Hope

Music is basically a religion to me. My life has been figuratively and, well, yeah, literally saved by music. My adoration of lyric and verse is well documented, so I won’t get all into that here.

 

A few years back, someone posed the question to me: Marcus, you go around the country inspiring people…what inspires you?

 

Well, that’s not the easiest question to answer. There are loads of things that inspire me, probably the biggest thing is human relationships. Witnessing true, selfless love between individuals is, to me, about the most inspiring thing there is.

 

At the time, though, the thing that came most to my mind was just how lucky I am. And this was driven home by one of my rock and roll idols, Bruce Springsteen. See, his album, “Devils and Dust” had just come out and I was addicted to his song, “Long Time Comin’.” This song just made me feel so lucky. Here’s a little snippet of the lyrics, then I’ll post them all with a link to Bruce performing the song, K?

 

“Well, my daddy he was just a stranger, he lived in a hotel downtown,

When I was a kid he was just somebody, somebody I’d see around”

 

There’s the common idea that the worst emotion you can display to someone else isn’t hatred, it’s indifference. After all, if one hates you, it at least means that they give you enough credit to be considered. Indifference, though, means the other person doesn’t even care enough to dislike you. Makes sense, doesn’t it? And that’s the feeling I get about the father and son characters in “Long Time Comin’.”

 

Lucky. I am. Always have been. Because I not only knew my father growing up, but liked him. Still do, as a matter of fact! And if any of you have the opportunity to meet him, you’ll automatically like him, too. He’s a bit of a redneck philosopher with a quick wit and an ability to talk to anyone about anything at any time. As a kid, I had a father who was active in my life, not just wrapped up in his own. When so many kids in America grow up without a father or father figure, it just makes me feel very, very lucky.

 

So, a few nights ago, The Hottness and I were talking about music and, just as I love The Boss, her love for Gungor is nearly as deep. Especially his song, “Beautiful Things.” We talked at length about why we individually love these two pieces of music so much. It took a little discussion and analyzation, but we ultimately came to the same conclusion: it’s hope.

 

In Springsteen’s song, a grown man, the same person as the child from earlier, has made the promise to himself NOT to be the father he grew up with. That is love. And respectable. And, even though the language is salty, I don’t think you can come up with something that better encapsulates that feeling. And, it’s hope. “Beautiful Things” equals hope.

 

Hope is such a powerful thing. It’s the reason we go on living when times get tough. It’s what we look for in the potential of young people. It’s what we long for in our own damaged relationships. It’s just hope.

 

And now, here’s the info on two of the most powerful pieces of music I/we have ever come across:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyPBtExE4W0

 

“Beautiful Things”

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XelwSWXPMrA

 

Out where the creek turn shallow and sandy
And the moon comes skimmin’ away the stars
When the mesquite comes rushin’ over the hilltops
Straight into my arms
Straight into my arms

I’m ridin’ hard carryin’ a cache of roses
A fresh map that I made
Now I’m gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on it’s grave
And dance on it’s grave

It’s been a long time comin’, my dear
It’s been a long time comin’, but now it’s here
And now it’s here

Well my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
Well when I was a kid he was just somebody
Somebody I’d see around
Somebody I’d see around

Well now down below and pullin’ on my shirt
Yeah I got some kids of my own
Well if I had one wish for you in this god forsaken world, kid
It’d be that your mistakes will be your own
That your sins will be your own

It’s been a long time comin’, my dear
It’s been a long time comin’, but now it’s here
And now it’s here

(Whoaaa)

Out ‘neath the arms of Cassiopeia*
Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It’s me and you, Rosie, cracklin’ like crossed wires
And you breathin’ in your sleep
And you breathin’ in your sleep

Well there’s just a spark of a campfire left burnin’
Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
Reach ‘neath your shirt, put my hands across your belly and feel
Another one kickin’ inside
And I ain’t gonna fuck it up this time

It’s been a long time comin’, my dear
It’s been a long time comin’, but now it’s here
It’s been a long time comin’, my dear
It’s been a long time comin’, but now it’s here