Lightning
I’ve been thinking of putting together a page of my favorite musicians, albums, and songs. In some ways you can tell a great deal about a person by not only the music he listens to but what music is his favorite. My musical tastes are varied, though, and this makes it difficult to pin things down in any order. Additionally coming up with a solid set of criteria is made extra difficult since I like different songs for different reasons. Some appeal to my sentimental side, others bring forth some sort of emotional response, and some are simply pleasurable to listen to.
One song I know would go in to the top 10 by most respects is Lightning from Philip Glass‘ Songs from Liquid Days. Musically it is different from most his work, or at least his work that I’m familiar with. Yes, it has the signature elements of his style, but it has the addition of electronic instruments, and unlike their use in Koyaanisqatsi (wow…spelled it right the first time!) they’re punchy instead of flowing. But then the whole album is different being arranged into songs instead of pieces, if that makes any sense.
The lyrics are nothing short of marvelous. It is one of those things I really wish I had written. Honestly, it rings so closely with my thinking and responses I think it is a little creepy. But then maybe it had an influence in how I think. I don’t own much of anything by the lyricist, Suzanne Vega, and I have to wonder why. I’ve never made it a priority…I should get some to see if I actually like her music.
Lastly, and this can’t be discounted, is the singer. Janice Pendarvis has a strong voice that carries the song perfectly. I remember seeing it performed on Saturday Night Live and thinking of how fantastic she was. She has also worked with Sting, so she may not be entirely unfamiliar to most. Hmmm…I wonder what she’s up to these days.
All said, though, the biggest highlight for me are the lyrics and I think they stand on their own:
Lightning struck a while ago
And it’s blazing much too fast
But give it rain of waiting time
And it will surely pass
Blow over
And it’s happening so quickly
As I feel the flaming time
And I grope about the embers
To relieve my stormy mind
Blow over
Shaken this has left me
And laughing and undone
With a blinding bolt of sleeplessness
That’s just begun
And a windy crazy running
Through the nights and through the days
And a crackling
Of the time burned away
Burned away
Now I feel it in my blood
All hot and sharp and white
With a whipcrack and a thunder
And a flash of flooding light
But there’ll be a thick and smoky
Silence in the air
When the fire finally dies
And I’m wondering who’ll be left there
In the ashes of time
Burned away
Burned away