Wednesday, January 7, 2009

take a sad song and make it better

so i've been mildly obsessed with the movie, across the universe for the past few weeks. whether it's the casting, the music, the camera angles or all three - i really find myself pulled into the story and mostly the passion of the music. i've decided to quote my favorite lines from the movie, along with my favorite lyrics from the film. if you haven't seen it, it's a musical which uses songs of the beatles exclusively. delicious. 

"there's nothing you can make that can't be made
no one you can save that can't be saved
nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
it's easy..."

"living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
it's getting hard to be someone but it all works out... it doesn't matter much to me.
...always no sometimes thin it's me, but you know i know when it's a dream.
i think i know i mean, hey yes, but it's all wrong. 
that is i think i disagree."

"any time you feel the pain, hey jude, refrain
don't carry the world upon your shoulders
for well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
by making his world a little colder."

"you say you want a revolution? well you know... we all wanna change the world.
you tell me that it's evolution... well you know... we all wanna change the world
but when you talk about destruction don't you know that you can count me out...
you know it's gonna be alright... 
you tell me it's the institution... well you know - you better free your mind instead.
don't know you know it's going to be alright..."

"you're asking me will my love grow?
i don't know... i don't know.
you stick around now it may show...
i don't know... i don't know." 

"i don't know why nobody told you
how to unfold your love
i don't know how someone controlled you
they bought and sold you
i look at the world and i notice it's turning
while my guitar gently weeps
with every mistake we must surely be learning
still my guitar gently weeps..."

"and when the broken hearted people living in this world agree
there will be an answer, let it be.
for though they may be parted
there is still a chance that they will see, 
there will be an answer, let it be...
and when the night is cloudy, 
there is till a light that shines on me...
shine until tomorrow, let it be..."

"images of broken light which 
dance before me like a million eyes
that call me on and on across the universe...
thoughts meander like a 
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as they make their way
across the universe
nothing's gonna change my world..."

"had it been another day
i might have looked the other way
and i'd have never been aware
but as it i'll dream of her tonight, di-di-di-di'ndi...
falling, yes i am falling..."

"cause i've been in love before
and i've found that love was more, 
than just holding hands...
if i trust in you, 
oh please, don't run and hide.
if i love you too,
oh please, don't hurt my pride like her...
cause i couldn't stand the pain.
and i, would be sad if out new love was in vain,
so i hope you see, 
that i would love to love you"

"would you believe in a love at first sight?
yeah... i'm certain it happens all the time."

"black bird fly into the light of the dark black night"

"she loves you... yeah, yeah, yeah - she loves you."

this feels very eighth grader-ish - writing my favorite lyrics, but these are the lines that stick out to me in the movie... whether it was because of the inflection of the singer's voice, their facial expression, the specific feel of their voice, or what have you - in some way they are more than lyrics. 
music can be mysterious - the reaction of the listener, the intention of the singer, the mutual yet totally separate experience of both parties - hearing, feeling the same, or maybe not the same message, lyric, under and overtones, the art form unique to each person. i guess i love something that can be so universal and still so personal. how is it that some stranger's combination of music and lyrics can make me cry, make me smile, make me be hopeful? the above lyrics do just that... make me cry, smile, hope... sometimes all at once, and sometimes not. i love it.

you know it's going to be alright...