"We are young despite the years. We are concern. We are hope despite the times." Michael Stipe's words in songs like "These Days" from Life's Rich Pageant are part of my spirit, the sonic poetry of R.E.M. part of the soundtrack of my life. They announced their retirement this week. From activism, one never retires.
Michael Stipe was a different kind of rock star. He's my kind of rock star. I read he issued a press release saying "Fall on Me" was about acid rain. "Buy the sky... and sell the sky...and bleed the sky." During the Green World Tour after the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster he dedicated, "Turn You Inside Out" to the Exxon Corporation. I'd like to think he'd dedicate it now to BP Oil, although that too seems readily long forgotten.
During my youth MTV actually played videos and had great programming on like 120 Minutes, Rockumentaries, and Unplugged. R.E.M. had no cologne to sell or soda to plug. When they won six awards for Losing My Religion at the MTV Video Awards, Stipe donned political statement t-shirts with messages like, "Rainforest" "Love Knows No Color" and "Alternative Energy Now." Watching him from my suburban home, this had a huge influence on a teenage me. I wanted to make a statement.
Bullied in school, I decided early on I didn't care for people who bullied our planet, animals or people. I still don't. I mailed money orders to groups like Nature Conservancy and Greenpeace, wrote protest letters for Amnesty International, and participated in a walk to save local woods. I stopped eating meat. I still don't eat meat. I still give my money to environmental groups. I still care about our woods. I still listen to R.E.M.'s words to inspire me. I remember that young girl who wanted to change the world whenever I get too far away from her. Why can't I still change the world, one protest letter, one meal choice, one piece of trash picked up at a time? "Silence means security, silence means approval," Stipe reminds us in Begin the Begin. He said their songs "Stand" and "Get Up" were basically saying the same thing. Get up and do something.
"I Believe" is a song I always go back to. Its message is so much what I believe in. Remember that spirit you had in youth that becomes jaded as an adult and try and resurrect it. Make sure your calling is true. Think of others. Live by example. Do something in "the horns of the day."
"When I was young and full of grace, and spirited a rattlesnake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor not to tell
I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract
Explain the change, the difference between
What you want and what you need, there's the key
Your adventure for today, what do you do
Between the horns of the day
I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in
When I was young and give and take, and foolish said my fool awake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor, on your honor
Trust in your calling, make sure your calling's true
Think of others, the others think of you
Silly rule, golden words make practice, practice makes perfect
Perfect is a fault, and fault lines change
I believe
My humor's wearing thin and change is what I believe in
I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in
When I was young and full of grace, and spirited a rattlesnake
When I was young and fever fell, my spirit I will not tell
You're on your honor, on your honor
I believe in example, I believe my throat hurts
Example is the checker to the key
I believe
My humor's wearing thin and I believe the poles are shifting
I believe
My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in."
Thank you R.E.M. for a great 31 years. I am truly better for having known you.
No comments:
Post a Comment