Music

Once or twice a week I'm going to post tunes that I like. I've liked some songs in my twenties that I can't stand to listen to now. I've liked songs in my thirties that I've grown to hate. Same as in my forties. There are a handful of songs that still stand up today.

One of my favorite songs comes from Marvin Gaye. He was a song writer and performer for Motown in the sixties, seventies, and eighties. He wrote an album titled "What's Going On" in 1971. At first, the head of Motown Records, Barry Gordy, refused to release it because it didn't have the Motown "sound". Marvin Gaye refused to write any more music for Motown until Barry Gordy gave in. "What's Going On" was very different for it's time and was one of Marvin Gaye's and Motown Records', biggest sellers. Marvin Gaye was a man ahead of his time. It's hard to believe this song is 37 years old.




The next song is by a band that formed in Athens, Georgia back in 1982 by the name of REM. This band originated the term "alternative rock", songs that weren't widely played on the radio. REM built their following by touring and playing mainly to college age listeners. After a time they became very widely known. This is "Walk Unafraid" released on the album "Up" in '03. I've always thought lyrics were just as important as the song itself so I've included them. Viva La Difference! Yes no?

"Walked Unafraid"

As the sun comes up, as the moon goes down
These heavy notions creep around
It makes me think, long ago
I was brought into this life a little lamb
A little lamb
Courageous, stumbling
Fearless was my middle name.
But somewhere there I lost my way
Everyone walks the same
Expecting me to step
The narrow path they've laid
They claim to
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love or leave me high.

Say "keep within the boundaries if you want to play."
say "contradiction only makes it harder."
How can I be
What I want To be?
When all I want to do is strip away
These stilled constraints
And crush this charade
Shred this sad masquerade
I don't need no persuading
I'll trip, fall, pick myself up and
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love or leave me high.

If I have a bag of rocks to carry as I go
I just want to hold my head up high
I don't care what I have to step over
I'm prepared to look you in the eye
Look me in the eye
And if you see familiarity
Then celebrate the contradiction
Help me when I fall to
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love or leave me high.

Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love or leave me high.