But life does not have to be all pain and suffering only to be enjoyed on the porch of irony whilst drinking the bitter Kool-aid of Nihilism. What about the wonderful moments? What about those perfect days?
The song is 'Strawberry Swing' by Coldplay. Released as a single September 2009, it comes from the Album 'Viva La Vida or Death and All his Friends'. An album I consider to be one of the greatest ever made. The song itself is a four minute daydream. Normally I don't include the music video but this one is just too good to pass up. It perfectly captures the gentle whimsy of a lovely thought.
It is a profoundly different take on memory than in part one's discussion of Old Apartment. There, the narrative came from noticing changes in walls, items left behind in the old apartment. The specific details within the song brought forth memories and narrative which in turn gave meaning. And from that meaning came the feelings of pain and regret and even hope.
The narrative in Strawberry Swing reverses this process. Here detail isn't king, it isn't even important. Chris Martin's telling or memory is vague in detail with only a few fleeting specifics which are themselves are either vaguely or entirely disconnected. What does stretch between them is a feeling. A calm feeling. A peaceful feeling. Pure happiness. This feeling generates a search for the meaning. "I feel good, but why?" Something good must have happened. And in that search we stumble upon the vague details within. Vague but beautiful.
I had an experience much like the one outlined in above. I drove by my childhood home in the snow this evening. A wonderful feeling had slipped into my mind. Why? I was in a good place. A place where I was innocent and life was simple. Though the size of the world has shrunk and the trees are much larger, there is still snow on the lawns and Christmas lights on the roofs. The memories still live there. I remembered the drive home from my Grandparents' house Christmas Eve. Racing out of the car inside because that would somehow make the morning come sooner. Only bits and pieces of full memories. But they are good. And life was and is good. It's important to let the memories flood back. Thanks to Coldplay for helping us do that.
Thanks for reading. Good Luck out there.
