![]() ![]() ![]() It’s happened to me many times - a line will just jump out at me and ambush me, or hug me, or astound me in a new way. ![]() Maybe you have had the experience of suddenly hearing a Hunter line in a new way, appropriate to that particular moment or event in your life. Like Shakespeare, his phrases can easily be pulled out of the context of their settings and used as mottoes or admonishments reassurances or daring propositions, depending on how they are needed at any given moment. Hunter the storyteller can also be Hunter the aphorist-one who crafts brilliant little double-edged phrases that help and haunt us as we blunder forward through our lives. From its opening lines, which can serve as either / both warning and / or encouragement, to its gentle invitation to “come with me,” the song resonates in our lives fairly continuously if we want it to. “Uncle John’s Band” is yet another Robert Hunter / Jerry Garcia composition that carries within it enough room to consider the universe and our lives in the universe - it seems to be a universe itself. ![]() Here where I live, in Sonoma County, California, March is Emily Dickinson month this year.Īin’t no time to hate. And of those Big Read participants, quite a few are reading the poetry of Emily Dickinson. In a number of communities across the United States this year, entire towns, cities, and counties are participating in the Big Read, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Therefore, the best part, I would hope, would not be anything in particular that I might have to say, but rather, the conversation that may happen via the comments over the course of time-and since all the posts will stay up, you can feel free to weigh in any time on any of the songs! With Grateful Dead lyrics, there’s always a new and different take on what they bring up for each listener, it seems. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.Here’s the plan-each week, I will blog about a different song, focusing, usually, on the lyrics, but also on some other aspects of the song, including its overall impact-a truly subjective thing. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. Start talkin' again, when I know what to say I could build me a castle of memories just to have somewhere to goĬount the days and the nights that it takes to get back in the saddle again I'm tired of runnin' 'round lookin' for answers to questions that I already know Might go back down to Texas, might go to somewhere that I've never beenĪnd get up in the mornin' and go out at night I'd like to stay but I might have to go to start over again Tryin' to hide my sorrow from the people I meet Ride 'til the sun comes up and down around me 'bout two or three times I'm goin' down to the Railway Station, gonna get a ticket to rideįind a big fat lady with two or three kids and sit down by her side ![]()
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