Nothing Else Matters

Words have power.

Right from the big bang.

John 1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Wonder if our Creator is a big fan of the band Metallica. Should be, since its members have not been sitting on their talents. Matthew 25:14–30

When I sit down at my computer each morning I switch screens among the various social media platforms I usually leave open from the night before to see what randomly pops up. This morning a video of a 1991 live performance of Nothing Else Matters by Metallica slid onto my “For You” scroll on TikTok.

My first thought was “No fucking way” that this song is that old.

Then I realized, fuck, I’m much older.

But then I just went along with it to enjoy the random experience of hearing this song again after a very long time. Awesome song.

Now I believe that all music is transformative – just the vibrations the music can impact your feelings.

https://www.innovationhub.world/post/the-power-of-sound-how-vibrations-shape-your-brain-and-behaviour

Indeed, some suggest there is magic[k] in music.

https://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/view/2998

Folklore suggests that Robert Johnson may have sold his soul to create “Cross Road Blues.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson#Devil_legend

Now, I also love poetry. It’s a synopsis – a short hand – an incantation – for life’s daily experience. I love it when I “get” the particular use of a word in a line of poetry.

So, it’s no surprise that I’m also a big fan of the lyrical poetry of a good song. Love the modern day troubadours.

Sometimes the magical power of a lyric is lost in the elocution and enunciation of the singer. Sometimes its lost in the vigor or volume of the music being played over it.

But your subconscious picks up on it, even if your conscious mind cannot.

That happens a lot with live recordings.

But you still have a strong responsive feeling. Just not sure why.

That happened this morning.

So I went to search for a clearer version of the song, and found this a cappella version.

And this time my mind was able to register this repeated line.

“All these words, I don’t just say”

The message resonated with me. There is power in words.

And while I am tone deaf as well as color blind, and could have never hacked it a musician, I have been blessed not to just say words, as we all do everyday as we orally exchange ideas, but to have been able to write them down in a way that other humans enjoy and respond to. And hopefully will continue to do so long after I’ve crossed the veil. Laughter and tears.

“And nothing else matters.”

Well, it’s Thursday. Friday’s handmaiden.

Time for my fine, five readers to finish their cuppas and make their moves. Let’s get the work week all wrapped up by end of day so that Friday is free for planning the beautiful fall weekend.

I’m going to finish up cuddling Smokey

Then find and feed Mittens (aka Mike) and then make my rounds.

And its a recycling day, so lots of materials to be humped to the roadway.

But no matter what we – collectively or individually – get up to, let us make today a great one.