Seems like the right week to publish this- after the Grammy’s, when it feels everyone is talking about how they watched it or didn’t watch it…I did not watch it…But I did have something to write about, pertaining to the art of song…sorta speak…And whether you’re pleased or not, I do NOT mention Taylor Swift, except right now…
…In addition to being totally tone deaf—I NEVER REMEMBER the lyrics to songs- but oh do I try act like I do! Not because I’m trying to show off- I don’t really care who knows whether I know the lyrics or not. But when I’m connecting to a song because I do love the lyrics or because the song reminds me a of a place and space in time when I regularly listened to the song- well then my heart wants to know those lyrics SO BAD!
And honestly whether or not my lips are moving to the right words- the right lyrics- my heart knows EXACTLY what that concoction of words that my mouth is saying means!
In fact I’ve gotten SO into those moments when I really feel like I am definitely saying the right lyrics, that I’m almost in shock when my friends, my husband, or now my teenage kids say: “Clara, mommy- what are you saying?!”
And I look at them with confused eyebrows because: “duh- how do they NOT know the lyrics to the song?!”
I am glad though that in those moments that if I’m honest with myself- I’m actually saying the wrong words—that I really don’t actually care! It’s one of those times when the idea of perfection absolutely does not exist. I’m in the moment, and the music, the melody, the rhythm, the voice of the singer, and the music in background are just 100% floating through me like a gust of warm spring air. I feel like a 5 year old skipping along, or a beautiful butterfly fluttering around. It’s awesome!!
I do remember, though, those times in high school when the “trying to be cool” teenager in me felt like it was actually my duty to actually like legit really know the lyrics for real. And so I would put the cassette into the cassette-radio player and sit cross legged on the living room floor rug with a piece of paper and pen in hand. I would push the black square “play” button and write out a sentence or two. And then for an hour it would be: “rewind, play, stop. Rewind, play, stop.” Until, yep I would get the whole song down on paper. I’d rise from the floor feeling accomplished and confident that then I knew the lyrics and I was cool- for sure!
Now, what I do love these days for sure is that when we are watching a music video on TV, or there is a song that comes on as part of the show we are watching—there are now closed captions! And bam- there’s the lyrics that I can read in real time- as the song goes on! And then I’m really having fun because I can sing and dance away, AND actually get the lyrics right! Yes!