The Song and the Story
Winter 2017
Someone, somewhere once expressed the following idea: when a work of art is created and when it is experienced by someone other than its creator, that work ceases to belong to the artist.
The idea here is that, regardless of the artist’s original intention behind their work, people will ultimately attach individual and personal associations to it. We can understand what a work of art means to the artist and why they created it. We cannot, however, escape processing art through our own unique filters, created by our unique life experiences.
Creating art is an act of personal expression.
Experiencing art inevitably becomes an act of personal association.
The following account is from drummer Questlove of the (awesome!) hip-hop group The Roots. In 2015, he posted on Instagram a very personal reflection revolving around the music of the band U2.
U2’s music haunts me. Always did.I was 16 yrs old coming from a friday afternoon church youth group event. At 8 me & 2 pals went to see their ’88 Rattle & Hum doc. We were sold: it was a half hour to midnight & we had just enough time to run to #TowerRecords & cop their discography. I got the War/Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree & Rattle & Hum tapes. Grabbed “Unforgettable” & popped it in the player. I worked in a record shop so I already knew some of these songs. Instantly a fan. A great night of hanging w friends, food, movies & music #FunTimes…..& then….it happened….I became an adult: we got pulled over. Most people’s Rites Of Passage are marked happy occasions like graduation or birth or things you do when in love. Mine was being held at gunpoint at 16. I don’t even know what happened: we were on Washington Ave & then this flashlight blinded us & voice on a PA said “put your hands in the air” dog I almost had an instant colonic. When you get pulled over in a hostile manner you are NOT in your right mind: like giving a speech, or being a nervous contestant on the Price Is Right. Why?! — the only thing I remember was #TheEdge’s trademark delay plug in. I was so scared to turn the tape down (member when Chapelle said black people turn radio off when getting pulled over cause no one wants to get their ass beat to a soundtrack?) — they were itching for us to try something. I hated the guilt of just being me. Nothing more degrading in life than the helplessness you feel when you get pulled over. I questioned everything in my head that night: why did we go out? Did we steal this car? Maybe if we had Keith Sweat or Prince playin they woulda believed us. Sat there 30 mins frozen. emasculated. As they left we STAYED THERE Like 10 mins. Still traumatized. U2 never sounded the same again. Every song= Put your hands in the air now!! Echoing. I felt robbed of alot that night. But the ability to NOT associate that sound w that experience was hard to get over.
What should have been an experience of youth discovering great music became a traumatic night, forever embedded with the songs of a specific artist.
Experiencing art becomes an act of personal association.
Because it is so widely accessible and so much a part of human culture, our winter topic will focus on the connections we make with music in our lives.
Select a song, album, artist, or genre and share an experience, a story, or some other form of expression to show how you associate that particular piece of music within your life. Again, the only rule here is that your post shows a connection to a specific piece of music.
Serious, affectionate, hilarious, traumatic, endearing…whatever you’d like to share in whatever form you’d like. We welcome prose, poetry, photography, and art. Our deadline will be the end of January.
Music is life.
