Everyone Says 'Hi'
I've never had a song do that to me before.
I was listening to Bowie's album Heathen a minute ago, and one of the songs, Everyone Says 'Hi,' played. It's only about the third time I've heard the song, and only really the first time I'd really listened. It is a beautiful song.
It's also, I believe, the only song that has ever made me cry while listening to it.
I don't know why, but for some reason, listening to it made me think of my grandmother, who passed away when I was seven years old. I can barely remember her, most of the time; what I do remember, her face, is probably mostly from photographs anymore. I can only remember a little bit of what she sounded like.
But that song made me think of her, and how I miss her. How I wish she were here to see me graduate, turn 18, move away, grow up.
I very rarely cry, and when I do, it's usually not for very long. That lasted a good ten minutes. Odd, and wonderful. I mean... I was very sad, and sort of still am. But it was that sadness that comes from missing somebody; in a way, missing somebody because right now you're so happy, and you only wish they were there for it. In its own way, a happy sort of sadness.
Dad said that, even though I don't remember her that much, that much of who I am, as a person, comes from my grandmother more than either him or my mom. I wonder how much of that is true? Perhaps she's deep inside of me... More a part of me than a memory. I don't really know what I mean by that, except that my mind doesn't quite understand how I can miss somebody I don't remember so much in the way that my heart knows.
I miss you, grandma. Everyone down here says hi.
Said you took a big trip
They said you moved away
Happened oh, so quietly
They say
Shoulda took a picture
Something I could keep
Buy a little frame
Something cheap
For you
Everyone says hi
Said you sailed a big ship
Said you sailed away
Didn’t know the right thing
To say
I’d love to get a letter
Like to know what’s what
Hope the weather’s good
And it’s not too hot
For you
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
Everyone says
Don’t stay in a sad place
Where they don’t care how you are
Everyone says hi
If the money is lousy
You can always come home
We can do the old things
We can do all the bad things
If the food gets you leery
You can always phone
We could do all the good things
We could do it, we could do it,
We could do it
Don’t stay in a bad place
Where they don’t care how you are
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
And the girl next door
And the guy upstairs
Everyone says hi
And your mum and dad
Everyone says hi
And your big fat dog
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
I was listening to Bowie's album Heathen a minute ago, and one of the songs, Everyone Says 'Hi,' played. It's only about the third time I've heard the song, and only really the first time I'd really listened. It is a beautiful song.
It's also, I believe, the only song that has ever made me cry while listening to it.
I don't know why, but for some reason, listening to it made me think of my grandmother, who passed away when I was seven years old. I can barely remember her, most of the time; what I do remember, her face, is probably mostly from photographs anymore. I can only remember a little bit of what she sounded like.
But that song made me think of her, and how I miss her. How I wish she were here to see me graduate, turn 18, move away, grow up.
I very rarely cry, and when I do, it's usually not for very long. That lasted a good ten minutes. Odd, and wonderful. I mean... I was very sad, and sort of still am. But it was that sadness that comes from missing somebody; in a way, missing somebody because right now you're so happy, and you only wish they were there for it. In its own way, a happy sort of sadness.
Dad said that, even though I don't remember her that much, that much of who I am, as a person, comes from my grandmother more than either him or my mom. I wonder how much of that is true? Perhaps she's deep inside of me... More a part of me than a memory. I don't really know what I mean by that, except that my mind doesn't quite understand how I can miss somebody I don't remember so much in the way that my heart knows.
I miss you, grandma. Everyone down here says hi.
Said you took a big trip
They said you moved away
Happened oh, so quietly
They say
Shoulda took a picture
Something I could keep
Buy a little frame
Something cheap
For you
Everyone says hi
Said you sailed a big ship
Said you sailed away
Didn’t know the right thing
To say
I’d love to get a letter
Like to know what’s what
Hope the weather’s good
And it’s not too hot
For you
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
Everyone says
Don’t stay in a sad place
Where they don’t care how you are
Everyone says hi
If the money is lousy
You can always come home
We can do the old things
We can do all the bad things
If the food gets you leery
You can always phone
We could do all the good things
We could do it, we could do it,
We could do it
Don’t stay in a bad place
Where they don’t care how you are
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
And the girl next door
And the guy upstairs
Everyone says hi
And your mum and dad
Everyone says hi
And your big fat dog
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi