SING IT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS

“Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world” – Martin Luther

        Solace and tranquility. Power and triumph. Intellect and progression. Inspiration and Meaning. This is what is found through music. It invigorates the senses and magnifies the written word. It is the catalyst for self-expression.

       John Coltrane once said, “ You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere.” Ah, to be sincere… To be genuine and passionate in your music, like Lennon, or Springsteen, or Cobain, or Tupac –to allude to all of society’s blemishes with full vibrato and emotion!  Finding that in today’s radio culture is a paradox. Pshh, write a song that questions race, sexuality, or wealth? That won’t sell a million records. You can’t put a dub-step bass to that. How are you supposed to fist-pump with all this talk about teen suicide? No, we are looking for the quick hook and quick buck.

     If its quick, catchy, and too the point, there have been plenty of great, sincere songs through the generations. “Fortunate Son” by CCR might be one of the best. Besides a thirty second arpeggiating introduction, Fogerty used three chords through the whole song while belting “It ain’t me, It ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son.” I remember asking my father on the way to middle school why he was yelling the whole time (not realizing that was his signature voice). My father replied, he was angry, angry with the Vietnam War. Today we have plenty to be angry with, plenty to scream at the top of our lungs and let the world know that we see the injustices and the turmoil.

     Ke$ha might go triple platinum auto-tuning about “everybody getting crunk” and “boys trying to touch her junk” but ten years from now their will be no significance to such babble. People are not going to reminisce all those times they woke up in the morning and felt like P.Diddy. No, we will remember the war in Iraq, Barack Obama, Fred Phelps, and Hurricane Katrina.  

       So I urge my readers to turn off the radio and look elsewhere. Look for the artists who have a vendetta, who want their music to be anthems for our weary souls. In the meantime, I will crack open a Four Loco, blast Lady Gaga, and sit back to cry.