My husband and I both love music (he blogs about it, I used to make a living from it) but we approach music quite differently, and therefore have vastly different opinions about what makes a piece or a song “good.” He is supremely interested in the actual music, i.e. the notes, chords, arrangements, etc. While I also appreciate these aspects, lyrics are also very important to me. I’ve always been a word person; I love to read and write, and I have a true love of poetry. Therefore, my favorite music occurs when an artist combines beautiful words with fantastic music arrangement. So, without further ado, here are today’s lyrics of the day. I really like Jewel’s 1998 album Spirit, so I’m offering up the lyrics from two different songs:

Absence Of Fear

Inside my skin there is this space
It twists and turns
It bleeds and aches
Inside my heart there’s an empty room
It’s waiting for lightning
It’s waiting for you
And I am wanting
And I am needing you here
Inside the absence of fear
Muscle and sinew
Velvet and stone
This vessel is haunted
It creaks and moans
My bones call to you
In their separate skin
I make myself translucent
To let you in, for
I am wanting
And I am needing of you here
Inside the absence of fear
there is this hunger
This restlessness inside of me
and it knows that you’re no stranger
you’re my gravity
My hands will adore you through all darkness aim
They will lay you out in moonlight
And reinvent your name
For I am wanting you
And I am needing you here
I need you near
Inside the absence of fear

Life Uncommon

Don’t worry mother, it’ll be all right
And don’t worry sister, say your prayers and sleep tight
It’ll be fine lover of mine
It’ll be just fine
Lend your voices only to sounds of freedom
No longer lend you strength to that which you wish to be free from
Fill your lives with love and bravery
And you shall lead a life uncommon
I’ve heard your anguish
I’ve heard your hearts cry out
We are tired, we are weary, but we aren’t worn out
set down your chains, until only faith remains
Set down your chains
And lend your voices only to sounds of freedom
No longer lend your strength to that
which you wish to be free from
Fill your lives with love and bravery
And we shall lead a life uncommon
There are plenty of people who pray for peace
But if praying were enough it would have come to be
Let your words enslave no one and the heavens will hush themselves
To hear our voices ring out clear
with sounds of freedom
sounds of freedom
Come on you unbelievers, move out of the way
there is a new army coming and we are armed with faith
To live, we must give
To live
And lend our voices only to sounds of freedom
No longer lend our strength to that which we with to be free
from
Fill your lives with love and bravery
And we shall lead
Lend our voices only to sounds of freedom
No longer lent our strength to that which we with to be free from
Fill your lives with love and bravery
And we shall lead a life uncommon

In the fourth season premiere episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a group of vampires steal a poster from a freshman dorm room. They then take bets on whether it will be a Monet or a Klimt; it turns out to be the latter, and is added to a collection of Waterlilies and Kisses. The lead vampire’s response? "Freshmen. They’re so predictable." 

I’ve always been both amused and annoyed by this scene. On one hand, it is a pretty accurate description of dorm art. On the other, it pokes fun at two of my favorite artists. I too have a large print of Monet’s waterlilies, which I purchased more than 10 years ago at a fantastic Monet exhibit at the New Orleans Musem of Art. I also have a framed Klimt print, but it isn’t The Kiss. It’s Expectation, which seems to be a far less popular work. My husband doesn’t like it, so my copy is in storage in the attic, but I think it’s a beautiful, fascinating piece. Ever wanted to know more about Gustav Klimt? Here’s a short bio, courtesy of Grove Art Online:

Klimt, Gustav

(b Baumgarten, nr Vienna, 14 July 1862; d Vienna, 6 Feb 1918).
Austrian painter and draughtsman. A leading exponent of Art Nouveau, Klimt is considered one of the greatest decorative painters of the 20th century. His depictions of the femme fatale and his drawings treating the theme of female sexuality have assured him a place in the history of erotic art. He is remembered for his role in the formation of the Vienna Secession, the radical group of Austrian artists of which he became the first president in 1897, and also for the frequent scandals and protests that marked his later career. These contrast strikingly with the public and official approval that marked him out as a young artist of promise, even before he graduated from the Vienna Kunstgewerbeschule in 1883.

Sarah McLachlan, Do What You Have to Do

What ravages of spirit
Conjured this temptuous rage
Created you a monster
Broken by the rules of love
And fate has lead you through it
You do what you have to do
And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do …And I have the sense to recognize that
I don’t know how to let you go
Every moment marked
With apparitions of your soul
I’m ever swiftly moving
Trying to escape this desire
The yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
The yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
But I have the sense to recognize

That I don’t know how
To let you go
I don’t know how
To let you go

A glowing ember
Burning hot
Burning slow
Deep within I’m shaken by the violence
Of existing for only you

I know I can’t be with you
I do what I have to do
I know I can’t be with you
I do what I have to do
And I have sense to recognize but
I don’t know how to let you go
I don’t know how to let you go
I don’t know how to let you go

Yay!

I’ve been going through a hard time in my life. Within the space of about six months, I’ve had 3 seriously ill cousins, my grandfather passed away, I got really sick, I injured my back during a bad training session, and I’ve been having some problems with my job. This is supposed to be the best time of year, though: my birthday is tomorrow, and the holiday season is about to get in full swing. Nevertheless, I’ve been feeling really down, so it was nice to get this DailyOm:

Positivity Revisited
Keeping A Diary With Purpose
A diary can play many roles. It can be a confidant, a vehicle of self expression, a tool that facilitates clarity of thought, or a repository of dreams. A diary can also be a powerful source of comfort during challenging or traumatic periods. When you record those insights and incidents that clearly demonstrate you are on the right track, you can return to your words days, weeks, or months later and find uniquely soothing reassurance. A diary with a specific purpose can be a good tool for keeping track of experiences before the passage of time can skew your perception of events. It reflects the immediacy of your life and thus provides you with a landmark to return to when you begin to doubt yourself. If doubt does arise, simply open your diary to reaffirm your experiences. The confidence, surety, passion, and bravery you felt in a single moment is preserved, giving you a means to recapture those feelings in any place, at any time.Your diary serves as a repository of personalized encouragement. Since a diary is, by its very nature, as individual as you are, you should give some thought to the type of diary that will serve you best. A synchronicity-and-connections diary might describe those instances where seemingly random occurrences came together in a meaningful way, propelling you forward. Or you may find strength in the pages of a pride diary that makes note not only of those times you felt proud of yourself but also precisely why you were pleased with your efforts. And a cause-and-effect diary can help you become more decisive by reminding you of all the wise, life-affirming choices you have made. Your diary should be small enough to be readily portable and on hand whenever possible because the faster you put your thoughts down on paper, the more authentic your declarations are apt to be.

Regardless of the type of focused diary you choose to keep, your recollections will create a positive feedback loop that helps you cope with doubt in a constructive way. Reading through your diary when life seems uncertain can show you that your misgivings are unfounded. As you draw consolation from your uplifting words, you will know without a doubt that you are indeed living your purpose and following the path that you committed to before birth.