Saturday, November 23, 2013

the poetry of songwriters

Simon and Garfunkel, balladeers of the 1960s and early 70s, created poetry on wheels, stanzas attached to song. Many of their lyrics could be categorized as poetry. 'The Dangling Conversation' for example could stand proudly side by side with T. S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'.

Simon and Garfunkel are a standout example but many other songwriters could also claim credit as poets (and excuse me if my focus is back a few decades when I was a young adult during a great era of radio). Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull) and The Indigo Girls come to mind. Think of 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes' or 'Helplessly Hoping' by Crosby, Stills and Nash. Talking Heads. Eric Burdon. Stephen Sondheim's 'Send in the Clowns'. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Moody Blues.

Melody helps imprint poetry into our memories. Not only are song lyrics received in the language centers, they become anchored in areas of the brain that process music.

Then there is language with no words - piano, trumpet, drums - passionate sound, mind-expanding geometric travel that can pierce the wordy barriers of excuses and explanations we contrive and fly right to the heart of it all, without a single sentence.

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