As I drove my daughter to school and asked what she wanted to listen to, she selected and we listened to the sound track for Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. A marvelous cinematic masterpiece from the time of my youth (with deep spiritual significance, if one decides to look carefully). The song that stuck with me for the rest of the day was/is...
Pure Imagination, by Gene Wilder
The simple uncluttered melody and "every-man charm" of Wilder's performance render's the song immediately attainable for the listener. The true triumph, however, are the lyrics. When you truly listen and allow yourself to envision yourself in the song, it takes on new meaning. This is about the possibility... or rather reality of our ability to shape our reality. This can happen personally, on a smaller scale or universally, on a much grander scale. This song is about the unseen power of manifestation. One of the keys to this manifestation is the coherence of one's thought, so the simplicity of the song is a key to understanding its hidden treasures. Take a listen, and see if it touches you in the same place (you might want to close your eyes and provide your own visuals)...
Listening to Pure Imagination over and over brought to mind another song and artist with which I only recently became acquainted.
Act I: The Pledge (Eternal Sunshine) [Full 15-Minute Version], by Jay Electronica.
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I had heard about Jay Electronica off and on for a little while, but never pursued any of his music. (Maybe it just wasn't time yet.) I finally sought to listen to some of his work a couple of weeks ago and I was amazed. His thoughts, lyrics and delivery are amazing and he really inspired me. This particular song - a 15 minuet suite that tells a story and has Jay giving a few short rhymes that serve as an introduction to his person, his direction and purpose - I found (and still find) to be an excellent artistic work, lyrically, musically, and spiritually... rough edges and all. This is kind of like a modern day Pure Imagination, specifically designed for our people, with respect to where we are and where we can go. If the key to manifestation is found in Pure Imagination's thought power, then Eternal Sunshine is an example of how far and wide our thoughts can and should be, in order to escape the prison of today's commonly accepted reality. Jay's lyrics will require analysis and study, as well as his choice of samples (especially the clip of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad), which will make subsequent listenings all the more insightful. This gives me hope for the future of the culture (of Hip-Hop), our people, and of humanity at large... and serves as a personal reminder to me of the importance of my own thoughts and how they shape the manifestation of my own Universe. Take a listen for yourself...
Until next time, remember, all of life is sound - keep listening...
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