So, my writing friend and fellow camper Wendy has told me that before she begins a story, she carries around in her head the first line or so. As I understand it, this line repeats itself until she actually starts writing the story down. I could relate to this because something similar happens to me. Only it’s much more inexplicable.
For example, some time back, I was thinking about writing a particular story. As I continued not to write it, a particular song started to play in my head. Now this song wasn’t current on the radio, nor was it from any band or singer that I had ever listened to on purpose. (Back in the days of “we had only radio” you would listen to a lot of songs not on purpose.)
This was a song called Tom Sawyer by a band called Rush. I’ve included the official video on YouTube for your listening and viewing pleasure. And perhaps, after you’ve taken a gander, you might tell me what the lyrics mean and why on earth they would be stuck in my head like that? Stuck for weeks until I started working on that story. I’ve had that happened other times, but typically it’s with songs that I know and love.
What the heckfire do these lyrics even mean? How can what you say about Tom Sawyer’s company reflect what you think about society? Why would you want to catch spit? Why is this such an angry song, why? WHY?
“Tom Sawyer”
A modern day warrior
Mean, mean stride
Today’s Tom Sawyer
Mean, mean pride
Though his mind is not for rent
Don’t put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day’s events
The river
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
Catch the mist, catch the myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift
The world is, the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the space he invades
He gets by on you
No his mind is not for rent
To any god or government
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren’t permanent
But change is
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
Catch the witness, catch the wit
Catch the spirit, catch the spit
The world is, the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his eyes are wide
Exit the warrior
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the energy you trade
He gets right on to the friction of the day
~*~
Word Count 4/2/2015 – 2,136
Total for April – 4,185