On Art
I'm actually back on this thing. To rant.
Ever since I've left gov school, I've found myself describing things as "artistic" a lot. Like, I've been re-watching movies and stuff, and seeing new movies, and listening to music, and I'll decide the reason I like a movie or a song is because it's artistic. Whatever that means.
Example. A poor one, but anyway. Batman. Aside from all the rage over outside-of-movie drama (which I have no interest in) and my insane love of Christian Bale (because of his performances in The Prestige and 3:10 to Yuma)... I was basically floored. I mean, it obviously wasn't quite 3:10 to Yuma or Requiem for a Dream or any of those really artsy-type movies, but my god, for a comic book superhero movie, that was a stellar performance all around. Not just the acting - the script, the plot, the themes, the imagery, just everything. I've seen it three times and I still don't think I fully understand everything, and I'm not that slow, okay? It's not Spiderman. No cheese. (Okay. A few cheesy lines.) But I mean, aside from the modern-technology-superhero-fighting-coolness, I really thought there was a strong artistic side.
I'm also now really into the Who album Tommy. I've seen the rock opera movie before, but the actual album is just amazing.
The thing with Tommy is that one of my gov school English teachers told me Tommy is better than Superstar, and we got in a huge argument. Which was good fun. He told me I had to get the album to understand. So I did, and I understand, but I still prefer Superstar. My argument is a lot stronger now, though. I think I've started to really understand what it is about Superstar that I love.
I also spontaneously decided (today) to arrange "The Last Resort" by the Eagles on FinaleNotepad. A few years ago, I decided I thought the song was pretty and I learned it by ear (I couldn't find the music ANYWHERE). So I randomly decided to re-learn it and write the music properly. I didn't finish. (Notepad is lame - you can't change key or time signature in the middle of a piece so it's pretty crazy.) But it made me look at the lyrics again and I was amazed at how beautifully (here I go again) artistic it is. It's pretty well disguised as a drug song but I think there's something there.
The Last Resort
(The Eagles)
She came from Providence
The one in Rhode Island
Where the old world shadows hang
Heavy in the air
She packed her hopes and dreams
Like a refugee
Just as her father came
Across the sea
SHe heard about a place
People were smilin'
They spoke about the red man's way
And how they loved the land
And they came from everywhere
To the Great divide
Seeking a place to stand
Or a place to hide
Down in the crowded bars
Out for a good time
Can't wait to tell you all
What it's like up there
And they called it paradise
I don't know why
Somebody laid the mountain low
While the town got high
Then the chilly winds blew down
Across the desert
Through the canyons of the coast
To the Malibu
Where the pretty people play
Hungry for power
To light their neon way
And give them things to do
Some rich men came and raped the land
nobody caught 'em
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes
And Jesus, people bought 'em
And they called it paradise
The place to be
They watched the hazy sun
Sinking in the sea
You can leave it all behind
And sail to Lahaina
Just like the missionaries did
So many years ago
They even brought a neon sign
"Jesus is coming"
Brought the white man's burden down
Brought the white man's reign
Who will provide the grand design?
What is yous and what is mine?
'Cause there is no more new frontier
We have got to make it here
We satisfy our endless needs
And justify our bloody deeds
In the name of destiny
And in the name of God
And you can see them there
On Sunday morning
They stand up and sing about
What it's like up there
They call it paradise
I don't know why
You call someplace paradise
Kiss it good-bye
Ever since I've left gov school, I've found myself describing things as "artistic" a lot. Like, I've been re-watching movies and stuff, and seeing new movies, and listening to music, and I'll decide the reason I like a movie or a song is because it's artistic. Whatever that means.
Example. A poor one, but anyway. Batman. Aside from all the rage over outside-of-movie drama (which I have no interest in) and my insane love of Christian Bale (because of his performances in The Prestige and 3:10 to Yuma)... I was basically floored. I mean, it obviously wasn't quite 3:10 to Yuma or Requiem for a Dream or any of those really artsy-type movies, but my god, for a comic book superhero movie, that was a stellar performance all around. Not just the acting - the script, the plot, the themes, the imagery, just everything. I've seen it three times and I still don't think I fully understand everything, and I'm not that slow, okay? It's not Spiderman. No cheese. (Okay. A few cheesy lines.) But I mean, aside from the modern-technology-superhero-fighting-coolness, I really thought there was a strong artistic side.
I'm also now really into the Who album Tommy. I've seen the rock opera movie before, but the actual album is just amazing.
The thing with Tommy is that one of my gov school English teachers told me Tommy is better than Superstar, and we got in a huge argument. Which was good fun. He told me I had to get the album to understand. So I did, and I understand, but I still prefer Superstar. My argument is a lot stronger now, though. I think I've started to really understand what it is about Superstar that I love.
I also spontaneously decided (today) to arrange "The Last Resort" by the Eagles on FinaleNotepad. A few years ago, I decided I thought the song was pretty and I learned it by ear (I couldn't find the music ANYWHERE). So I randomly decided to re-learn it and write the music properly. I didn't finish. (Notepad is lame - you can't change key or time signature in the middle of a piece so it's pretty crazy.) But it made me look at the lyrics again and I was amazed at how beautifully (here I go again) artistic it is. It's pretty well disguised as a drug song but I think there's something there.
The Last Resort
(The Eagles)
She came from Providence
The one in Rhode Island
Where the old world shadows hang
Heavy in the air
She packed her hopes and dreams
Like a refugee
Just as her father came
Across the sea
SHe heard about a place
People were smilin'
They spoke about the red man's way
And how they loved the land
And they came from everywhere
To the Great divide
Seeking a place to stand
Or a place to hide
Down in the crowded bars
Out for a good time
Can't wait to tell you all
What it's like up there
And they called it paradise
I don't know why
Somebody laid the mountain low
While the town got high
Then the chilly winds blew down
Across the desert
Through the canyons of the coast
To the Malibu
Where the pretty people play
Hungry for power
To light their neon way
And give them things to do
Some rich men came and raped the land
nobody caught 'em
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes
And Jesus, people bought 'em
And they called it paradise
The place to be
They watched the hazy sun
Sinking in the sea
You can leave it all behind
And sail to Lahaina
Just like the missionaries did
So many years ago
They even brought a neon sign
"Jesus is coming"
Brought the white man's burden down
Brought the white man's reign
Who will provide the grand design?
What is yous and what is mine?
'Cause there is no more new frontier
We have got to make it here
We satisfy our endless needs
And justify our bloody deeds
In the name of destiny
And in the name of God
And you can see them there
On Sunday morning
They stand up and sing about
What it's like up there
They call it paradise
I don't know why
You call someplace paradise
Kiss it good-bye