Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Music: Philosophy with Tempo

The Beatles have always been just another band from the past to me. Although they inspired a generation, they have never really been a favorite of mine. Yeah, I like the music, but I have never bought an album or had them streaming on my iPod. I went to see the film Across the Universe last week and suddenly it became clear to me why the catchy iconic songwriting has become legendary. It’s easy to see why they were so inspirational to the world when I finally took the time to listen to the words.

The film was scripted and presented from and by the lyrics of some of the most memorable and popular Beatles’ songs. It was a very interesting and modern take on life in the 60’s (well, as real as a musical can be) and I’m sure a realistic representation of an exotic acid trip. The plot was written around the very lyrics of a large number of songs and it was amazing to me that an entire film plot could be extracted from the words of one band’s recordings down to each and every character’s name.

I know this is a lame post. Without trying to sound like a snooty film critic or liberal philosopher, I must say I was actually inspired and it made me start thinking about more than just the beat when listening to my own generation of artists. It sounds really far out, but an entire lifetime of struggle, living, and emotion can be portrayed in bits and clips from some of my own favorite music. I guess we are drawn to the underlying meaning behind cryptic lyrics to seek solace and understanding in our own lives through the music we love. So now I have found meaning and influence in this film and the philosophy derived there from; however, the lyrics of the Beatles transcend generations and mean more today than perhaps no other time since their incarnation.

All you need is love as the circle of life moves us all like sands through the hourglass; and so are the days of our lives. Thus concludes this episode of Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handy. Stay tuned for VH1’s Save the Music.

Post Script: I have tried in vain to find it, but there is absolutely no meaning in the lyrics of Britney Spears. So the philosophy has some faults, tread lightly and skip to the next track!

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