The Piano Man

My favorite musical artist of all time would have to be Billy Joel. Billy is first and foremost, a storyteller.As I was listening to his song book, I decided that the best way to really show his true genius was to post some of his best lyrics with no explanation....

“So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break”

“They say there's a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it's better but I say it ain't
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
Sinners are much more fun...
And only the good die young”

“I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you.”

“Goodnight, my angel
Time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
And you should always know
Wherever you may go
No matter where you are
I never will be far away”

Billy explains and plays Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel)

What are your favorite Billy Lyrics?

After The Storm

There is probably no song in the last couple of years that has left me as dumbfounded and moved as “After The Storm” by Mumford & Sons. The song by the British folk rock band conjures up different emotions from almost every person I talk to. I have listened to the song in every mood and something new always strikes me.

To me, “After The Storm” is a song of new beginnings. The lyrics paint a picture of extreme hardship and hurt after heartbreak, followed by a reexamination of one's situation. The most resonant phrase for me would be :

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

To me, this is a statement by a man who has been hurt but will no longer let heartbreak and pain control his life. He will start over and keep searching for true happiness.

Links...

Lyrics

Performance of After The Storm

Please feel free to comment since this song seems to mean something different to each person...

The Sound of Silence

When I chose to write a blog about music, and more specificity about deconstructing a song's meaning, I had many ideas of songs I wanted to write about. The song that I decided to start this blog with however, was not on that list.

Only days ago, this country mourned the 10^th anniversary of the terrible events of September 11^th, 2001. Memorial services and tributes filled the air but for whatever reason, I chose to not fully engross myself in one. However, when I was browsing the internet I came upon a link that led me to a performance that folk legend Paul Simon gave at Ground Zero to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of September 11^th. As I sat and watched him perform the classic Simon and Garfunkel song, “The Sound of Silence”, as sudden grief and shock came over me. Never have I been so moved by a single moment having to do with the September 11^th attacks. There was one stanza that really struck a chord with me; it reminded me of the reaction of the whole city after the initial attacks.

And in the naked light I saw

Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

Throughout the noise and chaos that was everywhere on that day, there was also a deep silence. A silence of sadness, grief, disbelief, and shock.

I do not want to write anymore about this song simply for the fact that I think it is best for people to listen to the performance and take out of it what they can. Analyzing it any further would be a disservice to the relevance it has to this historic event and the people who lost love ones in the catastrophe. I have posted two links below. One link will bring you to the Paul Simon's performance and the other to the lyrics.

Lyrics

Performance

A Beginning

"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."

-Plato

This quote by one of the greatest minds ever, expresses better than I ever will, the power of music. Millions of people across the world find pleasure, redemption, and peace in music. It has been said that music is the language of the masses.

I find that lately I have found myself pondering the meaning of song lyrics and their relevance to my life. I listen to music everyday and believe that music has the power to change lives in many different ways.

Every person listens to music but what each individual gets out of it is never the same. Everyone takes their personal journey and applies it to the meaning of a song. Therefore, I have created this blog to take song lyrics that I find particularly compelling, and examine them. I hope that this space will become an open forum where we can share some of our favorite songs and what they mean to us.

I cannot wait to begin this experiment.