The magic of music and lyrics

I warned you in my first blog post that I think in music and lyrics, and movies. Combining both, there’s a quote I love from a romantic comedy actually called Music and Lyrics.* It’s when ‘Sophie Fisher’ (Drew Barrymore) explains to ‘Alex Fletcher’ (Hugh Grant) that …

“A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction … But then, as you get to know the person, that’s the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It’s the combination of the two that makes it magical.”

Here are just some of the ‘magical’ lyrics/music I love. Hopefully you can check out some of the YouTube videos I selected too – which bring another magical dimension (like when Michael Stipe wipes a tear away after singing ‘Find the River’ in the R.E.M. video) …

 

Share your favorite music and lyrics?

‘Am I young enough to believe in revolution?
Am I strong enough to get down on my knees and pray?
Am I high enough on the chain of evolution
To respect myself and my brothers and my sisters
And perfect myself in my own peculiar way?’

Kris Kristofferson (‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ from the album This Old Road) (The endearing performance just makes me love this special song even more)

***

‘Would you teach your children to tell the truth?
Would you take the high road if you could choose?
Do you believe you’re a victim of a great compromise?
‘Cause I believe you change your mind and change our lives

Your life is now, your life is now, your life is now
In this undiscovered moment
Lift your head up above the crowd
We could shake this world
If you would only show us how
Your life is now’

John Mellencamp (‘Your Life Is Now’ from the album John Mellencamp)

***

‘Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth’

Pharrell Williams (‘Happy’ from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack) (LOVE THIS VIDEO!)

 ***

‘And I’m looking for space
And to find out who I am
And I’m looking to know and understand’

John Denver (‘Looking for Space’ from the album Windsong) (almost too sad, but beautiful and my favorite John Denver song)

 ***

‘Holy Moses let us live in peace
Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease
There’s a man over there, what’s his color I don’t care
He’s my brother, let us live in peace’

Elton John/Bernie Taupin (‘Border Song’ from the album Elton John) (Check out SUPER YOUNG Elton in the video)

***

‘They say that these are not the best of times
But they’re the only times I’ve ever known
And I believe there is a time for meditation in cathedrals of our own’

Billy Joel (‘Summer, Highland Falls’ from the album Turnstiles)

***

‘Leave behind your sorrows
Let this day be the last
Tomorrow there’ll be sunshine
And all this darkness past’

Bruce Springsteen (‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ from the album Wrecking Ball)

***

‘Long may you run, long may you run
Although these changes have come
With your chrome heart shining in the sun
Long may you run’

Neil Young/Stills-Young Band (‘Long May You Run’ from the album of same name) (LOVE this Unplugged performance with just a bunch of musician friends accompanying Neil and his harmonica just knocks me out, every time)

***

‘And I’ll rise up
I’ll rise like the day
I’ll rise up
I’ll rise unafraid
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousand times again
And I’ll rise up
High like the waves
I’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
I’ll rise up …
For you’

Andra Day (‘Rise Up’ from the album Cheers to the Fall) (had to use the video from American Idol of Melanie Tierce in 2016 in what I thought was one of the most moving show performances ever)

***

And from R.E.M – my favorite band of all time – check these out:

You are the everything (from the album Green) here’s the video

Find the river (from the album Automatic for the People) here’s the video

*FUN FACT: I went to high school with ‘Music and Lyrics’ (and other smart, fun rom-coms) writer/director Marc Lawrence and played softball with his sister one summer! I remember him, from afar, as an E. Coast high school drummer and law student turned Hollywood writer, whose first TV credits were for the sitcom ‘Family Ties’ with Michael J. Fox. And he filmed part of ‘Music and Lyrics’ at the Adventureland amusement park in our Long Island hometown. Cool, right?

See my next blog – ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The magic of music and lyrics, part 2