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Annals in American Greatness
Peter Cooper’s “715”
If any of my students use the word “great” to describe a character, setting, theme, or even an innocuous incident, I circle it and ask them to consider that no one knows what they’re talking about. I mean specifically that neither I nor anyone else who reads their essay knows the so-called “great way” Ben Mears defeated Mr. Barlow.
With that said, given that greatness isn’t going anywhere, I thought I would start a series where I will pick one song and describe why I, the artist, and perhaps many other listeners might begin by labeling it “great” and then burrowing into how and/or why the song works and achieves a status above something that the masses might think is a “big hit.”
It really seems that we just can’t do any better than the bigness, greatness, and bestness descriptors in our world. Once, a semi-dear family member tried telling me that Tropicana fresh-squeezed orange juice and Tsingtao beer were “the best.” Who could argue with that, and why?
It’s all subjectively confusing — and frustrating — but not always great. We’re always trying to prove something to someone. So, may I try to prove to you that Peter Cooper’s “715” digs into the best and worst of us?
I had the pleasure of listening to six straight hours of music as I drove home from my…
