"There is nothing new under the sun."
I heard that from my father a thousand times when I was younger, a verse from Ecclesiastes that I never fully understood. "Of course I think new things," I thought to myself (most likely bearing in mind the story I'd recently written about a box of crayons who went on a picnic.) As I got older, the idea gradually began to make more sense. Music, though, is what fully clarified that thought for me.
When I was in second grade, my grandma bought me a 3-CD-set of "Rock-n-Roll: The Early Classics" along with a fancy Walkman and headphones. They were my first CD's, and I listened to them religiously. I interchanged them in my CD alarm clock, and woke up to "Wake Up, Little Susie" everyday until halfway through middle school. My best friend was an Elvis expert, and made me several mix tapes (yes, literal tapes) that I still listen to in my car's cassette player.
I've always loved old music, and it didn't take me long to realize that all the Top 40's I'd hear were just rip-offs of my favorite Golden Age Classics. That's when I finally understood Dad's philosophy. It was a sobering thing to recognize, and made me feel trapped in some worldwide, century-spanning school of thought where I was no longer original.
Since I've entered this bizarre stage of life called "adulthood," the idea that all of my thoughts have been thought before, all of my poems previously written, and each of my sentences already spoken has become much less caging and much more comforting. Being on my own has made me feel quite lost and lonely at times, and Dad's familiar proverbial wisdom quiets my frantic soul... Whatever it is I'm experiencing, someone has been there before.
There is nothing new under the sun. We are all connected. And if anything is proof of that, it's music.
I heard that from my father a thousand times when I was younger, a verse from Ecclesiastes that I never fully understood. "Of course I think new things," I thought to myself (most likely bearing in mind the story I'd recently written about a box of crayons who went on a picnic.) As I got older, the idea gradually began to make more sense. Music, though, is what fully clarified that thought for me.
When I was in second grade, my grandma bought me a 3-CD-set of "Rock-n-Roll: The Early Classics" along with a fancy Walkman and headphones. They were my first CD's, and I listened to them religiously. I interchanged them in my CD alarm clock, and woke up to "Wake Up, Little Susie" everyday until halfway through middle school. My best friend was an Elvis expert, and made me several mix tapes (yes, literal tapes) that I still listen to in my car's cassette player.
I've always loved old music, and it didn't take me long to realize that all the Top 40's I'd hear were just rip-offs of my favorite Golden Age Classics. That's when I finally understood Dad's philosophy. It was a sobering thing to recognize, and made me feel trapped in some worldwide, century-spanning school of thought where I was no longer original.
Since I've entered this bizarre stage of life called "adulthood," the idea that all of my thoughts have been thought before, all of my poems previously written, and each of my sentences already spoken has become much less caging and much more comforting. Being on my own has made me feel quite lost and lonely at times, and Dad's familiar proverbial wisdom quiets my frantic soul... Whatever it is I'm experiencing, someone has been there before.
There is nothing new under the sun. We are all connected. And if anything is proof of that, it's music.
This is so deep! I'd never thought about life this way, that everything we say, do and think has been done before. It kind of reminds me of all the themes and plots of literature that are simply reused, like the quest, change, darkness vs. light. I'm going to keep going in circles with this one.
ReplyDeleteIn my house growing up it was old Motown songs! You're right to point out that we're all connected. Part of what never changes is our desire to feel that connection, which is why we still write songs and stories and blog posts!
ReplyDelete"Whatever it is I'm experiencing, someone has been there before. "-- That's a way of thinking I personally like. Although some details may differ, the deep emotions, feelings, and all the senses are things we all could relate to. By thinking of the similarities that we all have, I feel more attached to the whole group.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is so awesome! I have never heard that saying before but I absolutely love it. I like that you point out whatever it is you are going through, somebody has gone through it before as well.
ReplyDeleteThis was really interesting. You're right that it provides a sense of relief that other people have experienced what we have, it makes us feel less alone in the world. Growing up, I listened to classic rock if my dad was in charge of the radio and country if mom had control.
ReplyDeleteThis serves as a great introduction to your entire blog!
ReplyDeleteAwesome job and thanks for sharing. I think these are some of the reasons we all love music.