Great Ideas in Music

April 10, 2015

Tom Hiddleston once said, “We have the capacity to experience every aspect of life.” As humans, we display this capacity in many emotional outlets, such as art, theater and, of course, music. This week’s blog runs through a number of song lyrics that identify with one of the Great Ideas (alphabetical by Great Idea). These lyrics are, obviously, not limited to one category. They are also a subjective and you may find them as a better match in different category. Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Thanks!

Experience:

Lorde: “Team” – “We live in cities/ you’ll never see onscreen/ not very pretty/ but we sure know how to run things/ livin’ in ruins of a palace within my dreams/ we’re on each other’s team/ and you know/ we’re on each other’s team/ and you know”

God:

The Roots, featuring Monsters of Folk: “Dear God 2.0” – [Questlove] “Lord, forgive me for my shortcomings/ For going on tour and ignoring the court summons/ All I’m trying to do is live life to the fullest/ They sent my daddy to you in a barrage of bullets/ Why is the world ugly when you made it in your image?/ And why is living life such a fight to the finish?/ For this high percentage, when the sky’s the limit/ A second is a minute, every hour’s infinite// [Monsters of Folk] Dear God, I’m trying hard to reach you/ Dear God, I see your face in all I do/ Sometimes, it’s so hard to believe in…”

Happiness:

Dave Matthews Band: “Grey Street” – “There’s an emptiness inside her and she’d do anything to fill it in/ and though it’s red blood beating in her heart/ it feels like cold blue ice instead/ … / She would change everything about her/ using colors bold and bright/ but all the colors mixed together to grey/ and it breaks her heart.”

History:

Bob Marley: “Buffalo Soldier” – “If you know your history,/ Then you would know where you coming from,/ Then you wouldn’t have to ask me,/ Who the ‘eck do I think I am.”

Home:

Ray Charles, “Georgia on My Mind” – “Georgia, Georgia/ The whole day through (the whole day through)/ Just an old sweet song/ Keeps Georgia on my mind (Georgia on my mind).”

Immortality:

Johnny Cash: “I’ll Fly Away” – “Some bright morning when this life is over/ I’ll fly away/ To that home on God’s celestial shore/ I’ll fly away// I’ll fly away, oh glory/ I’ll fly away in the morning/ When I die hallelujah by and by/ I’ll fly away.”

Liberty:

Joseph Brackett: “Simple Gifts” – “Its a gift to be simple, Its a gift to be free,/ Its the gift to come down where you ought to be,/ And when we find ourselves in the place just right,/ Will be in the valley of love and delight.”

Life and Death:

Modest Mouse: “Ocean Breathes Salty” – “You wasted life/ why wouldn’t you waste death?”

Love:

Peter Gabriel: “The Book of Love” – “But I/ I love it when you read to me/ and you/ you can read me anything/ the book of love has music in it/ in fact that’s where music comes from.”

Revolution:

Sex Pistols: “God Save the Queen” – “God save the queen/ We mean it man/ God save the queen/ She ain’t no human being/ God save the queen/ there’s no future/ no future/ no future for you.”

Soul:

Imagine Dragons: “Demons” – “Look into my eyes/ it’s where my demons hide.”

Virtue and Vice:

Kenny Rogers: “The Gambler” – “And somewhere in the darkness/ the gambler he broke even/ But in his final words/ I found an ace that I could keep// You’ve got to know when to hold ’em/ You’ve got to know when to fold ’em/ You’ve got to know when to walk away/ and when to run/ You never count your money/ When you’re sitting at the table/ There’ll be time enough for countin’/ When the dealin’s done.”

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