Gunnar Madsen is an interesting kid's musician, likened to "Frank Zappa for the sippy set" (http://www.gunnarmadsen.com/) Before doing kid's music, he was in a group called The Bobs and in 1990 they wrote a song "Welcome to my Fog."
Some lyrics from this song have stayed with me:
when I go for a drive
I feel lucky to be alive
the air feels so good
coming off of the hood
and I don't go very fast
I want it to last
oh yea
strangely enough
it does
I think he's hit on something here, but I can't exactly put my finger on it. It's like some kid's proustean recollection of things past...where the goal is to remember experiences that transcend time. Whereas in our day to day lives, we often parcel out time throughout the day while events slowly grind us down. The poor blighters attached to Blackberries can't even turn time off without penalty.
I find the above lyrics simple but sensitive and sublime in what they are trying to capture.
I can't even remember my childhood or of things of importance from that time. It makes me want to ask others if they can remember theirs.
I wonder too how one holds onto these experiences without romanticizing childhood...?
I welcome any thoughts on any of this.
4 comments:
Great post.
I remember my childhood after age 4.
I don't think there's such a word as "emotioniance".
Events slowly grind us down because we attach ourselves to the outcome. If we let go of the outcome we can enjoy the ride.
Thanks.
You say you remember your childhood after age 4, but does this memory have any place in your life today?
Is the memory something to harken back to, or is it only a curiousity you leave at roadside reststop until you get to next destination?
And..."emotioniance" is not a word. I was just playing with "emotional intelligence." I shouldn't fool around with this stuff, finding proper emotional balance is pretty important I think. I just don't like pop psychology in general.
I remember my childhood -- it was the last time I could act like a pirate with impunity.
W.H. Auden once said: "Children are warriours without a job."
Now that I have a job, my freedom is curtailed and my past experiences have no connection to my current ones.
Gavin M.
I wonder if its the case the children only live in the moment. At what point do they live for their waking or sleeping dreams?
Gunnar Madsen alluded to this in his lyric:
Shoot the moon and whistle at a star
Jump to Jupiter in a rocket car
Soon you'll be asleep
Countin' wooly sheep
In your dreams you're gonna travel far
[Song: Mayonnaise and Pumpernickel Bread, 2001]
Roger Worth
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