Prophet or Poet

Thirty years ago Green Day came out with “She”

Twenty years ago Green Day came out with “American Idiot”

Ten years ago Green Day came out with “Minority”

Bizarrely enough in the past week I’ve heard all three of those songs.

Sang them at the top of my lungs – with the kids ( well, for American Idiot they were there)

And those words, that sentiment, crafted, sung and mashed to 10,20 and 30 years ago still holds true – and then some – today!

Not a complete phenomenon.

Many, MANY songs have long shelf lives – songs we listen to from the 70’s or 80’s still have meaning – especially as we grow older and our experiences and scars reflect more of the experiences and scars of songwriters.

Actually, I chuckle when I hear an old Pearl Jam or Nirvana song that I’ve sung hundreds of times but for some reason, that day, through the filter of my older age I hear it differently, understand it better.

I was listening to Jane’s Addiction the other day and literally was like – ohhh, I get what he’s saying there. Like Perry had some secret decoder ring and his observation of that detail of living was soooo minute, soooo precise that I just didn’t “get it” til now.

That happens a lot.

And probably because I’m into words.

And songs.

And especially words in songs.

And I recognize as an artist those stories, those images shift and change with the times – sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.

But they do.

And I get it.

But some songs— American Idiot – are down right prophetic.

2004 social media was just rearing its ugly head and the devil incarnate was Jeb Bush.

Oh sorry, sad, stupid creatures we were to think that was a tough time, that was the world on fire.

But they knew.

They knew in 1994 that by 2024 women would still, STILL, be a talking point to be manipulated and a body to be controlled.

They knew that the minority and the majority are as intertwined as Yin and Yang – each struggling for relevance and power at each other’s expense.

And thus, the poets become the prophets and both, as history had time and time proved, will be ignored – much to our own detriment.

And thus, we still shall sing

In the car

With the windows wide open

For all the world to hear…