back at what we thought was a crystal-clear view only to now “see” the more expanded, more inclusive view and we “see more”...including ourselves in the equation and learning that our elders were not myopic, but humbled. Why? Because there are more than two sides to a story, an issue, a debate, a problem, what-have-you. There are more to consider than just what is obvious. And no one should try to know all the answers without approaching the question - any question, for that matter - without humility first and a healthy dose of introspection which requires a lot of courage and painful truthfulness to do. “I'm younger than that now”. So much more to consider...to know...to learn... The gray areas are just as defining as the black and white parts. |
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| Alanis Morissette – You Learn Lyrics | 5 years ago |
| Thanks for for putting into music what I was going through, Alanis. I learned. It was glorious and beautiful and excruciatingly painful in the end but I learned. The best part of the lesson? That in the painful learning, I found the strength to go on...to be better...to improve...to be happy with me just as God made me. Until I learned that, loving someone was a selfishness that was dishonest and dishonorable. That is not real love...just dependency. Unhealthy. | |
| Phil Collins – Take Me Home Lyrics | 8 years ago |
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Heard this on Pandora and doggone song never fails to remind me of my old piano teacher who was sharp as a tack until the mental illness. Always makes me cry. This song speaks volumes of her progressive deterioration..."Cause I don't remember, so take take me home"...but also of her attitude and perseverance in spite of the knowledge that she was losing it..."But I, I don't mind No I, I don't mind". Got the chance to visit her one last time before she passed, and even in that moment when they said she was no longer lucid, I still believe she somehow knew me and showed me an amazing example of fortitude and heroic faith. She was singing her favorite hymn...strongly... eyes closed...on pitch...all lyrics...and all the while gripping my hand. |
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