I write often, some read regularly, and a few even comment. I feel some sense of community as I write, as if what I am really doing is highlighting experiences in your own life and giving those a voice and recognition.
Forcing our shared experiences out into the open for discussion and review. When someone comments and says they can relate it makes my day. I may use “I” a lot in these missives but I am attempting to write toward our shared and collective experience. That is the goal anyway.
Which causes me at times to assume that we all are living parallel lives.
When in fact yes, it is true we have much in common, which has drawn you to read regularly. But that doesn’t mean you’ve done everything I have done and are as familiar with the things I’ve seen as I am. That would be a false assumption.
I say this to preface the promotion of this particular video below, this is a song by the Avett Brothers called “No Hard Feelings”.
It is arguably the most touching song ever produced. It is certainly a song that speaks all the way into the core of my own soul.
Now some of you may be saying, Herman, everyone knows the Avett Brothers and their most popular song. Why would you think you of all people need to point them out?
But there may be others on this blog trail who’ve never been introduced to this song, and so this is for them.
This version, the first I am posting is the song video I prefer, shot when they were making a documentary on the group, I’d urge you to listen to it here;
and here is the “official video” of the song the group released, though I think the first video posted is much better;
It could be that as I have passed the mid-sixties this song has a very real meaning to me. No one is ever shocked over someone dying in their late sixties. Sure they are surprised, but no one says “they died so young” when you bite the bullet in your mid-to-late sixties. Sure there are so many getting to the late eighties today, of course. And recently I was wondering about Doc Severensen because I’d seen a few videos of old Johnny Carson on Youtube and when I looked him up he is still going strong at ninety-seven. Carol Burnett is over ninety and appearing in some show the wife is watching on Netflix or Hulu, one of those streaming channels.
So I realize that mid-sixties isn’t old. But this song will make you reflect. This song will force you to think about how you’ve lived, how you view life, and exactly what your own thoughts and feelings will be when that time comes.
If this song catches me at the wrong time, when I am already feeling a bit melancholy, or reflective, oh, man. I’m like my father I simply don’t cry too often, or ever, but if this song comes on in the car on a bad day it can cause me to swallow the feelings back down hard.
I’m a hard headed Irishman who has a laundry list of grievances. I’ve shed more than a few people from my life over slights. I felt more than a few close to me cross my invisible line of proper decency and sent them into “time out” permanently.
That is just my nature, you can have a disagreement with me, you can slight me in understandable ways. But cross a line into a harm that I deem beyond acceptable and gone. So it is possible that the end lines of this song “I have no enemies” is one that resonates with me and not in a good way. I have a freakin’ laundry list that includes family.
Perhaps the song speaks to my soul because I’ve wronged. And do not wish to face my faults, deep as they may be. It is possible it speaks to me in ways that it does not you, as he has written lyrics that cause me to reflect more deeply on my own behavior than you would in your own life. I am a deeply flawed human, and this song makes me see that more clearly than ever.
Hey, what did Freud say about the Irish? That they are the only race beyond the reach of therapy? “The Irish are the only people impervious to psychoanalysis.” I’d guess that is because in our eternal internal dialogue we are beating ourselves up pretty good, we don’t need any assistance.
I am very self-reflective and can tick off my faults and frailties as quickly and easily as saying the alphabet. And I’d agree with Freud, being Irish I have a constant inner dialogue that is an argument at full volume, I don’t need to lay on some couch and shout out that dialogue for others to digest. I’m not alone, and I’m not claiming some Irish trait unrecognized, perhaps you’d like to view the “Banshees of Inisherin” for some understanding of the Irish mental condition.
It can’t be just me, this song was a hit from the start, and clearly speaks to many a soul. I want this song played at my wake, give the few there a chance to reflect. And hopefully remember an incident where we shared laughter and spirit, and not remember my sharp tongue, my biting commentary, my wrath.
I actually believe in my heart, of hearts that the Irish feel more deeply than others. They have such a full and complete understanding of the human condition the only thing that can save you from madness is the bottle. It keeps you from sinking into the abyss of seeing all the way inside where the real pain resides. No Irishman wants to see all the way down into there, ever.
If you were familiar with the song, well, you got to listen for a few minutes on an April morning and enjoy just the perfect song.
If you were not familiar with it I do hope you enjoyed the song. That young man just reached into people’s souls and touches them in a way that few can.
What a talented young man. What a group. What a song. In the documentary Rick Rubin is the Producer. After the final take he casually urges them onto the next song on the list. And they ask for a bit of time and go outside the studio. They have just put their heart, soul, and everything they had into this song and are just amazed the producer doesn’t understand they cannot just jump to the next song, they are emotionally drained. This incident caused a bit of a rift for them with the legendary Producer. They left everything they’d had in this performance, every ounce of emotion.
To me this is God speaking through them to us in music. At least he spoke to me.
I heard him loud and clear. I’m too stubborn and stupid to change my ways, but I heard, I heard.
Let us ignore the Left for just one day, and reflect on our better angels in life.
And hope one day to shake hands laughing at those promised gates.
Had never heard it. I will save it. Powerful. Thank you.
Sorry Michael...I usually concur with the majority of your messages and sentiments..but not this one. Not my kind of music, and not my kind of message my brother. Surrender, submission and acceptance are NOT part of my vocabulary or belief system. Of course, youve always been that "softer", more melodic, Fogelberg or Firefall kind of soul. If I cant slam it, bang it, and live it (life), it represents failure, submission, demise, and moreover...FINALITY!
Im spiritual, not religious, and dont know if I have any faith in any form of afterlife...all I know is that Im not excited about or ready to find out. May I suggest a couple more upbeat songs that one can find strength, inspiration, and a desire to pound their chest from... The Isley Brothers "Climbing Up The Ladder" from their 1977 album "Go For Your Guns", and Bruce Springsteen's 1975 "Born To Run".
I intend to go OUT the same way I came IN, red faced, angry, and fighting!