Thank God for the f***ing Beatles.
I decided to get a little music in me before writing, now that I have these magnificent speakers. 'Cause I am shaky and lost right now and there is a pretty even battle in my soul between despair and hope. I had no idea what I was going to write about except that it would burst out of me because I am filled with emotion today. Wobbling, staggering under the weight of expectations and fighting hard, harder than I have ever fought before against this foreign life that I live, this strange existence that I have created and now must find the strength to get out from under.
I decided to get a little music in me before writing, now that I have these magnificent speakers. 'Cause I am shaky and lost right now and there is a pretty even battle in my soul between despair and hope. I had no idea what I was going to write about except that it would burst out of me because I am filled with emotion today. Wobbling, staggering under the weight of expectations and fighting hard, harder than I have ever fought before against this foreign life that I live, this strange existence that I have created and now must find the strength to get out from under.
Went to YouTube and dialed up Let It Be.
The piano just vibrates with your soul. Deep, resonant, simple. Piano is a
beautiful and spiritual instrument when played with exquisite delicateness.
The song blew me away as it always does. Such a gorgeous song, a hopeful song, inspired by a simple phrase that Paul's mom (Mother Mary) used to say a lot. He took that phrase and blew it up into something that recognizes the struggles in the world and the immense need people have for peace, for relief, for hope, for sweet, simple recognition of humanity. The song drips with emotion and that piano vibrates it into life, deeply, you feel it in your bones.
George sitting quietly in a chair taking the lead, a short and simple lead, caressing out of his guitar what we all feel in our souls and cannot express. What we agonize to express and drown instead in bitterness, despair and booze and drugs.
Looking directly into Paul's eyes and knowing that he is singing to me and about my life. There is expression there and a hint of tears.
Yoko sitting close by John as he strums chords, the two of them against the world. Swaying in time to the beauty, living in the hope of that single moment.
The song resonates because we ache. We all ache and we have no answers.
But for that four minutes and six seconds you do have an answer because you realize that you are not alone and that your pain can be turned into beauty. And if The Beatles can turn your pain around on itself and create hope, than maybe you can to. Maybe. Just f***ing maybe.
I dialed up Imagine. Again with the piano. The piano, the piano, the piano. Direct connection with my soul and my heart.
Birds kick it off, sweet chirping leading into that magnificent piano. And John's voice. John's voice that can scream out the blues, and torture his throat expressing indignation and frustration, wistfully singing words that capture what we all crave. A world of peace.
Just a man and his piano. So simple, so powerful.
In the iconic video John and Yoko are in a white room in their house. Everything is white. Carpet, paint, piano, Yoko's dress. John is dressed in black.
The room is in darkness as the song begins. As John sings, Yoko walks to each window and opens the shutters allowing sunlight into the room. I won't cheapen that image with words. Just dig it.
Then she walks to the piano and sits next to John.
Near the very end of the song he turns and looks directly into her eyes and she smiles softly. John gets the hint of a smile on his face as he sings the final lyrics.
The expression on John's face as he sings is matter of fact. Like he is saying I dare you to challenge the truth of these words. Simple words, delivering a simple message with all the power in the world.
The song ends as it began with the delicate beauty of birds chirping.
And who better to deliver this message? Two people whose love was ridiculed by the world. No one understood their love but it doesn't f***ing matter. Because they loved each other. Openly, unashamed, deeply, honestly. Part of the reason they were ridiculed is precisely because we didn't understand it. We all crave that kind of love. It is a soul deep human need. If we can't have it, if we see it and don't understand it - we ridicule it.
I tried to sing along with both songs. I couldn't. I was choked with emotion.
This is why these songs resonate. Why they endure. Because they express simple truths, they take emotion and make it universal and they plant the tiniest seed of hope.
My world is moving sideways. I am grabbing on to anything I can reach to stop it and there is blood on my hands from the attempt.
The world itself is out of control in violence, in racist and religious stupidity, on the verge of economic collapse.
There is a battle being waged politically in this country that has enormous implications for the future of the people upon whose backs this country was built.
People are out of work, out of hope, out of money and out of luck. I see so much despair around me that I can barely breathe.
I wrestle with it myself.
But for seven minutes and thirty eight seconds this morning I was filled with hope. The Beatles expressed my emotions better than I could myself. They took my reality and set it to music, exquisite, soul resuscitating music. They sang lyrics, direct and concise, to express what I want to say, what I need to say if I am to survive. They looked me in the eyes and said "Is this what you meant to say Joe?"
I walked into this room today positively shaking with emotion and a need to express myself, to do something to dig in my heels, to take what I know I have and DO something with it. Against all odds. Against the doubters and my own self-doubt and against the weight of this world that is all about backing you into a corner and keeping you there.
I will not give up.
I will fight with everything I have to DO something with my life. To polish the goddamn thing until it shines. I want my life to sparkle so brightly that jewelers are inspired to create a new precious stone called Joe's Life.
Take your inspiration from a place that makes sense to you. But take it.
Breathe it into your soul, nurture it and use it as a weapon and for self defense. Use it to express your own truth.
The song blew me away as it always does. Such a gorgeous song, a hopeful song, inspired by a simple phrase that Paul's mom (Mother Mary) used to say a lot. He took that phrase and blew it up into something that recognizes the struggles in the world and the immense need people have for peace, for relief, for hope, for sweet, simple recognition of humanity. The song drips with emotion and that piano vibrates it into life, deeply, you feel it in your bones.
George sitting quietly in a chair taking the lead, a short and simple lead, caressing out of his guitar what we all feel in our souls and cannot express. What we agonize to express and drown instead in bitterness, despair and booze and drugs.
Looking directly into Paul's eyes and knowing that he is singing to me and about my life. There is expression there and a hint of tears.
Yoko sitting close by John as he strums chords, the two of them against the world. Swaying in time to the beauty, living in the hope of that single moment.
The song resonates because we ache. We all ache and we have no answers.
But for that four minutes and six seconds you do have an answer because you realize that you are not alone and that your pain can be turned into beauty. And if The Beatles can turn your pain around on itself and create hope, than maybe you can to. Maybe. Just f***ing maybe.
I dialed up Imagine. Again with the piano. The piano, the piano, the piano. Direct connection with my soul and my heart.
Birds kick it off, sweet chirping leading into that magnificent piano. And John's voice. John's voice that can scream out the blues, and torture his throat expressing indignation and frustration, wistfully singing words that capture what we all crave. A world of peace.
Just a man and his piano. So simple, so powerful.
In the iconic video John and Yoko are in a white room in their house. Everything is white. Carpet, paint, piano, Yoko's dress. John is dressed in black.
The room is in darkness as the song begins. As John sings, Yoko walks to each window and opens the shutters allowing sunlight into the room. I won't cheapen that image with words. Just dig it.
Then she walks to the piano and sits next to John.
Near the very end of the song he turns and looks directly into her eyes and she smiles softly. John gets the hint of a smile on his face as he sings the final lyrics.
The expression on John's face as he sings is matter of fact. Like he is saying I dare you to challenge the truth of these words. Simple words, delivering a simple message with all the power in the world.
The song ends as it began with the delicate beauty of birds chirping.
And who better to deliver this message? Two people whose love was ridiculed by the world. No one understood their love but it doesn't f***ing matter. Because they loved each other. Openly, unashamed, deeply, honestly. Part of the reason they were ridiculed is precisely because we didn't understand it. We all crave that kind of love. It is a soul deep human need. If we can't have it, if we see it and don't understand it - we ridicule it.
I tried to sing along with both songs. I couldn't. I was choked with emotion.
This is why these songs resonate. Why they endure. Because they express simple truths, they take emotion and make it universal and they plant the tiniest seed of hope.
My world is moving sideways. I am grabbing on to anything I can reach to stop it and there is blood on my hands from the attempt.
The world itself is out of control in violence, in racist and religious stupidity, on the verge of economic collapse.
There is a battle being waged politically in this country that has enormous implications for the future of the people upon whose backs this country was built.
People are out of work, out of hope, out of money and out of luck. I see so much despair around me that I can barely breathe.
I wrestle with it myself.
But for seven minutes and thirty eight seconds this morning I was filled with hope. The Beatles expressed my emotions better than I could myself. They took my reality and set it to music, exquisite, soul resuscitating music. They sang lyrics, direct and concise, to express what I want to say, what I need to say if I am to survive. They looked me in the eyes and said "Is this what you meant to say Joe?"
I walked into this room today positively shaking with emotion and a need to express myself, to do something to dig in my heels, to take what I know I have and DO something with it. Against all odds. Against the doubters and my own self-doubt and against the weight of this world that is all about backing you into a corner and keeping you there.
I will not give up.
I will fight with everything I have to DO something with my life. To polish the goddamn thing until it shines. I want my life to sparkle so brightly that jewelers are inspired to create a new precious stone called Joe's Life.
Take your inspiration from a place that makes sense to you. But take it.
Breathe it into your soul, nurture it and use it as a weapon and for self defense. Use it to express your own truth.
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