Walt Grace

Music makes me really happy. I really connect with songs lyrically and musically. My favorite artists can do both (see Fun. for example). In pondering how much I love music I asked myself what song I really, really identify with. Is there a song where I say, The artist has captured my experience?

Um, not really.

For example, I connect with Adele’s Someone Like You – it’s musically and lyrically genius in my mind. And I've felt emotional when listening to it but then it occurred to me that nothing like that has ever happened to me. Ever.

I went through all of my currents fav songs and struggled to find one where I’d say That one captures my experience.

Maybe there are lots of reasons for art. Books, for example, are a great way to learn and “experience” things that you otherwise could not. Lots of media is great for escapism. Some art is designed to get me to think of things in a new way or create awareness.

But isn't one reason for art to express what I cannot? To show me myself when I cannot? Or, at least, to show me that I’m not alone?

In the midst of this existential art crisis I remembered one song that I do relate to, like actually. It does for me what I think it should – expresses what I cannot and shows me I’m not alone for thinking and feeling so.

This song is written by John Mayer and on his brilliant album Born and Raised. The song is a story about taking big risks in the attempt to accomplish a Big Idea. 

John didn't make a music video for it but I found this one that’s pretty rad. Have a listen to Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967. 

The musicality of the song is fantastic with a great forward momentum and a crescendo at the end when the story everything resolves. The tune and rhythm are simple, just right for storytelling.  Lyrically, it’s brilliant with clever rhymes and a moving story*.  It’s the story that really hits home because I've felt this way about my life and my activities. I could write more in depth about all the meaning this song has more, lyrically and musically, for me but that’s probably not generally interesting and could take away from the meaning the song might have for you. The point is that I identify with the song. It relates to my life. I’m going to be on the hunt for more songs (and art in general) that really describes my experience.

What songs do you truly, madly, deeply relate to?

*Shockingly, this is a completely fictional story. John Mayer just got cooler.