Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Chimes of Freedom

I'm trying to make a mixed CD for a girl I met who works at a record store. I don't want to get involved in a relationship with her, but we've spent some time together, and she's an interesting person.

We went to a punk show together that brought back a lot of memories from adolescence for me. I was so dark and negative back then, and the music I listened to reflected these psychological tendencies.

I've spent the evening searching for songs that have the punk sound without the nihilistic despair that often accompanies this kind of music. A certain sense of humor partially redeems many of these songs, but some of them were still difficult to listen to. Songs like "Fade to Black" by Metallica reminded me of just how depressed I was growing up.

But I have stumbled upon a cover version of Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom" that might make it into the mix. I used to know all the lyrics to this song. The images of the "city's blasted furnace" and the sheets of lightning are fitting for the current summer weather, and I like the closing lines that end with the chimes of freedom sounding for "every hung-up person in the whole wide universe".

I guess that could include just about everybody.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Funny as we grow/change, are music taste changes too. When I was younger, I was full of piss and vinegar and my music taste reflected that. I think I am much more laid back, reflective and calm now, and so is the music I tend to give my ear to now days.

Emory said...

Static is the "one true music".
The white noise surrounds me like a blanket. It's the most popular sound on the radio, just search between the stations. A universe can't be wrong.

Anonymous said...

Static, static, static
We’re on a video rage
Static, static, static
We’re on a video rage

We’re all blue from projection tubes
We’re all blue from projection tubes

This is the static age we live in
Our eyes criss-cross, hold and gaze
This is the static age we live in
Breathe in
Catch your radiation blue disease and turning, tossing


Until I looked it up, I thought the last line to this Misfits song read:

"Catching radiation blues is easy to do".

I like my perceptual distortion better than the original.