Friday, March 7, 2008

Like, are you strong enough to be my man?!

If it weren't so cliche and embarrassing, I'd really like to be one of those people who shamelessly uses song lyrics to convey their inner thoughts. Not in the angry Avril Lavigne way when your boyfriend breaks up with you ("so much for my happy ending"). Or the Dave lyrics that contemplate your future, or lack thereof ("eat drink, be merry, for tomorrow we all die?" Yikes!) My current facebook favorite is those ladies rockin' Colbie Caillat ("Jane Doe is wishing you'd just realize what I what I just realized". Trust me, sister, a facebook plea for help, helps NO ONE).

However, if I were to use song lyrics to push an agenda, I'd aim a little higher. I'd align myself with the solid songwriters of yesteryear. Legendary Performer friends, I am not talking about Bix or Bessie. I know I'm not that cool. I'm thinking more along the lines of... 60's and 70's singer-songwriters. Oh yes, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Van the MAN Morrison, and a little Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Sweet mother, James Taylor lyrics would be spewing from my fingertips and into cyberspace like there was no tomorrow.

Before everyone was writing sugary sweet pop music, these fellows were taking chances, writing of course about their failed or successful relationships; they were also writing some sweet appeals for social change. And this was the popular music of the day. When I try to think of current songs that talk about social change, I can remember a few songs from Green Day's last album. Or maybe the gem 'What's Goin On' Marvin Gaye cover that somehow managed to feature Fred Durst, Nelly, and Bono. Sure, that song made a lot of money for an AIDS foundation. But I try not to take moralistic lessons from people like Durst, as he wrote the lyrics "you act like a whore, so just drop dead". Ditto Nelly, whose 'Tip Drill' song advocates having sex with ugly women from behind, so as not to see their face, with the words "it must be yo ass, cuz it ain't yo face".

Strung out as they may have been, my men were pretty socially appropriate. This is why I would use Bob Dylan in the event of a bad breakup. When he was screwed over by Edie Sedgwick, he wrote a few scathing songs about her. ("I wish that just for one time, you could stand inside my shoes. You'd know what a drag it is... to see you"). Angry, to the point, zero references to her sexual choices. Good work Bobby!

Contemplating the meaning of life? Welll, I think we all know where I'd go. James Vernon Taylor, 'The Secret of Life', where he tells me that "the secret of life is enjoying the passing of time".

Wanting a lover to realize what I just realized? Back to my friend Bob. "If you find someone who gives you all of her love. Take it to your heart, don't let it stray."

Unfortunately, I'm not quite tacky enough to fall into that trap yet. Or maybe I just haven't yet been in the situation where I can only attack my ex via social networking sites. I really hope it's the former.

P.S. Em, how proud are you of me? I waited until my fourth post to be a music bitch.

4 comments:

Mary said...

good god. keep some sweet sweet james lyrics in my life. love it. love you!

Jan C said...

I'm not smart enough to read your blogs...

Emily Anne said...

i don't even know what to say about that post. i REALLY wanted to stop reading, but i wanted to be a supportive friend and be able to say i read your post. i wanted to vomit several times reading that post actually.

but the true question is, did you have to google any of the information in that post or do you just know that much random shit?
you freak me out.

Gina Marie said...

So, this post is a huge hit, then?

Jan - I wrote this cracked out on soooo much caffeine, understanding it has nothing to do with intelligence

Em - I clearly lifted the Nelly and Limp Bizkit lyrics from a women's studies paper on misogyny in song lyrics. The rest of it was all in my head. You hate me even more now, don't you?