Better than Blue

[Worf101]

I was home yesterday afternoon and I was feeling it. I felt old, tired, discouraged, fearfull of the world I was leaving my 15 year old son. I had a full-blown, first class "case of da blues". Watching sports talk didn't help and neither did the talking heads on the news. I'd recently bought a DVD "Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live at the Rainbow" but had never watched it. I popped it in and sat back prepared to be bored.

Why bored you ask? Well for a time I was lead singer in a local "reggae" band called "Pangea". Nice enough guys, good musicians and decent blokes but the repetoire was almost 85% Marley and if you do anything too long you can come to hate it. I left the band after I felt I'd sooner stick my head in an oven rather than sing one more Marley tune.

So on went the DVD which was a note for note recording of a 1977 show at the Rainbow Theatre. I sat back and closed my eyes as the familiar songs began to wash over me. But not being visibly "distracted" the words and lyrics began to hit me.

"One good thing about music, when it hit if you feel no pain."

"If you get down and quarrel everyday
You're saying prayers to the devil, I say
Why not help one another on the way
Make it much easier"

"Cost of livin' gets so high
Rich and poor they start to cry
Now the weak must get strong
They say oh, what a tribulation"

I sat up and watched, some of these lyrics 30 plus years old, just a relevant, even more so because it now applies to the "First World". Soon I found myself transported in a dub trance right along with him and the rest of the band. I felt transfixed, then calmed and finally... uplifted. I've played music for money since Nixon was President, it's been a part of my life since I could recognize it. I always felt that "music heals" now I KNOW it does.

My son found me sitting there and crying a little. He's always concerned when crusty dad "gets emotional". I told him that watching Bob Marley play and sing was like watching a "prophet of old from the days of miracles." I don't think he got it, but I did. Music heals, it'll help get you through hard times it can even wash away the blues.

Da Worfster

[ForeverAutumn]

Amen.

Glad you're feeling better Worf.

[Auricauricle]

(Hard swallow; pat on the shoulder; reassuring smile)

[bobsticks]

Post of the year, Worfster.

...and maybe that's why the spirit of Marley will always be with us along with B.B. and Buddy and Miles and a host of others whose stripped down message connects with that thing inside us that searches for something better, the best and the brightest.

Most of the time we come her for comfort and fraternity amidst the chaos of our everyday lives. Each with his concerns, each with his problems, some more compelling but all relevent and through the moments like this we find our way.

Congrats on the moment Worf. They're few and far between but they're always magic...and thanks for sharing.

[GMichael]

Sniff sniff. Can't think of anything to say. Sniff.

Glad you are feeling better Worf. But thanks a lot for making me cry at work. Now I can't see the screen.

[kexodusc]

Wow, Worf, I read your post I right away I thought of how many times I've ducked out of the rat race, popped in some legendary tunes and just let the magic heal.
By the looks of things everyone here instantly knew exactly what you were trying to say, likely because we've all been there and done it to.
It's a small world and we ain't so different from each other...

[Worf101]

A friend sent me this in response to reading this thread.

AN DIE MUSIK (TO MUSIC)
(Schubert/Schober)

Du holde Kunst, in wieviel grauen Stunden,
Wo mich des Lebens wilder Kreis umstrickt,
Hast du mein Herz zu warmer Lieb entzunden,
Hast mich in eine beßre Welt entrückt!

Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir
Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür!

-----------------------------------

Noble art, in how many hard times,
when the storm of life was hitting me,
has you delivered my heart to a warmer love,
and introduced me to a better world!

So often a single sigh from your harp,
a sweet, divine chord from you,
has opened a heaven of better times to me,
you noble art, and so I thank you!



Seems that "truth is truth" no matter where, no matter when.

Da Worfster

[ForeverAutumn]

Well that really hits the nail on the head doesn't it?

That's beautiful. I'm going to print that and keep it.

[Feanor]

A friend sent me this in response to reading this thread.

AN DIE MUSIK (TO MUSIC)
(Schubert/Schober)

-----------------------------------

Noble art, in how many hard times,
when the storm of life was hitting me,
has you delivered my heart to a warmer love,
and introduced me to a better world!

So often a single sigh from your harp,
a sweet, divine chord from you,
has opened a heaven of better times to me,
you noble art, and so I thank you!

Seems that "truth is truth" no matter where, no matter when.

Da Worfster

I too listen to music for release. But I prefer the cerebral and detached serenity of Elliott Carter. Listen to some samples from his superb String Quartet No.1 at Amazon.

[JohnMichael]

Worf you are so right that music has the power to heal. During the low points of life music has helped me through those times. Glad you are feeling better.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I too listen to music for release. But I prefer the cerebral and detached serenity of Elliott Carter. Listen to some samples from his superb String Quartet No.1 at Amazon.

What is it that you're releasing? At your age, my guess would be...gas.

= Pwsst

Oh and, I'll pass on the string band stuff.

[Feanor]

What is it that you're releasing? At your age, my guess would be...gas.

= Pwsst

Oh and, I'll pass on the string band stuff.

... amongst other things

[Auricauricle]

Ah, the glories of afflatus!