From a distance

[House of Mustard]

So, the other day I was driving and that old Bette Midler (I think it was Bette Midler) song came on the radio "From a distance," and it really got me wondering.

It starts off saying that, from a distance, the world really seems like a dandy place -- no hunger, no war, we're all buddies, etc.

Then the chorus says:  "God is watching us, Gofd is watching us, God is watching us, from a distance."

So.  If, from a distance, things are great, then does that imply that God thinks Earth is hunky-dory and he's not too worried about us?  Does he not realize that there is war and hunger?  Does Bette Midler suck?

[stacer]

You know, I have her greatest hits CD with that song on it, and that part of the song has bothered me for years. I wondered if I was the only one who noticed that. I think you're right, HoM--the song sucks. It's put out as this great inspirational song, but in fact it's really saying something completely opposite. I feel the same way about John Lennon's song that everybody loves so much, the one about no nations, no religion, etc? can't remember the name of it. It's his most famous song.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

"Imagine."

I don't think you're right though. Lennon is saying that this sort of idealistic arrangement is possible, BECAUSE we can imagine it.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

I like imagine because It basically says that all the awful things that are happening can be prevented if people take on some role. Wheter or not thats true is debateable, but at least he has a hopeful message. And hope is important.

[Spriggan]

am I the only one here that thinks the Beetles suck and all of them, except for Ringo (beacause then we wouldn't have his funny caveman movie), should have been shot along with Jon Lennon?

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

yes, you are.

[stacer]

In general, if I don't think too hard about Imagine, I like it. In general, it does have a message. It's just that there's a part where it says "imagine there's no god, how happy would we all be," not exactly in those words, but that's the jist. I just found the words:

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.


So yeah, it's about brotherhood, but it's also about only living for today, not thinking about eternity, and that just bugs me.

[House of Mustard]

I'm going to have to agree with SE here, Sprig.

Why do you like Ringo?  In my opinion, he was the one with the least talent of the bunch, and seemed to just be tagging along?

[Spriggan]

becasue of the funny caveman movie he did, thats the only reason why.  And he's not a communist hippy like Lennon or Harrison was, a whiney cry baby hack like McCartney.  The Beetles themselfs are the most over hyped thing in the planet, and frainly most their music sucks.  And they gave us Yoko Ono, wich is a crime to humanity.

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Man, I have to say I enjoy the Beatles music. Especially that one, "Back in the USSR." Yeah. That one gets me going.

Are there any old bands, from the 60/70's that you like Sprig?

[House of Mustard]

One thing that I will say, is that I am not a big fan of their early stuff: the Hard Day's Night album and all of that.  I love the later stuff, though.

[Spriggan]

I like a lot

Rush
styx
pink floyd
some hendrix
some eagles
The Who
simon and garfunel
david bowie
Led Zeppelin

etc...

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

If you dont care about the Beetles then the existance of Yoko Ono should matter less to you than the existance of LC industries.

I get that you dont like them, but dont like them for their music, not because one was a communist sympathiser and another was a hippie.

oh and LC industries sells cheap paper products to the US Governement

[Spriggan]

I seperate music and the artists.  I don't like lots of groups music but still like the musicians.  In this case I don;t like either.  I don't like the music becasue I don't like the people themselfs (if that makes sence).  First came not likeing the music then, once I learned what type of people they were/are, I came to not likeing the people.

[fuzzyoctopus]

*blink*

I think that, having just spent an hour lecturing my 495 class on the duality in Steinbeck, you're putting too much analysis into pop music.

But I always wondered that about "From a distance" too, if it helps.  And then I realized that music often doesn't make sense, either grammatically or lyrically and resolved to ignore the words and enjoy the music.

And for the love of all that is holy, it's the Beatles.  Not the Beetles.   Beetles are insects.  The Beatles spelled their name on purpose so it would have Beat in it, and here you ignoramouses are, spelling things the way Sprig does.