Maybe we’re sealed in silence
And maybe we feel a guidance
Maybe your own devices
Will keep you afraid and cold
But I
Memorized
Your smile lines
From left to right
Candlelight
And childlike
Reaction time
We’re allowed
To expire
So we all
Are growing old
Pull out the fear of silence
And put out the need for guidance
And put out your own devices
And don’t be afraid of the cold
And we sing, sing, sing.
Fight, we fight, fight.
We cry, cry, cry.
We slide, slide, we slide into the light.
We sing, fight, we cry.
We slide, slide, we slide into the light.
Maybe we’re sealed in silence
And maybe we feel a guidance
Maybe your own devices
Will keep you afraid and cold, well.
Pull out the fear of silence
Put out the need for guidance
Put out your own devices
And don’t be afraid of the cold
Afraid of the cold
Afraid of the time
You’ve got no where to go but here.
Honestly, the Dave Matthews Band hasn’t produced anything I have needed to hear in quite some time. But their new album offers several strong tracks that I am enjoying right now, and none more than this single off the new CD called “Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King”. So go get it! Here is what Dave wrote…and I really dig what he is saying here…
“You & Me” by The Dave Matthews Band
Wanna pack your bags, Something small
Take what you need and we disappear
Without a trace we’ll be gone, gone
The moon and the stars can follow the car
and then when we get to the ocean
We’re gonna take a boat to the end of the world
All the way to the end of the world
Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We’re gonna teach them to fly
You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes
You and I, we’re not tied to the ground
Not falling but rising like rolling around
Eyes closed above the rooftops
Eyes closed, we’re gonna spin through the stars
Our arms wide as the sky
We gonna ride the blue all the way to the end of the world
To the end of the world
Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We’re gonna teach them to fly
You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes
We can always look back at what we did
All these memories of you and me baby
But right now it’s you and me forever girl
And you know we could do better than anything that we did
You know that you and me, we could do anything
And I dedicate THIS blog to my wife, Stephanie. Who, as you can see in the above photo, is kinda HOT!
I keep waiting to get tired of this song…but I don’t. I LOVE this tune, and it is a front-runner for song of the year at this point for me! If you haven’t heard it, you should. And if you just have never been all that interested in the greatest rock band in the world…well…maybe this song will change your mind! Check out THESE lyrics…
“Breathe”
by U2
Man at the door says if I want to stay alive a bit longer
There’s a few things I need you to know
Three
Coming from a long line of
Traveling sales people on my mother’s side
I wasn’t gonna buy just anyone’s cockatoo
So why would I invite a complete stranger into my home
Would you?
These days are better than that
These days are better than that
Every day I die again, and again I’m reborn
Every day I have to find the courage
To walk out into the street
With arms out
Got a love you can’t defeat
Neither down nor out
There’s nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now
16th of June, Chinese stocks are going up
And I’m coming down with some new Asian virus
Ju Ju man, Ju Ju man
Doc says you’re fine, or dying
Please
Nine-oh-nine, St. John Divine on the line, my pulse is fine
But I’m running down the road like loose electricity
While the band in my head plays a striptease
The roar that lies on the other side of silence
The forest fire that is fear so deny it
Walk out into the street
Sing your heart out
The people we meet
Will not be drowned out
There’s nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now
Yeah, yeah
We are people borne of sound
The songs are in our eyes
Gonna wear them like a crown
Walk out, into the sunburst street
Sing your heart out, sing my heart out
I’ve found grace inside a sound
I found grace, it’s all that I found
And I can breathe
Breathe now
I am not one to admit it…but I totally screwed up. And not in a “oh…don’t worry about it. People will understand” sort of way either. This was a biggie! Back in December I posted my Top 10 favorite albums of 2008. Now don’t get me wrong…they are ALL great albums! But now I have heard the entire album by Frightened Rabbit called “The Midnight Organ Fight” and I stand corrected. There are 11 great albums from 2008 that you should own! This album is amazing! It was released way back in March of 2008 and I noticed the single “Head Rolls Off” right away because it was featured on a compilation CD that I bought somewhere. But I recently downloaded the whole album and the lyrics really speak to me in ways that no other artist has in a long time. Here are excerpts from a few of the songs …
“Head Rolls Off” Jesus is just a spanish boy’s name.
How come one man got so much fame?
To enemy, it’s pointless to anybody
that doesn’t have faith.
Give me the cloth and I’ll wipe my face.
When it’s all gone,
something carries on.
And it’s not mod at all,
just when natures had enough of you…
When my blood stops,
someone else’s will not.
When my head rolls off,
someone else’s will turn.
And while I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to earth.
“Backwards Walk” I’m working on my backwards walk
Walking with no shoes or socks
when the time rewinds to the end of May
I wish we’d never met then met today
I’m working on my faults and cracks
Filling in the blanks and gaps
When I write them out they don’t make sense
I need you to pencil in the rest
I’m working on drawing a straight line
I’ll draw until I get one right
So bold and dark, girl can’t you see
I’ve done drawn a line between you and me
Old Old Fashioned I’ll turn off the TV
It’s killing us who never speak
There’s a radio in the corner
It’s dying to make a scene
So give me soft, soft static
With a human voice underneath
And we can both get old fashioned
Put the brakes on these fast, fast wheels
Oh let’s get old fashioned
Back to how things used to be
If I get old, old fashioned
Would you get old, old fashioned with me?
I Feel Better Now I’m free in parenthesis
I’m not sure what I ought to do with it.
It sits in the house, bright eyes and raised hand.
If I ignore its advances then the hand goes down.
I’ll stow away my greys, in a padlocked case and in a padlocked room.
Only to be released when I sing all the songs I wrote about you.
This is the last one that I’ll do.
It’s all very fascinating to me lyrically and I can’t stop listening. The only thing stopping me from playing this album non-stop has been the release of U2’s new disk. But even that might not keep me away for long. So please accept my apology. I totally screwed this one up! If you don’t have or have never heard of Scottish band “Frightened Rabbit”, consider this an invitation to hear one of the best albums of the last few years. I put it up there with Kings Of Leon’s “Only By The Night” and Fountain’s Of Wayne’s “Welcome Interstate Managers” as the best of the decade so far!
Boston is one of my all-time favorite bands. Their arena rock sound is what its all about for me and they laid the groundwork for my appreciation of all things U2. One of my favorite songs is this track, off their 1976 self-titled debut. Funny how you’ve probably heard this song a million times, but it’s really about memories, lost love and how music can remind you of your past…
“More Than A Feeling” by Boston
I looked out this morning and the sun was gone
Turned on some music to start my day
I lost myself in a familiar song
I closed my eyes and I slipped away
It’s more than a feeling,
when I hear that old song they used to play
I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)
till I see Marianne walk away
I see my Marianne walkin away
So many people have come and gone
Their faces fade as the years go by
Yet I still recall as I wander on
As clear as the sun in the summer sky
It’s more than a feeling,
when I hear that old song they used to play
I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)
till I see Marianne walk away
I see my Marianne walkin away
When I’m tired and thinking cold
I hide in my music, forget the day
And dream of a girl I used to know
I closed my eyes and she slipped away
She slipped awa y. She slipped away.
Not only are they named after a great Elton John song…but this song rocks and I really like the lyrics. Go check it out on ITunes!
“Maybe I Am”
by Funeral For A Friend
Maybe I’m a pessimist
what if all the grey clouds in the sky
follow me home tonight?
Maybe I’m an atheist
what if there’s no god waiting to meet me
at the end of the working week?
Maybe I’m just delicate
maybe I am…
just not clever enough to persuade
everyone of the reasons
we’re failing each other
and its not the same, not the same to me
no its not the same, not the same to me
Maybe I’m an optimist
what if all the damage that was done
was never up to me?
Maybe I’m a liar
what if all the truths that I have told
are better left, better left unsaid?
What sticks to me
sticks to you like glue
Maybe I’m just delicate
maybe I am…
just not clever enough to persuade
everyone of the reasons
we’re failing each other
and its not the same, not the same to me
no its not the same, not the same to me
so I’ll pack up my bags and leave
If you’ve never heard of “Funeral For A Friend”, pick up their album “Tales Don’t Tell Themselves”. You won’t be disappointed!
Joshua Radin is what I would consider a troubadour to be. He sings sweet, little tunes that women probably swoon over. The only problem is…sometimes his music isn’t just sweet and lovely. Sometimes there’s a worldy knowledge about it. He sings of romance, sure. But he also sings of heartbreak and troubled relationships. So he’s not all happy and romantic. Either way, the guy is from Cleveland, Ohio, which makes him cool in MY book…and between ITunes & Starbucks, I’ve probably gotten most of his new album for free! Here’s a great tune that I got from Starbucks last week from his latest album “Simple Times”, so check it and see what you think of Joshua Radin now!
“One Of Those Days”
by Joshua Radin
Wait right here is all she said to me and so right here I stay,
Time has reached our home and I’ve been left alone, it’s carried her away,
and everyone keeps saying nothing helps but time, time is all I own.
Time won’t stop replaying over in my mind, I watch the hours slow down.
So I crawl underneath my blanket
where I can hide away
I know I can’t take it
cause I see now it’s just one of those days.
Now a year has passed alone I stay inside and I await the rain
to wash away your face so I don’t have to hide, the sight of you is painful.
So I crawl underneath my blanket where I can hide away. I know I can’t take it cause I see now
it’s just one of those days.
I can’t stop seeing your face, I can’t stop seeing your face, every place so
I crawl underneath my blanket where I can hide away
I know I can’t take it anymore cause I see now it’s just one of those days.
Sad stuff…huh? I KNOW! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell ya!
If you don’t know the artist known as Will Hoge, you should. His 2003 album “Blackbird On A Lonely Wire” is excellent and he is truly a fantastic stage performer. In August of last year, Hoge was in a scooter accident that has left him is physical therapy for a while, however he is expected to recover and be back on the road in May for a handful of shows. If he ever appears in a town near you, I suggest you check him out! Here are the lyrics to one of my personal favorite songs by Will. I am totally loving my daughter right now and, at one point when she was younger, I edited a video of her to this song. It will always be “Ava’s song” in my mind…
“Baby Girl”
by Will Hoge
May the sunlight find your face
Even when the rain does fall
And get back on your feet again
Every time you slip and fall
Keep your heart wide open
And always taking in
And even when it’s broken
Be strong enough to fix it up again
Oh little baby girl
Sweet little baby girl
I wish I could hold your hand in this great big world
Oh little baby girl
And I hope your hands are steady
And never need to make a fist
And I hope that when you’re ready
You get one never ending kiss
And I hope that deep inside of you
There’s a sweet eternal song
And I hope the words are pretty
And that you’ll always sing along
And I hope your friends are many
And your laughter’s always loud
To help you when you’re lonely
And pick you up when you’re down
I hope your eyes shine bright love
And learn to see the light
Take the time to listen
Decide yourself what’s wrong or right
Oh little baby girl
Sweet little baby girl
Be strong in this great big world
Oh little baby girl
And now…my version from a couple of years ago…
Love you Ava! And get well soon Will! We need you out there!
I want names and numbers on who in their right mind actually LIKES this damn song…because it is on the radio NON-STOP! Seriously…I am trying to remember a song that is this dumb and repetitive. In my lifetime…I can’t think of one. Just check out these lyrics…
“Womanizer”
by Britney Spears
Superstar, where you from, how’s it going?
I know you, gotta clue what’cha doing
You can play brand new to all the other chicks out here
But I know what you are, what you are, baby
Look at you, getting more than just a re-up
Baby you, got all the puppets with their strings up
Faking like a good one, but I call ‘em like I see ‘em
I know what you are, what you are, baby
Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you’re a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, oh you’re a womanizer, baby
You you you are, you you you are
Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer (womanizer)
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
(You) You got me going
(You) You’re oh so charming
(You) But I can’t do it
(You) You womanizer
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
(You) You say I’m crazy
(You) I got you crazy
(You) You’re nothing but a
(You) Womanizer
Daddy-o, you’ve got the swagger of a champion
Too bad for you, you just can’t find the right companion
I guess when you have one too many, makes it hard, it could be easy
Who you are, that’s just who you are, baby
Lollipop, you must mistake me,you’re the sucker
To think that I, would be a victim, not another
Say it, play it, how you want it
But no way I’m never gonna fall for you, never you, baby
Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you’re a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, oh you’re a womanizer, baby
You you you are, you you you are
Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer (womanizer)
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
(You) You got me going
(You) You’re oh so charming
(You) But I can’t do it
(You) You womanizer
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
(You) You say I’m crazy
(You) I got your crazy
(You) You’re nothing but a
(You) Womanizer
Maybe if we both lived in a different world (womanizer, womanizer, womanizer)
Yeah
It would be all good and maybe I could be your girl
But I can’t cause we don’t, you
Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you’re a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, oh you’re a womanizer, baby
You you you are, you you you are
Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer (womanizer)
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
(You) You got me going
(You) You’re oh so charming
(You) But I can’t do it
(You) You womanizer
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
(You) You say I’m crazy
(You) I got your crazy
(You) You’re nothing but a
(You) Womanizer
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Boy don’t try to front
I (I) know just (just) what you are-are-are
Womanizer, woman-womanizer, you’re a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, oh you’re a womanizer, baby
That’s 44 times she actually says the word “womanizer” in this song. 44 times?!?! Are you serious??? It’s horrible and it makes my head hurt. Please make it go away Mr DJ. Please? Pretty please???
For the record, I am posting this blog under the topic of “Music”. However I would like to clarify that I, in no way, shape or form, consider this to be music. I consider it to be crap. Unfortunately…I don’t have a topic that is “Crap”, so I have to put this someplace. So I stick it under “Music”. Which sucks.
Here is something that I thought was pretty funny that makes fun of this stupid, idiotic song…(LOVE the Soup!)
I caught my daughter singing this little ditty yesterday and my curiousity got the best of me. All my life I’ve always thought that this is a drug-induced song…but I’ve never bothered to go check out the lyrics. Now that my 4-year old is apparently learning it in school, I think I might just go check it out. And then let’s all vote…DRUG SONG or FUN KIDDIE SONG?
‘PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON” by Peter, Paul & Mary
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. oh
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.
Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow wheneer they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name. oh!
A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. oh!
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.
Man…I dunno. Could it have been written in a drug-induced haze of 60’s smoke? Sure. And where the hell is this “Honah Lee” place they keep talking about? Is it a made-up land? Or…is this song a story similiar to “Peter Pan”? About a magical place where a little boys’ imagination would take him until one day he grew up, never to return? Hmmmm…curiouser & curious, said Alice to the cat.
What do YOU think? I’m still on the fence on this one. Maybe it IS a children’s song written while high as a kite on the Mary Jane weed? Possibly? Whatever it is…my daughter is now singing it…and it’s kinda cute when SHE sings it. So I’m going with FUN KIDDIE SONG. Just because…well…just LOOK at these guys? Do they scream “Dope Pushing Musical Artists”? Uh…nope.
Since October 1st, I’ve been to Miami, Houston (twice), Kansas City, London, Denver (twice), Cleveland, San Diego, Boston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Green Bay, Chicago, Jacksonville & Seattle. In November, I was home a total of 2 days without having to work or travel. That, my friends, is a lot of moving around. And I’m spent.
I love to travel, but there is so many things to be said about just sitting at home and enjoying the family. And I’ve been missing it dearly. So to celebrate the end of the football season and my return to the place where everybody knows my name (at least, I HOPE they still remember!), I give you the lyrics of Michael Buble’s biggest hit to date. It’s been performed on “American Idol” a few times (and sent a couple of people home…which is kinda funny considering!), so even if you’re not a fan (which I’m not), you’ve probably heard it! Keep in mind, it’s not a seasonal thing…it’s a state of mind…
“Home”
by Michael Buble
Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm
Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh I miss you, you know
And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that
Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home
Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home
And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not come along with me
That this is not your dream
But you always believed in me
Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It’ll all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home
As I have stated many times, I am not a big Nickelback fan. That being said, I can’t deny that they have had a few hits that I enjoy. Off their latest album, “Dark Horse”, there is a track that stands out from most of the sex-addicted pop rock that these guys churn out (not that there is anything wrong with that…) and I really enjoy the lyrics…so here ya go!
“If Today Was Your Last Day”
by Nickelback
Written by Chad Kroeger (really?)
My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day’s a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride
If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day
Against the grain should be a way of life
What’s worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try
So live like you’ll never live it twice
Don’t take the free ride in your own life
If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you’re dreamin’ of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day
If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it’s never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
‘Cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life
Let nothin’ stand in your way
Cause the hands of time are never on your side
The BIG 4-0! How exciting to be turning a page and heading into another decade of my life! I remember when MY Dad turned 40 (I was 10), my Mom proclaimed “Lordy, Lordy, Daddy’s 40!” Why do I remember this? Because it rhymes. And what form of communication rhymes like no other? Music. And through the years, there have been some great songs that ponder the aging process. Here are 8 that are my personal favorites! Better turn it up…can’t hear like I used to…
1. Dream On – Aerosmith “Everytime that I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face gettin’ clearer
The past is gone
It went by like dust to dawn
Isn’t that the way
Everybody’s got their dues in life to pay”
2. Time Passages – Al Stewart “Well, I’m not the kind to live in the past
the years run too short, and the days too fast
The things you lean on are the things that don’t last
well its just now and then, my line gets cast into these
time passages
There’s something back there that you left behind
oh time passages
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight”
3. Time Stand Still – Rick Springfield “Time stand still, freeze your hands, bend your will, change your plans
Burning seconds into minutes on my way to seize the day
Stolen moments as a lifetime seems to fly away
Wait for me a little longer I’m not sure if I’m awake
pinch me if it’s all a dream
Ticking clocks and wake up calls tell me that I’m growing old
Why don’t you let time stand still”
4. Once In A Lifetime – Talking Heads “And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right? …am I wrong?
And you may tell yourself
My god!…what have I done?”
5. Against The Wind – Bob Seger “Well those drifters days are past me now
I’ve got so much more to think about
Deadlines and commitments
What to leave in, what to leave out
Against the wind
I’m still runnin’ against the wind
Well I’m older now and still
Against the wind”
6. Forever Young – Alphaville “May the good lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when youre far from home
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As you’d have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you’ll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young”
7. In My Life – The Beatles “There are places I’ll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I’ve loved them all.”
8. Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen “Now I think I’m going down to the well tonight
And I’m going to drink till I get my fill
And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it
But I probably will
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture
A little of the glory of, well time slips away
And leaves you with nothing mister but
Boring stories of glory days”
40 years and counting! Happy Birthday to me…and to the winner of my Music Contest!!! Read on!
Scary Halloween songs? Sure…I think I can manage 8 of ‘em. And here are some lyrics to match. Not for the squeamish! Or those with a heart condition…
1. Alice Cooper – “Cold Ethyl” Ethyl, Ethyl,
Let me squeeze you in my arms.
Ethyl, Ethyl,
Come and freeze me with your charms.
One thing, no lie -
Ethyl’s frigid as an Eskimo pie.
She’s cool in bed,
She’s gotta be ‘cuz Ethyl’s dead.
2. Ozzy Osbourne – “Bark At The Moon” Screams break the silence
Waking from the dead of night
Vengeance is boiling
He’s returned to kill the light
Then when he’s found who he’s looking for
Listen in awe and you’ll hear him
Bark at the moon
3. The Misfits – “Horror Business” With you
I’ll put a knife right in you
I’m warning you
I’ll put a knife right in you
I’m warning you
I’ll put a knife right in you
Too much horror business
Drivin’ late at night
Psycho ‘78
My bathroom is new for you
5. Marilyn Manson – “The Minute Of Decay” I’m on my way down
I’ve looked ahead
and everything was dead
I guess that I am too
I’m on my way down now, I’d like to take you with me…
6. Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Scarecrow” Listen to his body groan
Make a wish and send us home
To spin the gold and silver stitches
We can turn his rags to riches
My so-called friends say you’re not alive
I’ll bake their bones for telling lies
7. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Jack The Ripper” I got a woman
She strikes me down with a fist of lead
I got a woman
She strikes me down with a fist of lead
We bed in a bucket of butcher’s knives
Awake with a hatchet hanging over my head
8. Pearl Jam – “Bugs” I got bugs on my skin
tickle my nausea
I let it happen again
they’re always takin’ over
I see they surround me, i see…
see them deciding my fate
oh, that which was once…was once up to me…
Hey, girl, stop what you’re doin’!
Hey, girl, you’ll drive me to ruin.
I don’t know what it is that I like about you,
But I like it a lot.
Won’t let me hold you,
Let me feel your lovin’ charms.
Communication breakdown,
Its always the same,
I’m having a nervous breakdown,
Drive me insane!
-Led Zeppelin, “Communication Breakdown” (from their 1969 debut album, Led Zeppelin)
Webster defines the word “communication” as this…
1. an act or instance of transmitting
2b. a verbal or written message
3a. a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior
3b. personal rapport
5a. a technique for expressing ideas effectively (as in speech)
5b: the technology of the transmission of information (as by print or telecommunication)
But what do you do when “communication” breaks down? What happens when the act of transmitting isn’t received? Or when personal rapport is thrown out the window? Or when you can’t express your ideas as effectively as you would like?
Just because I’m losing
Doesn’t mean I’m lost
Doesn’t mean I’ll stop
Doesn’t mean I would cross
Just because I’m hurting
Doesn’t mean I’m hurt
Doesn’t mean I didn’t get
What I deserved
No better and no worse
I just got lost
Every river that I tried to cross
Every door I ever tried was locked
Ohhh, and I’m…
Just waiting ’til the shine wears off
Coldplay, “Lost”
(from their latest album, Viva La Vida)
So where do you go from there? According to most parenting journals and magazines, we begin to communicate in early infancy. We cry when we’re hungry. We gurgle and coo when content. We then proceed to learn the spoken language and are able to communicate our feelings verbally. From there on out, it’s up to us to learn to communicate what it is that is making us happy or sad or angry or dissatisfied. And we DO do that. From the age of 2 through our entire lives. Talking and yapping on about what we do or don’t like. Why we would do things better than this or that. We talk and twitter and blatter on, never once stopping to wonder…what if no one gave a shit? What if, at some point, it all became one jumbled mess and everything anyone ever said just became worthless or uninteresting or preposterous.
Empty spaces – what are we living for
Abandoned places – I guess we know the score
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for…
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore
The show must go on,
The show must go on
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on.
-Queen, “The Show Must Go On”
(from their 1991 album, “Innuendo”)
What do you do when you are tired of talking? At what point does it wear itself out? When is the call to action? I mean, I’ve been talking now for going on 38 years…so when does it finally burn itself out and I realize at some point I need to make a move? I can only talk so much. I can only write so much. And often it doesn’t seem to matter how much I do of either, no one is listening anyway. I’m too busy. You are too busy. My wife is too busy. EVERYONE is too busy.
So I’ve had enough of the communication breakdown. I’ve had enough of the verbal sparring. I’ve had enough of the same boring back-and-forth banter. I want something new. I want something fresh. I want to be able to open my eyes and hear nothing and be okay with it. I’ve worn out on all of the same shit, different day, different month, different year.
This is my last post for a while. 465 posts in under a year and I got things to do that are more important than me sitting at this computer “writing” about what I think. Seriously…nobody really cares anyway. We’re all just doing the same thing we’ve been doing for the past (enter your age here). I enjoy writing, but I’m thinking it has worn itself out a little. The shine has worn off…as they say.
I originally got into this with the idea of being closer to my family which resides about 2.5 hours away from me. I guess it has kind of done that, but in the process maybe I’ve alienated my family that is right here under this roof. Communication breakdown.
I continued to write because I thought maybe it would get more exciting if I felt successful at it and more people might find me to be interesting and funny and snarky (my favorite word!). I guess I have kind of done that, but in the process I’ve alienated my own friends who live right here in this town who I could have been spending more time with. Communication breakdown.
I continued writing and writing, thinking it would bring me some satisfaction of some kind. I haven’t been able to find peace within myself or with the one who should love me most. I wrote a bunch of crap that means absolutely nothing when I should have been doing something to make our relationship better. Communication breakdown.
I’m thinking I have work to do. So this is my announcement that I’m not leaving for good…but I’m cutting way back. I’ve got life to deal with and love to mend and for some reason I’m having a hard time finding the place where it all comes together. I guess I’m not transmitting well enough. So I need to fix that somehow. Everything sounds muffled and confused and I need to clear it up.
I am not calling it quits…just calling it a time to re-organize and re-energize. I’m making a call for action.
And somehow I gotta get all the pieces back together…and transmit with a clear and open mind.
I wish I was a neutron bomb, for once I could go off
I wish I was a sacrifice but somehow still lived on
I wish I was a sentimental ornament you hung on
The Christmas tree, I wish I was the star that went on top
I wish I was the evidence, I wish I was the grounds
For 50 million hands upraised and open toward the sky
I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me
I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good
I wish I was the full moon shining off a Camaro’s hood
I wish I was an alien at home behind the sun
I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on
I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on
I wish I was the verb ‘to trust’ and never let you down
I wish I was a radio song, the one that you turned up
I wish…
I wish…
-Pearl Jam, “Wishlist”
(from their 1998 album, “Yield)
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