Thursday, October 11, 2012

10/11/12



A very beautiful song.

A pair of very talented ladies performed this at an open mic last night, I was very impressed. Pretty much everyone was phenomenal last night. But this song was extremely well-executed and they sang like angels from Folk Heaven. I myself was not so impressive -- quite the opposite, actually, still trying to erase the memory. But it all got me thinking about natural talent, the gifts we're born with that we choose to hone. It could be anything. You'll hear people say that 90 percent of success is showing up, and that talent means nothing if you don't use it...which I believe, to a certain degree. Affinities need to be mastered in order to achieve greatness. Sweat equity bears results. But sheer, God-given talent...well, regardless of skill, you just know it when you see it or hear it or read it or whatever. It touches your heart instantly, makes time stop and makes you see the world in a different way, for a minute or for forever.

I simply don't think that's something you can learn. Pity those of us who are not as blessed, who instead look up in a humble mix of awe and envy, wondering what it feels like to be able to give those gifts to the world.

"I was born when I met you,
Now I'm dying to forget you,
And that is what I know.

Though I dreamed I would fall,
Like a wounded cannonball,
Sinking down with my heart in tow.

Bright lights like white lightning,
Who shot me down?
Who will cut me down?
I'm frozen in my bed till the day comes around,
How I'm lost,
How I'm found.

There's a man all alone,
Telling me his friends are gone,
That they've died and flown away.
So I told him he was wrong,
That you friends are never gone,
If you look to the sky and pray.


Bright lights like white lightning
Who shot me down
Who will cut me down
I'm frozen in my bed till the day comes around
How I'm lost
How I'm found

Someone told me a lie
Someone looked me in the eye
And said time will ease your pain
But behold, when you fall
It's that same old cannonball
Coming back for your heart again


Bright lights like white lightning
Who shot me down
Who will cut me down
I'm frozen in my bed till the day comes around
And it may come around
Until the day comes around
How I'm lost
How I'm found

I was born when I met you
Now I'm dying to forget you
And that is what I know
."

~Cannonball
Brandi Carlile, The Story