On the stroke of midnight, January 1st, tens of millions of individuals will ring within the New 12 months with the tune, “Auld Lang Syne.” However have you learnt what the phrases, “auld lang syne” even imply? Have you learnt what the tune is about? If you’re one of many tens of millions of individuals that remember at midnight with this tune with out realizing what it means, do not fret – it is a way more frequent downside than you may suppose, and it would not occur solely on New Years.
On a regular basis, in all places you go, seemingly clever folks will sing alongside to any tune with a catchy tune whereas on the similar time being oblivious to what they’re really singing about. I am not speaking about if you sing the mistaken phrases, however moderately if you sing the precise phrases with out taking note of what you might be really saying.
I just lately noticed Genesis in live performance and for some cause they selected the tune, “Throwing it All Away,” to show the cameras on to the viewers. For the entire tune, they simply confirmed completely different viewers members on the large display. When the digicam was on them, the highlighted particular person or individuals would dance and cheer, and one couple even kissed.
First off, I do not perceive the idea of panning to the group throughout a live performance. The complete apply appears ludicrous. I paid my cash to see Genesis, not Joe or Jane Philadelphia. Maintain the digicam on the band, please.
Extra complicated to me is why Genesis selected this tune to concentrate on the viewers. It is mindless. This isn’t a contented tune. This isn’t a cheerful tune. That is actually not a tune {that a} couple ought to lovingly kiss to. That is an offended tune sung by a man who is basically telling his ex that she is silly for dumping him and a few day she is going to remorse it. Had the digicam panned to an offended girl storming away from a person who was desperately pleading together with her to not go, that might have been much more acceptable.
“Throwing it All Away,” good tune although it might be, has one function: If you’re a male between the ages of thirty and forty and ever obtained determined sufficient to make a combination tape to attempt to get a woman to get again along with you, then you definately completely put this tune on that tape. That’s the solely function of this tune. By the best way, the combination tape by no means works. On the time, it might appear to be a superb concept that’s assured to work, nevertheless it by no means does. All of us attempt, however no girl within the historical past of the world has ever un-broken up with a man as a result of she was moved by the dulcet tones of Phil Collins singing “Throwing it All Away,” or “Towards All Odds.” I might beg you to not do it, however I do know you’ll anyhow. Now, for those who occur to have a narrative of a woman who did get again along with you primarily based on a combination tape, I am all ears.
Individuals shouldn’t dance and smile and kiss to “Throwing it All Away.” It is like when folks make “Each Breath You Take,” by the Police their marriage ceremony tune. That tune is a couple of man *stalking* his ex-girlfriend. Sting, the chief singer of the Police, even stated, “It appears like a comforting love tune. I did not understand on the time how sinister it’s. I believe I used to be considering of Massive Brother, surveillance and management.” These are three ideas I wish to use to commemorate my lifelong union with one other particular person: Massive Brother, surveillance, and management…
Talking of marriage ceremony songs, I new a woman who was going to make use of “Kiss that Frog,” by Peter Gabriel as her marriage ceremony tune. On the one hand, this may very well be a tune about in search of internal magnificence; then again, it may very well be about one thing utterly completely different and altogether inappropriate. I will not get into precisely what it *might* be about right here, however if you’re curious go forward and look it up on Google, then ask your self if that’s what you need your marriage ceremony company eager about as they watch the 2 of you’re taking your first dance….
“Born within the USA” by Bruce Springsteen will be the worst sufferer of individuals taking note of just one small a part of a tune and thereby lacking all the level. “Born within the USA” appears like a really patriotic tune, however it’s not. Sadly, most individuals miss that. When this rocking tune is performed dwell, everybody begins waving their American flags. I keep in mind being a toddler within the eighties watching my Saturday morning WWF (now WWE) skilled wrestling present and listening to this tune accompany the patriotic American wrestlers Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo as they got here to the ring to wrestle the “evil” Russian and Iranian, Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik (it is wonderful how acceptable hard-core xenophobia is in professional wrestling). “Born within the USA” was assured to get the group right into a patriotic frenzy.
When you suppose that pro-wrestling just isn’t one of the best instance of clever society, then you definately must also know that on the time President Reagan stated that this tune had a “message of hope that so many younger People admire.” In fact, it’s possible you’ll suppose that President Reagan just isn’t one of the best instance of clever society, however come on, the man gained 525 of a doable 538 electoral vote. He needed to be doing one thing proper.
Sadly, “Born within the USA” might very properly be the least patriotic tune ever recorded! It’s a couple of man who will get in bother with the regulation, will get shipped off to Vietnam, after which has an extremely tough time when he will get again dwelling. It paints an especially unflattering image of the US. Not comfortable. Not patriotic. And but, I’m positive that the identical individuals who boycotted and booed the Dixie Chicks for being Un-American nonetheless really feel a surge of jingoistic satisfaction when the Boss begins belting out, “Born within the USA!” again and again. (I am positive there is a joke in there about nation music and “clever society,” however I do not wish to go there J )
The purpose right here is that these songs get so horribly misinterpreted after we solely take note of one small half. “Want I say I really like you, want I say I care?” makes “Throwing all of it away” sound like a love tune. “Each breath you’re taking, each transfer you make, I will be watching you,” may very well be a really romantic line by the Police. “Born within the USA,” repeated advert infinitum actually sounds patriotic. However if you take a look at the entire image, properly, then you definately understand that it is a utterly completely different story.
You could not sing alongside to lyrics, however there are occasions after we all make fast judgments primarily based on incomplete data. A job applicant has a nice smile, so that you assume they’ve a good mood. A waiter is a little bit harried, so that they have to be a imply, sad particular person. You see one image of a pleasant trip villa, and also you fall in love with the thought of touring there. By no means thoughts the likelihood that the job applicant is a jerk, the waiter is simply having an off day, and the villa image is from twenty years in the past (and never from hurricane season!).
When you consider it, this strategy makes a certain quantity of sense. We at the moment dwell within the “Info Age,” although I believe it might be honest to name this the “Info Overload Age.” To course of issues rapidly, we regularly take a look at small slices and particulars and neglect to have a look at all the image. In his wonderful e book, “Blink,” Malcolm Gladwell calls this “Skinny Slicing.” I name it potential for catastrophe. When you do not take note of all the image, it’s possible you’ll end up doing a little very silly issues.
We all know we’re not supposed to evaluate a e book by its cowl, however we do. To be honest, I’ve really learn fairly just a few wonderful books primarily based on their covers, however that may be a very small life resolution. Subsequent time it’s important to make an *necessary resolution* ensure you have all the image. In any other case, you simply may end up, “throwing all of it away.”
PS “Auld Lang Syne” actually interprets to “previous lengthy since,” or extra conversationally as, “way back” or “days passed by.” Paradoxically, although most individuals are wanting ahead because the New 12 months begins, the tune all of us play and sing is definitely about remembering the previous.
Now you recognize. And realizing is half the battle…
