The song Alive, by Empire of the Sun

A more recent effort from earlier this year, from Empire of the Sun, that I like very much. Watching them in the video inspires me to fight my fears of being different and of standing apart from the crowd. They are different and they embrace their identities and destinies as artists. I think that is why art is so important and why we can never just embrace the rational sides of ourselves. We would become rather cold automatons. Art in all its forms reminds us to be ourselves, to be human, to throw off the masks of propriety and conformity. It gives us permission and the means to be 'alive', to be emotional, to cry, to open our hearts, minds and souls to something new. It opens us and teaches us at all points in our lives. It exists within us but also apart from us, and that is the curious thing about it. We are all artists in one form or another. It's just that the excessive emphasis on conformity in our society, especially when we are adults, prevents us from fully expressing ourselves a lot of the time. It is no wonder that many people feel like prisoners in their own lives. 


Alive

Days go by my window,

World slows down as it goes,

Goodbye to last night,

Lost my eyesight,

Can't you help me see?

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Alive, alive

Waking in the snow,

Tracing steps of you,

Swimming through the smoke,

Wrapped in velvet gold,

Can't you help me see?

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Alive, alive

Can you describe to me

All the world that you see?

Oh, I need you so much,

I'll just wait

Freedom is within you,

Giving makes us feel good,

Hello to my people,

Say hello to the future,

Freedom is within you,

Giving makes us feel good,

Hello to my people,

Say hello to the future

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Alive, alive

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive

Alive, alive

A beautiful song by Empire of the Sun

I fell in love with this song when it was released in 2008. The lyrics are somewhat cryptic, but when I hear the song, I am transported to another realm, helped by the dreamlike video. I am reminded of what's important in life when I hear it--love and personal relationships, but also that life does not last forever and that we must face losing those we love, as reflected in the words 'I can't do well when I think you're gonna leave me, but I know I try'. The leaving could be the end of a relationship, or it could be death. I think it is the latter. The imagery in the music video was inspired by the ancient Mexican festival Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) according to online sources. But to each his or her own interpretation. In any case, the song is beautiful and I'm including the YouTube video at the end of this post.  


We Are the People

We can remember swimming in December,
Heading for the city lights in 1975,
We share in each other,
Nearer than farther,
The scent of a lemon drips from your eyes

We are the people that rule the world
A force running in every boy and girl
All rejoicing in the world
Take me now' we can try

We lived an adventure
Love in the Summer
Followed the sun till night
Reminiscing other times of life
For each every other
The feeling was stronger
The shock hit eleven' Got lost in your eyes

I can't do well when I think you're gonna leave me
But I know I try
Are you gonna leave me now
Can't you be believing now

I can't do well when I think you're gonna leave me
But I know I try
Are you gonna leave me now
Can't you be believing now

Can you remember and humanize
It was still where we'd energized
Lie in the sand and visualize
Like it's 75 again

We are the people that rule the world
A force running in every boy and girl
All rejoicing in the world
Take me now' we can try

I can't do well when I think you're gonna leave me
But I know I try
Are you gonna leave me now
Can't you be believing now

I can't do well when I think you're gonna leave me
But I know I try
Are you gonna leave me now
Can't you be believing now

I know everything about you
You know everything about me
Know everything about us

I know everything about you
You know everything about me
Know everything about us

I can't do well when I think you're gonna leave me
But I know I try
Are you gonna leave me now
Can't you be believing now
(repeat 2X)