Music has always been a huge part of my life. From early years at my grandparents’ house listening to standards, to how I met my wife, my life has continuously been shaped by words and sounds.
Important timelines in my life I can pinpoint not by year or people, but by the soundtrack that was running through my head at that time.
For example, I recall the day Elvis died. It wasn’t because Elvis was playing non-stop on the radio as people came to terms with his passing.
Instead, it was because a new ice cream van was on our street, and it was playing a version of the song Waterloo, by Swedish pop legends Abba. So now, any time I think of Elvis dying, I think of Abba.
Or there’s the time when I met my first love. Looking back now, I can remember various parts of the meeting – the surroundings, the locale, the year, the month.
But if I was to really lock down what I remember about that day, it’d be the song 99 Red Balloons, by German singer Nena.
It was on constant replay on the jukebox where we met, and although I liked the song, the repetition of it was like nails on a chalkboard. And that’s how I would have thought of that song, had circumstances not made me think of better memories.
However, as much as music means so much to my life, it’s not often that words have truly changed it. So when a lyric does have a profound effect on me, it’s all that more impactful.
Such as the time Scottish anti-heroes Del Amitri changed my whole approach to the people we look out for.
A Four Minute Punch to the Heart
When Del Amitri first hit the UK charts, no-one really took notice of them.
Sure, they had a catchy song with Kiss This Thing Goodbye, a happy little tune that seemed to tell us all we needed to know about this scruffy band from Scotland.
But to think Del Amitri was all about pop tunes missed the boat completely.
As I heard more songs from them, I began to really listen to the lyrics from lead singer and lyricist Justin Currie. And I began to see something much more in the words than simple backing for the music.
Currie’s lyrics were tales of the working person, and their fight just to survive in this world.
From love to work, childhood to family, peer pressure to corruption and greed, these were words that were up there with the best lyrics from the likes of Bob Dylan and Bob Marley.
Here was a songwriter that connected on every level. And his voice – pained, raw, emotional – carried the words to another level.
One song in particular hit me, and made me look at the world in a different way.
Nothing Ever Happens, from the Waking Hours album and released as a single in 1989, doesn’t sound like much on the surface. Much like the sitcom Seinfeld, it’s a song about the everyday, mundane lives that people live.
Clocking in the day shift, parents sitting down to watch TV as their single friends go to the bar, etc. – all safe decisions being made to simply see the day out until the next one arrives to rinse and repeat.
But then you listen – truly listen – to the lyrics, and there’s a deep and poignant message there.
And bill hoardings advertise products that nobody needs,
While “angry from Manchester” writes to complain about all the repeats on TV,
Computer terminals report some gains in the values of copper and tin,
While American businessmen snap up Van Goghs for the price of a hospital wing.
These four sentences summed up everything that was wrong in the late 80’s, early 90’s when this song came out.
We were in the age of the Yuppie, and personal gain and greed took precedence over looking out for our fellow man, and helping the weak and the less fortunate overcome.
And we accepted this, because we either didn’t know any better, or didn’t want to know.
But for some reason, the lyrics in this song finally hit home for me all that was wrong in the world. The connection of a painting being more valuable than the lives of people sick and dying…
It was a punch to the heart that left me a different person.
We Learn, We Grow, We Teach. Or We Die
That moment was pivotal for me.
Despite only being 21, it felt like I was a little bit older, a little bit wiser.
I started looking into politics more, and the scams and the greed and the corruption behind even the most [apparently] upfront leaders.
I started questioning more, and looking for the stories behind the public ones.
I pushed back on family members and their arguments against socialism. Or, if socialism is a word that scares you, fairness.
Today, I see that coming more to the fore.
In the US, you have an election that’s showed the crazy and scary side of politics. But you’ve also seen the rise in vocal outrage about greed, corporate lies, billionaire tax fraud and more.
You’ve seen people empowered to topple Prime Ministers caught in offshore tax haven fraud.
You’ve seen movements like Black Lives Matter, and important discussions like the Online Harassment Summit earlier this year at South by Southwest.
These, and more like them, happen when we don’t live the mundane or accept the status quo.
They come about because we learn, we rise up, we push back, we question, and we teach others about them.
Most importantly, they come about because we show we truly care about those around us, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or culture.
When we do that, lives can be changed forever.
For me, that moment began back in 1989, with a simple song from a simple band.
Sometimes, though, it’s the simplest things that start a revolution…