Illuminating Hope

 

While I have written multiple songs/parts-of-songs as part of my band Elastic Blur, there is one I am most proud of. There is one that I always go back to, one that I prioritize during emotional moments of my life (or just when I want to hear a beautifully relaxing song). Flames and Bright Lights.

 

 

Usually I am not this confident in my musical abilities, especially in songwriting, so let me spread my completely-totally-humble wings and talk about how much I love my own song.

 

 

The beginning of the song is very simplistic, as the only instrument present is my fingers on my high school music teacher’s brilliant yet expensive Martin acoustic guitar. These amazing guitars are made in Nazareth , PA and if you ever get the chance to tour their factory I highly recommend it.

 

Anyway, I started the song only playing two strings, one of them changing pitch while the other’s pitch stayed consistent. I got the idea to play in this manner from the song My God by Jethro Tull. While Ian Anderson uses this in a more complicated way in his song that contradicts organized religion, I used these intervals much more simplistically.

 

Then, our vocalist Remy begins to sing the opening lines of the song:

 

Flames and Bright Lights blinding

Ash and smoke and smothering

Seeing is not a necessity

See what’s never obvious, see true

 

 

Remy wrote the majority of the lyrics of this song, but author’s intent usually gets thrown out of the window for everyone’s personal interpretation of art. Everyone’s individual experiences make them see aspects of the world from their particular lens, and I highly encourage everyone to listen to mostly any song and write about how you interpret the song. It’s a very freeing experience, and makes one feel a more intimate connection with a tune.

 

I never sat down to really interpret these lyrics before, and I honestly don’t think I want to. Now, I know what you’re thinking, JACK you just told us you said you think we should interpret lyrics?! Are you seriously contradicting yourself?

 

Yes. Yes I am.

 

 

There are some songs that I do not want to think about the exact meaning of the lyrics or think too much about it. I would rather just close my eyes and let the atmosphere of the song transport me to a new level of existence. While I can probably recite all the lyrics, and trying to perform some sort of literary analysis on them would reveal overarching emotional themes, like a hammock drifting in the summer wind sometimes its nice to not have your mind busy and analyzing the moment. Its best just to sit back and relax for some songs.

 

 

I feel the same way about the Allman Brothers song Melissa. I can probably sing all the words to this masterpiece of an acoustic song, but the electric guitar licks, bass riffs, and vocals are (in my mind) better experienced while not trying to overthink the song or situation.

 

 

But there are obviously many songs, such as every song on Abbey Road, that can be highly elevated by reading the pure poetic genius of the lyrics. You Never Give Me Your Money is a prime example of how amazing lyrics can be. I am not saying my band’s lyrics or the Allman Brother’s lyrics are below those of the Beatles (although the Beatles songwriting is above almost all), but I am saying that some songs cater better to an emotion or atmosphere rather than analyzation.

 

 

Getting a bit off topic here. The reason I appreciate my song Flames and Bright Lights so much is because of a certain music theory tool I did not even realize I used: Progressive Layering. This is an arranging technique which involves slowly adding different parts of the song slowly over time. The first chorus includes acoustic guitar and violin. The second chorus includes violin, cello and acoustic guitar. The third chorus includes a violin harmony, violin, cello and acoustic guitar. The final chorus adds piano into this amazing blend of stringed sound until the song ends like it started: just with acoustic guitar. It’s the idea of taking one musical idea and slowly building upon it in an epic fashion so the ending feels more meaningful.

 

 

I know this was a longer post, so if you made it to this point I’ll be very surprised. The point I am trying to make, and if you take a listen to the song HERE you’ll see the song makes this point too, is that everyone should be able to be proud of who they are, what they’ve done and what they have contributed to this world. Whether it is music, art, volunteering, just being a good friend to one person and improving their lives, any impact you have made is important and amazing. See what’s never obvious, and recognize the good in the world. But also see true, remain realistic in your views as well.

 

Stay passionate

 

–        JF