Lyrically Yours

As far back as history can relate, at the very threshold of civilization, human beings desired interactions, and there was need of individual expression. Eventually, somewhere amidst the grunts of neanderthals emerged the odd involuntary melodic murmur. Those chance sounds gave birth to what came to be known as... Music.

Years later, as the human brain evolved, man learned to communicate with more descriptive language, and this gave rise to what would be... Poetry.

Then, on the glorious day when the poet met the singer, and a slouching homosapien slapped 2 sticks against a rock, and the first bipedal primate with 3 strings wound tightly on a wooden plank began to coax a blessed sound from his, as yet untitled apparatus, man realized the infancy of an art form.

And this day was far more magnificent than the morning when someone's chocolate fell into their neighbour's peanut butter. This was the pre re-"naissance" of the holy trinity of artistic expression; voice, words, and harmonious musical instruments.

Poetry may be a wonder unto itself, but when coupled with melodic orchestrations, it becomes what Jimi Hendrix fans would call... an experience!

I urge my readers to participate in sharing the mellifluous lyrics they cherish most: The words that nurtured you through times of uncertainty, the clarification of an emotion with which you thought you alone identified.

This is not a list of best or worst. Only the most notable within the soundtracks of our lives.

My soundtrack is large, varied in genre, and multilingual. There have been verses both profound and pedestrian that spoke to me through the years.

Here's a descriptive bit of witticism by Paul Simon that always made me laugh. The song's character Duncan, recounts his leaving home for the first time and meeting a hippie girl at a campsite. Of this memory he says:

"Just later on the very same night, I crept to her tent with a flashlight,
and my long years of innocence ended. Well, she took me to the woods saying "here comes something and it feels so good" and, just like a dog I was befriended... I was befriended."

Ah, the delightful imagery of young adulthood.

Here are some more excerpts I'd like to share with you:

"Masquerading as a man with a reason. My charade is the event of the season.
And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas

"...And the sun pours down like honey on our lady of the harbour,
And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers.
There are heroes in the seaweed. There are children in the morning. They are leaning out for love, and they will lean that way forever, while Suzanne holds the mirror. And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind, and you know that you can trust her for
she's touched your perfect body with her mind." - Suzanne by Leonard Cohen

"I have only one burning desire... Let me stand next to your fire." Fire by Jimi Hendrix

"Unclean minds mislead the pure. The innocent will leave for sure.
For them there is a resting place. People sinning just for fun.
They will never see the sun, for they can never show their faces.
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner who will take more than he will give... and he ain't hardly gonna give." They Won't Go When I Go by Stevie Wonder

"Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog where no one notices the contrast of white on white. And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right. And I walk in the air between the rain, through myself and back again...Where? I don't know." Round Here by Counting Crows

"I thought I knew, but now I know that rose trees never grow in New York City.
Until you've seen this trash can dream come true. You stand at the edge while people run you through. And I thank the Lord there's people out there like you." Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters by Elton John (Lyrics by Bernie Taupin)

"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy 'cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look?..." Redemption Song by Bob Marley

"You got to breathe and have some fun, though I'm not paid I play this game,
and I won't stop until I'm done. But what I really want to know is...
Are you gonna go my way ?"

Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz

"I don't care about their different thoughts. Different thoughts are good for me.
Up in arms and chased in whole, all God's children took their toll.
Look my eyes are just holograms. Look your love has drawn red from my hands
From my hands you know you'll never be more than twist in my sobriety." Twist In My Sobriety by Tanita Tikaram

There are so many more to share. Please post your comments here, or on my facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Backbeat-by-Mike-Benhaim/283506288354

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