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Re: My view....
In a message dated 8/27/98 8:57:25 AM Central Daylight Time,
tourpike at kymtnnet_org writes:
> Good point....but what may be "up front" with most people is a little
> different for musicians. They can write all these poetic and profound
> lyrics about life and love and never truly get to the point, but in their
> eyes and in the eyes of people who think like them, they are coming out and
> saying exactly whats on their mind with analogies, etc. But, I understand
> where you are coming from...
i swear i am not trying to be a bitch here, but this is the stuff that makes
me upset. first of all, not *all* musicians have this gift of writing. check
out a lot of the pop lyrics these days or almost any song from the 80's (just
kidding, shell-ro. just checking to see if you still read this shit).
substance is often lacking. second of all, "but in their eyes and in the eyes
of people who think like them"
that is just it! melissa, i don't know about you but that is what a lot of
the christians on this list seem to be saying. that otr speaks in these
pictures and that only the people who think like them truly get the songs.
first, how the hell do you (whoever these people are) know how karin and
linford think? how many of us have sat down with linford (or whoever wrote
the song) and asked him what every line meant of every song? none of us. yet
we know some tidbit of information (that linford and karin are at some level
believers) and we think that we know all about them. that is just not the
case. second, the christians on the list (some of them! i don't mean to
group you all together here) that seem to say they are the only ones who get
it... i can just bet you that over the rhine did not write their music with
the intention of coming across like _the wasteland_. they didn't purposefully
stick in references to the bible or god for you! there may be subtle hints of
something deeper (i keep saying that phrase because to me that is all it
is--not always god (jehovah, elohim, lord, LORD, etc.), but that is for only 2
purposes, i think: 1) to express what they were feeling and 2) to challenge
the listner. and how we answer the challenge will be different for everyone.
for those of you that find your peace (opiate) in god and or religion...fine!
there you go! and if an over the rhine song helps you come closer to that,
then i would say it was a successful song--not because you found THE ONLY
meaning in it and "got it" but because it moved you--literally.
i know i am going on and on about this and i can just picture melissa's face
like "that is not what i meant!" but i was on a roll...
and if i am wrong...if no one was saying that or insinuating that, then
apologies...
i just hate it when the list gets divided between christians and non-
christians each saying otr is their group's spokesperson. why can't we
celebrate the fact that otr has such a diverse following? to me, that says a
lot more about the band than what festival or bar they played at or whose tv
show they've been on or who they've toured with. they have a very loyal fan
base from all walks of life. can't we all just agree to disagree?
jan
"Standing on this battlefield of strong opinion
Among the verbal brush and briar
Plenty of weaponry and ammunition
We say ready, aim, fire
So (I) argue points of logic until (you're) put in (your) place
And (you) argue (your) convictions until (you're) blue in the face but
We just keep on going round in circles
Lost, found, life is such a mystery
We search and we find opposing answers
Maybe we should just agree to disagree"
---susan ashton