IS THERE A SHELF LIFE?
An especially placid and expansive blue Pacific rolled by as Paul Simon's I Am A Rock jarred a stream of memories awake.
Then I began to wonder what Paul Simon thinks of the lyrics today. What do they mean to him now? There are some wonderful lines beginning with the "Deep and dark December" and "the freshly fallen silent shroud of snow."
"Don't talk of love…it is sleeping in my memory"…"I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died"…"I have my books and poetry to protect me." What does the current Mr. Simon think of that 1965 version songwriter?
Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel tunes followed and I wondered again, how do songwriters think about earlier work, especially those that were hits and choreographed seminal moments in the life of a generation?
We've changed and our perspective on those passages of life that played against the music of our era have morphed as well. Some lyrics no doubt mean the same today as they did then and as they will tomorrow, but some seem more fragile, or wed to an ethos that existed then. Is it a matter of sensitivity, emotion, a breakthrough or insight? Or perhaps it is all in the ear of the beholder. Still, I wonder how Simon, Dylan, Lennon, McCartney et al regard some of their early work and their labors at being profound.
Then I hit a button and was enveloped in a Stones set and cruised up the coast in a slip stream of Wild Horses, Jumping Jack Flash and Street Fighting Man. Pretty sure there's been no slippage of meaning in those and the boys can still bang them out. Maybe somethings don't change, they only age. Cheers to the vintages.
Then I began to wonder what Paul Simon thinks of the lyrics today. What do they mean to him now? There are some wonderful lines beginning with the "Deep and dark December" and "the freshly fallen silent shroud of snow."
"Don't talk of love…it is sleeping in my memory"…"I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died"…"I have my books and poetry to protect me." What does the current Mr. Simon think of that 1965 version songwriter?
Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel tunes followed and I wondered again, how do songwriters think about earlier work, especially those that were hits and choreographed seminal moments in the life of a generation?
We've changed and our perspective on those passages of life that played against the music of our era have morphed as well. Some lyrics no doubt mean the same today as they did then and as they will tomorrow, but some seem more fragile, or wed to an ethos that existed then. Is it a matter of sensitivity, emotion, a breakthrough or insight? Or perhaps it is all in the ear of the beholder. Still, I wonder how Simon, Dylan, Lennon, McCartney et al regard some of their early work and their labors at being profound.
Then I hit a button and was enveloped in a Stones set and cruised up the coast in a slip stream of Wild Horses, Jumping Jack Flash and Street Fighting Man. Pretty sure there's been no slippage of meaning in those and the boys can still bang them out. Maybe somethings don't change, they only age. Cheers to the vintages.
TWIN BAMBIS
SIMPLE AMUSEMENTS
Coming back for seconds.
See you down the trail.
See you down the trail.
Jay knows from whence his breakfast comes.
ReplyDeleteJay is one tame bird.
ReplyDelete"You think animals will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us" - R.L. Stevenson I am sure Jay is a quality friend indeed!
ReplyDeleteMy dad used to put nuts on the bill of his cap up at Odell Lake in Oregon, jays just like that would perch and eat them.
ReplyDeleteI just turned 70 this year, and S&G's song "Bookends" seems entirely true. "How terribly strange to be seventy." Some ring true, and some not. Hearing Marvin Gaye sing "Father, father..." is a wince, though.
Aw, what cuties. You have great shots here.
ReplyDeleteI sure like your essay about lyrics, Tom. But I remember those times, going through things I barely understood, and those lyrics were helpful and instructive. I think that's consistent with the idea that a good poet divorces from her/his poems so they can proceed on their own force into social consciousness, and remain there if needed. They helped then, and that's all I could ask of them. As for John, I can't imagine being that handsome for 90 years --exceptional man.
ReplyDeleteLove those songs, the lyrics were/are true poetry. When I was teaching at Sac State in the late 70s, 80s, and 90s, students loved our cohort's songs more than their own; became very clear on field trips and road games. Wonder what today's youth will be listening to when they're "advanced," like us.
ReplyDelete