Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Fearless


Music can deeply affect our mood. Although we all know this from personal experience, science is still grasping to explain how this happens. I thought I would share with you a song that puts me in a great mood. It's called "Fearless" by Pink Floyd from their album Meddle. You may have heard of their classic album Dark Side of the Moon. I listened to Pink Floyd when I was younger but I didn't find this song until my brother shared it with me this summer. It was one of those songs that with the first listen I knew it was special.

A juxtaposition between new and old
We have been talking lately around the house about the lyrics that are featured in today's popular music. I would like you to compare the lyrics of Pink Floyd's "Fearless" from 1971 with Taylor Swift's "Fearless" from 2008.

Pink Floyd
You say the hill's to steep to climb, climbing
you say you'ld like to see me try, climbing
you pick the place and I'll choose the time
and I'll climb the hill in my own way
just wait a while for the right day
and as I rise above the tree-line and the clouds
I look down, hearing the sounds of the things you've said today


Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling
mercyless the magistrate turns round, frowning
and who's the fool who wears the crown
go down in your own way
and every day is the right day
and as you rise above the fear-lines in his crown
you look down, hearing the sound of the faces in the crowd

You never walk alone, you never walk alone
walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
and you never walk alone, you never walk alone


Here's somethin' 'bout the way the street looks when it's just rained
There's a glow off the pavement, you walk me to the car
And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there
In the middle of the parking lot, yeah

We're drivin' down the road, I wonder if you know
I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up now
But you're just so cool, run your hands through your hair
Absent-mindedly makin' me want you

And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless
And I don't know why but with you I dance
In a storm in my best dress, fearless

So baby drive slow 'til we run out of road
In this one horse town, I wanna stay right here
In this passenger seat, you put your eyes on me
In this moment, now capture it, remember it

'Cause I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress, fearless

Well, you stood there with me in the doorway
My hands shake, I'm not usually this way
But you pull me in and I'm a little more brave
It's the first kiss, it's flawless, really somethin'
It's fearless

'Cause I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress, fearless

'Cause I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress, fearless

How do the lyrics of these two songs compare? What is their message? They are both about being fearless, but what fear is each song speaking to?

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