Music & Lyrics

I know that my blog title is also conveniently the name for a cheesy romantic comedy, but it seems appropriate for today.

Now I can't say that I've always been a music fanatic...and by no means do I consider myself to be some sort of musical expert or even someone who finds the new artists before they become big names (although it happens on occasion)...but I will say this...I LOVE music! I always wanted to be "musically inclined" and be able to sing or play an instrument...but I truly believe my lack of musical ability has only increased my appreciation for the beauty of the art. I did attempt to learn to play the guitar once...I think I managed a few chords from Green Day's "Time of your Life"...but that was as far as I got.

Anyway...to me the best part of music is the lyrics. I think (for the most part) that is how I truly fall in love with an artist. Many people don't understand or agree with my obsession with the band Lifehouse for instance...but man are their lyrics powerful. And beautiful...and simple...all at the same time. There are other artists I love listening to simply because they have a nice voice or can write songs with great melodies that become very catchy. But there is nothing that moves me more than a beautifully crafted lyric.

Hence the title of my blog actually. "I am damaged at best..." is a lyric from the song Broken below. One of my absolute favorite songs...because the lyrics are so real and personal, at least to me. And let's face it...we are all damaged in some way or another and it's all part of who we are...sometimes it's just scary to admit. Sometimes I think we try to hide the damaged or broken parts for fear that when people discover them, they will run screaming for the hills or something. But I think it's what makes each of us beautiful. We are a broken people...have been ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It's simple, but it's the truth.

It is really hard for me to say which is the most meaningful lyric from the song though, there are so many that I relate to. I think another favorite would definitely have to be "in your name, I find meaning...". And to each person this lyric signifies different things, I think it's all a matter of how you interpret what they're saying. The "your" in this lyric could be anything or anyone depending on how you choose to define yourself. But to me, this lyric is perfection. Because the way I see it, it is in God that I find meaning. Apart from Him, I am nothing. And there again is a simple truth.

There is another lyric that recently caught my attention. It's from Mat Kearney's Closer to Love (which is the first song on my playlist below). And it is this,"I guess we're all one phone call from our knees." The more I hear it, the more I appreciate what it means to me. You never know when you're going to get the "call" that could forever change the course of your life. Or at least the course you've set. Two recent "life altering" instances come to mind when I hear this line. The first being the infamous phone call I received from an HR person on St. Patty's Day 2009. It was the layoff call. The call no one ever really expects to get and certainly doesn't want. The call that knocked me off my feet to say the least. And the other is a call that was supposed to bring great joy, but instead brought great sorrow. The call I was expecting but the news I was not. Beth and Shelby know which call I'm referring to all too well. For it is their lives that were forever changed that day. But it was that call that brought me to my knees. Literally.

The thing that gets me with this lyric is it's so honest. And again so simple. All it takes is one call, one email, one text message, or even one status update. Our lives can change just that quickly...without warning. Which is also the beauty of it. It's hard to see the light when the tunnel is so dark. But that doesn't mean you've lost your way...it just means your way may not have been the right way or the best way. It is definitely hard to see the beauty of God's plan when you're in the midst of a struggle...but I love being able to look back and know that my plans were so futile compared to God's. Often times it's laughable.

There are so many more lyrics I could pull out and relate to my life...but I think I'll save those for another time. Until then I'll just keep listening and appreciating the simplicity of beautifully written lyrics (and the music they create).