Have you ever listened to a song a bunch of times but never paid much attention to the lyrics? And then, when you least expect it, the words hit you like a brick wall and you realize that there was something there after all? It's happened to me loads of times, the most recent on the way back to the West Side for Thanksgiving.
As I've stated before, I've been really big on Bishop Allen lately. I'm slowly turning into one of those indie-pop snobs who listens to bands that nobody's ever heard of because nobody's ever heard of them. Anyhow, most of Bishop Allen's songs are thoroughly enjoyable. But they're not perfect. Every now and then, I hear one of the songs and skip it with little hesitation. The lyrics didn't make any sense, the beats were totally off, and the song was a complete waste of my time. Until Wednesday, this was the case with "The Envy of the Bees."
"They've just a single stinger.
To use it costs them life.
They know they better mean it.
They better be precise.
But I can sting again and again.
As often as I like.
I'm dangerous tonight,
The envy of the bees."
At first blush, I thought it was a stupid novelty song. What do I care about bees? Useless little flying animals, or so I surmised. But when I actually comprehended the lyrics, I was blown away.
Bees can only hurt once, and then they perish. But people can hurt again and again and again. We are rarely punished, or at least not to the extent that the bees are. What a sad social commentary. We sting and don't think twice. Why? Disillusionment? Selfishness? I can't quite put my finger on it, but I sure was floored when I got the lyrics. How true they are. Now that I'm aware, it's time to be the difference-maker.
No comments:
Post a Comment