77 - It's So PC It's Killing Me

Have you ever listened to a song for years and years and then realized you've never really heard it?

That's me.  Today. Er, last night anyway, when I wrote this.

How can I listen to a song for almost TWO Decades, and never know the lyrics?  Today's song is just that song.  I've always like the sound, and that's kinda the whole point of this song.  I feel kinda like a hypocrite.  But now, so many years later, it makes me really love this song.

I remember hearing it at some point in my high school years.  Anywhere from it's release in '94 and my graduation in the Spring of '97.  But the song itself has a very Autumnal feel to it.  Especially the bitterness, or supposed bitterness.

Song 77
        "Hook" from Blues Traveler's album Four

This song just kinda entered my world in the mid '90s.  And it's always been there.  I kinda got the seasoning of the song but never fully tasted the full flavor.  And when I read the words tonight, it was like a stiff punch to the gut.

It was awesome.

Kinda like realizing the song Ironic is only ironic because none of the situations described in the song are ironic.  Yeah.

I mean in Hook the whole little fast sung stuff in the last third of the song is just...amazing:

What you're doing to me this MTV is not for free
It's so PC it's killing me
So desperately I sing to thee
Of love
Sure but also of rage and hate and pain and fear of self
And I can't keep these feelings on the shelf
I've tried well no in fact I lied
Could be financial suicide but I've got too much pride inside
To hide or slide
I'll do as I'll decide and let it ride until I've died
And only then shall I abide this tide
Of catchy little tunes
Of hip three minute diddys
I wanna bust all your balloons
I wanna burn all your cities to the ground

 Alright.  The sounds of this song paint a story for me, of this group of musicians just hanging out in a house in the woods, just messing around and singing and playing.  And the harmonica really sells the season for me.  It's mid season, lots of color, but the air is starting to bite and chill through casual layers.

That's what I feel and see.  And then the whole intent of the lyrics just slap me in the face like a giant wet noodle or something.

And I am challenged and content at the same time.

Yeah.


grace, peace + hope
-Jesse