Confessions of a Classic Soul

An 80s Twilight Zone

This blog is no stranger to the Twilight Zone, namely the TV show that ran from 1959-1964. Creator and host Rod Serling combined fantasy, horror, and science fiction all-in-one iconic show.

Although the show has been revived through various spin-offs and other shows, such as Night Gallery and Outer Limits, that are very similar, only one revival has come in song form.

Prior to 1982, the Dutch band Golden Earring had found success with the song “Radar Love.” Flash foward 8 years and the band would find more fame with a song that aptly shares the same name as the beloved and eerie television show.

Golden Earring’s “Twilight Zone” pays homage to the show while exploring humanity through a unique rock lense.

“Twilight Zone” by Golden Earring

The echo effect that you hear throughout the song mirrors the television show in the sense that we get the feeling that we are traveling to a new dimension. In fact, the opening credits to the television show do just that by showing us a series of black and white images that makes us feel that we are traveling through time and space.

At the beginning of the song we hear narration that’s almost hard to hear at first. In this narration, lead singer Barry Hay talks about eternal fate and how it’s turned its back on him. If eternal fate is meant to be heaven or hell, then, in the Twilight Zone, anything but what we expect can and will happen. From seeing gremlins on a plane to watching scenes of your life before it happens, the Twilight Zone toys with human expectations and desires. We have no say in the outcome.

The first verse of the song presents a series of images and emotions, all of which point to chaos. For example, Hay talks about having no more fear, but, at the same time, he can’t decode what’s happening, and he feels like everything is spinning in a frenzy. When placed in a new dimension of time and space, it’s only natural that we humans would feel something like culture shock. Meanwhile, Hay mentions holding a gun. This gun seems inviting. Why? Because he can’t take feeling out of place. He can’t take the culture shock or the frenzy. He’s simply where he doesn’t belong, and it’s not meant for humans!

The echo effect is back, along with repetition. The chorus of the song is repeated many times, which could represent Hay’s feelings of chaos and insanity. He speaks of being cloned, proving that he feels like a different version of himself. He’s simply not himself. His actions and words might feel out of place. Or, he could be acting like himself, but he doesn’t truly feel like himself because he’s out of his element. He expands on this idea when he mentions that his beacon has been moved. This is a visual representation of a new dimension. We’re going beyond time and space now, beyond moon and star.

His mind is spinning, and lyrics of the chorus are at the forefront of it. He’s going insane in the Twilight Zone, and insanity can be described as doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. He can say these words over and over, but he’s still stuck in the Twilight Zone.

A major theme of the song is the veil between humanity and immortality. At this point, Hay can’t decode what’s real. If the bullet hits the bone, then you know that you are still you! You aren’t still stuck in the Twilight Zone! When in the Twilight Zone, what you think is happening may not actually be the case. How do you know that you’re not going to wake up back in your own life, in your own dimension? You don’t! Therefore, only bullets hitting bone can give you the answer.

Hay’s reference to a downward spiral parallels the opening credits of the television show. In those opening credits, we see a black & white top that spirals. The spiraling lets us know that we are human and spiraling ourselves away as we enter that new dimension. That new dimension can seem hypnotic, especially because we don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. We’re almost in a trance and a dream like state. That certainly is Hay’s current position.

Later on in the song, he mentions that he’s alone. He even asks, “where are you?” while he’s in that new dimension. If you’re questioning your own reality, then you are alone. There is no human connection because you’re not sure if you’re even in a human dimension! Who could possibly understand things beyond the realm of time and space!

There’s another point in the song when he talks about human guilt. It only pops up towards the end. Perhaps the is guilt for deeds and crimes done while still in the human dimension. The Twilight Zone dimension could be punishment, almost like a purgatory or a hell. In fact, in many of the Twilight Zone episodes, main characters are punished for things that they have done, mostly how they’ve treated other people in their lives. This is especially seen in several war-themed episodes.

We are no doubt at a borderline. The song itself straddles the borderline between the human dimension and the so-called fourth dimension that we really don’t know a whole lot about. Could the Twilight Zone be a metaphor for literal death? Send the souls to a space where there is nothing logical. You float through time and space with no real rhyme or reason.

Finally, we can’t admire this song without taking a moment to highlight the amazing guitar solo. It’s iconic for its contribution to early 70s rock, but what does it actually contribute to the lyrics? This solo continues to play on the themes we’ve seen so far. The improvisation takes us even further into that new dimension. It helps create visuals of mystery and fear and the unknown. If you strip the lyrics from the solo, you are still left with a kick a** guitar solo! 🎸

What Do Halloween Colors Symbolize?

Red and green will forever be the trademark colors of Christmas. Red and pink will always symbolize Valentine’s Day. Yet no one talks about the spookiest combination of colors.

Why do we associate certain colors with Halloween? Like most holidays, the origins date back to traditions from hundreds of years ago. Alongside those traditions, color symbolism also helps to signify colors and deeper meanings. Under color symbolism, black isn’t simply the absence of color, nor is green just the color of envy. There’s always more than meets the eye, especially during this eerie time of year!

Orange 🎃

Halloween comes from the Gaelic holiday Samhain. This annual festival celebrated the end of the Fall harvest and the beginning of winter.

The color orange exudes energy, warmth, and enthusiasm. For those who grow any sort of produce, there’s an excitement to see what the garden yields. In medieval times, people had to store the harvest in order to survive the harsh winter. A successful preparation for winter deserves celebration.

Orange is a warm color. It’s bright, but it is just as cozy as a fire. No wonder this is the time of year for pumpkin fanatics!

Fall = colorful leaves. Orange is one of the most prominent colors among Fall foliage. Why do leaves change colors?

As the days grow colder and the length of each day shortens, the green pigment in leaves called chlorophyll become less prominent. As a result, carotenoids, which make the orange and yellow pigments, become more prominent.

No matter what, you just can’t shake the color orange during the autumnal months!

Black �

Black is one of the most obvious colors of Fall and Halloween. In general, the color black is simply the absence of color, whereas white is the presence of all colors together. Yes, black refers to darkness, death, and fear.

Black also traces back to Halloween’s origins.
Certain cultures believed that, during the end of the harvest season, the veil between Earth and the afterlife is thinner. This also coincides with the Christian celebration of All Soul’s Day, as well as the Mexican celebration of Day of the Dead. This time of year aims to remember lost loved ones.

But remembering them also brings about the fear of ghosts, spirits, and demons. Black, then, does indeed represent fear and death. Yet it also symbolizes the fear of the unknown. If we can’t see something, it’s usually because of a lack of light. Therefore, black represents what we can’t see or know based on our senses. Our senses are dulled. Since we don’t truly know what happens after death, black stands for the fear of death and the unknown of what happens after the last mortal breath.

Green 👽

Many colors can symbolize both positive and negative emotions. Green is one of those major colors. On one hand, green is the color of growth and renewal, especially as it relates to nature and plants. On the other hand, green can also mean envy and point to the supernatural.

Why are witches’ faces usually green? We first see a witch’s green face in Margaret Hamilton’s portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz film, which turns 85 this year. Witches are usually envious, just as the Wicked Witch envies Dorothy’s Ruby Red slippers.

If you look at a bubbling cauldron, what color is the liquid inside? Typically, we continue to associate witches with the color green. Whatever a witch is brewing, we assume that it’s definitely not natural. In this case, green becomes a color of disgust and anything gross.

And why are aliens usually portrayed as green? Aliens aren’t human, so how can they possibly have the same skin color as us? They are supernatural beings, so we symbolize them with a supernatural color.

Purple 🔮

Purple is one of the prettier colors of the spooky season. It exudes mystery, magic, and wonder at the same time. Purple is also a color of luxury and royalty. Although purple is not exclusively a Halloween color, at times, we do find purple as a color of wealth in a spooky situation.

Purple provides the glitter and glam of Halloween colors. Its mysteriousness is not always a bad thing. In fact, magic itself doesn’t need to be negative. How often do we see magicians wearing hats and capes that are purple? Magicians already symbolize wonder and awe. Purple, then, is not necessarily an evil color.

Yellow ⚱️

Sunshine and optimism! That’s likely what you’re thinking when you hear the color yellow. Yellow is another one of those colors that can go to extremes. On the positive side, sure, you have a brightness and energy. Hope! On the other hand, yellow can be a sickly color. It can also represent mental illness, such as in the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In this famous American story, the protagonist is a woman who is suffering from PTSD and becomes obsessed and haunted with the yellow wallpaper around her.

In addition, think of yellow as a color of decay. Are Dracula’s fangs always purely white? There’s no way that zombies don’t have yellow teeth, if they have any teeth at all.

Also, consider jaundice, otherwise known as yellow coloring of the eyes and skin. Jaundice is usually always a sign of declining health. In some cases, you can go wrong with the color yellow.

Red 🩸

Red will always be the color of blood. When it comes to Halloween, you can’t really assign any other meaning to the color red, except that it can also represent urgency or warning.

Spooky Pop Culture and Colors

Let’s take a quick look at some popular Halloween characters and how they incorporate specific colors into their personality.

Naturally we must consider the Sanderson sisters. In Hocus Pocus, each of the three sisters wears a different colored cloak. Here’s how the colors symbolize each witch’s character:

Winifred (Winnie): Green is the color for the sassy ringleader. As the eldest sister, Winnie has had to take care of her sisters. Green represents growth and renewal in terms of her sisterly role, but envy soon creeps in. She’s greedy in that she’s hellbent on taking children’s lives in order to become younger and immortal. And if that’s not enough, she was once envious because Sarah had stolen her lover, Billy. We all know who it was who sewed his mouth shut out of jealously…
Mary: She dons red, which, surprisingly, doesn’t represent much in the way of blood. Mary provides a huge source of comic relief, but when she’s not doing so, she is able to “smell” children. Red, here, symbolizes urgency and warning. Mary is the child detector.
Sarah: As the youngest sister, Sarah embodies purple because she is more attractive, especially to men in the 20th century. She is also the one who sings the spell that lures children to the witches’ home. This makes Sarah mysterious and enchanting.

Meanwhile, Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story, “The Masque of the Red Death” is full of color symbolism. You can read more about the colorful rooms in Prince Prospero’s palace here.

Finally, let’s take a look at the duality of characters who wear both black and white. Black and white together has always created an eerie mood. After all, the Addams Family TV show aired in the 1960s, when shows were now colorized. Sticking to sepia helped the show to skyrocket to its Gothic fame.

Yet some famous characters juxtapose themselves!

Starting with Art the Clown, who is the demonic slasher in the Terrier franchise, this murderer wears a black and white clown suit, as well as black and white makeup. When he’s not wielding a weapon and bathing himself in blood, the silent clown acts innocent. He can often be seen making humorous gestures, as if he were a true circus clown. His clothing suggests a dual personality. He might be literal fear and death, but there is a very, very slight part of him that deceives the viewers into believing and hoping that he’s just a normal ol’ clown. The white toys with our expectations.

Then of course there’s the one and only Beetlejuice, whose black and white pinstriped suit is a popular choice for Halloween costumes. There are so many things you could say about this demon, but his humorous side makes up a large portion of his character. Granted, he’s a selfish and manipulative demon, but the audience would like to believe that there is a slight part of him who does actually want to help others. In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, we see that he did fall in love at one time. Does his green hair imply envy? After all, he is always trying to get a bride…

So, as you munch away on your candy corn, maybe it’s time to wonder just how Halloween colors are at play this spooky season!

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Random Things You Need in Your Car

Chances are you have your spare tire. Perhaps you have an auto kit with jumper cables and tools necessary for if you break down. Yes, you probably have an air freshener and snow brush, too.

You never know where life will take you, and you’ll rely on your car to take you there. Here is a list of items you may never have thought about stocking in your trunk, console, or glove compartment.

Survival Basics

First aid kit
An unopened water bottle and/or an empty cup
An extra change of clothes, shoes, and toiletries
A flashlight
A blanket
Napkins, tissues, and/or paper towels

Stuck in the City?

Umbrella
Hand sanitizer
Reusable grocery bags
Roll of quarters for street meters
Extra cash (like $5) hidden just in case of emergency
Rechargeable battery or charger for electronics
Pen and paper/notebook
Lint roller (also great if you often travel with your pets)

Car Care

Bottle or jug of window wash cleaner
Silicone spray to prevent doors from freezing in the winter
An extra rag or two, especially if you need to check your oil
A wet wipe to clean the interior
A microfiber cloth to clean the radio screen

Why Not?

To wrap up, here are a couple of things that may sound odd but could just come in handy!

Small trashcan
A paper map (vintage, I know!), in case your phone dies
A decal sticker or two for fun 😊

Whatever you choose to keep in your car, make sure you create a safe and personalized ride!

Poetry in Motion

Poetry: you either love it or hate it. Those who appreciate poetry understand its beauty and how its form, rhythm, imagery, and figurative language paint human emotion and the world around us. Many forms of art can be considered “poetic.” But what is poetry?

Over time, poetry has been described as:

“The best words in the best order” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“The craft of making” – Ben Jonson
“The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings . . . recollected in tranquility” – William Wordsworth
“Speech framed . . . to be heard for its own sake and interest even over and above its interest of meaning” -Gerard Manley Hopkins

Typically, poetry is written in verse, which means that song lyrics count as poetry. Whether considered lyrics or literature, poetry doesn’t necessarily have to rhyme or have a meter. In modern poetry, poets experiment with a free verse style of poetry rather than conforming to strict forms and syllable counts like with the Shakespearean sonnet.

In 1960, a song by Johnny Tillotson hit the airwaves and experimented with poetry. Aptly called “Poetry in Motion,” the song describes a woman AS poetry in motion while being, in and of itself, literal poetry in motion!

“Poetry in Motion” by Johnny Tillotson

The song begins with Tillotson singing acapella, which shows how poetry can be very simple, without any fluffy language. In this way, poetry, even as song lyrics, can be filled with raw emotion.

As the bass line enters with a bold saxophone, the song echoes bits of The Diamonds’ “Batman, Wolfman, Frankenstein, or Dracula.”

The lady in question is a metaphor, as Tillotson is calling her poetic. All poetry moves. When reading or hearing poetry, you should notice rhythm and pace. Rhyme and repetition can help move a poem along. Sometimes poems are sing-songy. Sometimes they can be very wordy. Either way, there is some type of movement, or meter. It’s not coincidence that music does the same. Every song has a meter and tempo.

So, when Tillotson repeatedly calls attention to the lady’s “locomotion,” he is likely referencing her physical movements and comparing them to how smoothly poetry reads. Then again, he is also likely commenting on her physical body (locomotion sounds like caboose….he’s probably staring at her butt). In 1960, however, he wasn’t going to say that straightaway!

The lady sways – again, much like the rhythm and rhyme of poetry. Even if a poem is written in free verse without any rhyme or specific meter, there is typically some type of flow. For example, there could be a back and forth of short lines and long lines to keep the reader progressing through the poem.

And that’s exactly what this lady is doing for Tillotson, whether she knows it or not!

“She’s much to nice to rearrange”
-Johnny Tillotson – “Poetry in Motion” (1960)

Perhaps one of the best lines in the song is, “she’s much to nice to rearrange.” What gets revised and edited in poetry? Much revision goes towards word choice and word order. In writing, diction refers to an author/poet’s word choice while syntax refers to how words and sentences are rearranged.

In Tillotson’s case, he doesn’t want to rearrange his lover. He likes her the way she is, which is very sweet and flattering. Yet, this song is poetry about poetry. When looking at the song itself, listeners can notice the diction and syntax within the song.

For instance, the lyrics are arranged to say “a-swinging gracefully.” This is both a syntax and stylistic choice. He could’ve stressed other syllables in the word “gracefully,” but the “a” adds extra depth to the line, as well as a little quirkiness characteristic of ’50s and ’60s music. Meanwhile, the line “wave out on the ocean” may sound a little awkward at first. Instead of singing something simpler like “ocean’s wave,” this line had to align with the rhythm of the rest of the song.

Poetry can still be flowery and embellished. Toward the end of the song, the female background vocals add an extra oomph to the optimism of the song.

To add even more embellishment, Tillotson includes a reference, also called an allusion, to another song that listeners of that time period would automatically know. “Love Potion No. 9” tells the tale of a man who becomes infatuated with everyone he sees as a result of a love potion that he drinks. Tillotson mentions the song to make a comparison. He says that a love potion couldn’t make him adore the lady more than he already does – another sweet and poetic sentiment!

Just as a frame story is a story that talks about another story, Tillotson “a-gracefully” pulls off talking about a lady who is like a poem, all while singing a poem. How poetic!

Before You Go…

Don’t forget to listen to (and follow) the Guilty Pleasures of a Classic Soul playlist, which compiles all songs featured on Monthly Mixtape reviews here on Confessions of a Classic Soul! You can listen on Spotify!

Cruise Tips By a First Timer

Ahoy! Summer vacation season may be coming to a quick close, but many travelers longing to get away book cruises any time of year. First time cruisers can easily feel overwhelmed by such a daunting trip, especially if they’ve never sailed before.

If I hadn’t had a veteran cruiser with me, I still might be on the ship! So if you’re considering taking a cruise for the first time, or are an expert looking for a few extra tips and tricks, read on!

Quick Plane Tips

Need to travel by plane before making your way to the ship dock? Take it from someone who would rather travel with wheels on the ground: chances are the plane won’t crash. But if you’re still paranoid…

Always chew gum when the plane ascends and descends. Your ears will thank you.
If you’re next to the window, don’t be afraid to use the blind. If you want to look out at the puffy clouds, open the blind. If you have anxiety, close it.
Don’t be rude! No need to block the aisles while everyone is trying to pile into seats while boarding. If you’re taking something into the seat with you (book, snack, etc.), have it ready so you can just load your carry-on above the seat and then sit.
Nervous? Take those deep breaths, even if you think it’s stupid. The stewardess will give you something to drink. You’ll be okay.

Stepping on the Ship

Holy Mother of Pearl! Yes, cruise ships are ginormous. If you’ve never been on one before, you will be in disbelief at how long it is and how many decks there are.

When you get to the port, be sure to listen to instructions and follow signs. For the most part, everything is labeled. Someone or something will tell you when you need your passport or where to set your luggage. From the time you arrive at the port to the time you return to go home, someone should be available to help. Hospitality is a huge characteristic among the port and ship staff. So if you’re not sure about something, ask!

What about luggage? You can have a porter take it to your room, or you can keep track of it yourself. However, unless you want to tote around your heavy luggage as you get accustomed to the ship, a porter is recommended. Just be mindful that porters expect a cash tip for transporting your luggage.

Lost Yet?

Unless you’ve been on the exact same ship before, or have an impeccable flair for navigation, you WILL get lost. Look for a map/directory on the ship and consult it often. The hardest thing to remember is what side of the ship you’re on and what side you’re trying to get to.

Port Side = Left Side of Ship

Starboard Side = Right Side of Ship

Also, if your cruise ship has a mobile app for you to use during the duration of your trip, consult it frequently. This will help you know what deck to go to for specific events, including your muster station in case of an emergency. Don’t worry, you can’t actually get too lost on the ship. Just head to the main deck and walk the length of it until you get to the other side. Now you’ll be turned around!

And don’t be afraid to take the steps instead of waiting for the elevator. EVERYONE waits for an elevator.

Food and Dining

You will NOT starve on a cruise ship, as there are countless options to choose from! Every ship has a main dining hall, but there are usually several other restaurants that are a bit more casual. There may be a restaurant or two that is not included in your paid dining plan. In other words, you may need to pay at certain restaurants as you would on shore. Depending on the cruise line, dinners in the main dining hall may require or suggest a specific dress code. If you’ve ever watched an episode of the Love Boat, then you probably know that formal attire can be essential. However, this is no longer the ’70s. Just check with your ship to see if you need to pack your black-tie wardrobe. In some cases, a ship may have themed dinners. One night you might dress casually and the next dress your best.

When do you grow hungry? During the booking process, you’ll likely choose when you plan to eat at the main dining hall. This does not mean you have to eat every single meal at the dining hall. You simply reserve a time slot. Perhaps you want to eat during the earlier time slot of 5-6pm. Or, maybe you have booked a lot of evening shows and want to eat closer to 8 or 9. Every ship’s dining process is different. For example, my cruise offered an option where I could go to eat anytime during a certain, extended time slot. This ended up not being the best choice because all guests who selected this option would coincidentally show up at 6:30! The line to get in was ridiculous. We were encouraged to reserve a dining time, which seemed to defeat the purpose of the anytime dining option.

Before my first cruise, family and friends kept encouraging me to try new foods. “If you don’t like it,” they said, “order something else.” I tried a number of new foods during the week, and I’ve been an extremely picky eater since age 5! But if you’re someone who doesn’t like to waste food if you don’t like something (like me), then I recommend not trying every item on the menu–unless you’re my aunt who one night seriously ordered every dessert on the menu to try!

Finally, understand that you’re on a cruise and the staff’s job is to service you. One of the biggest habits to get used to while on a cruise is being waited on. The waiter’s job is to clear the table, serve the food, push in chairs, and place napkins over laps. If you’re not used to such treatment and would rather be independent, then you might have a bit of a learning curve. It’s a nice learning curve, but definitely odd at first!

Excursions

Chances are, you’re on a destination cruise, meaning that the ship will be stopping at different ports. But what do you do once you get there? Many cruisers will book excursion activities, like guided tours, through the cruise line website. If you don’t want to get stuck doing activities with a big group of strangers, it is possible to book excursions through smaller, third-party sites. For instance, I ended up on an island tour that had four tourists from the ship present, myself being one of them. If you choose to go the third-party route, just be very careful that the details align. In some cases, you might need to break away from the ship crowd in order to get to your activity. The good news is that you can usually find someone from that excursion company holding a sign. So if you book an excursion through XYZ Excursions (yes, I made that up), you will find your tour guide holding an XYZ sign.

On the flipside, you can create your own excursion activities on the spot, especially if it’s a beach day!

Random Tips Before Setting Sail

Before sending you off on your ocean adventure, here are a few other pieces of advice:

Cruising days are days when the ship is sailing and not docking anywhere. Even if you don’t typically experience motion sickness, these days may make you a bit woozy.
Listen, if the pool rules tell you not to reserve seats, don’t be a jerk about it. Share the love…and fun. Everyone’s there for the same reason.
Speaking of pools…beat the massive crowds by going to early in the morning right after the pool opens, or late at night.
When at the pools, you have to rent towels from a towel station. Unreturned towels will result in a fee on your account.
Watch as many shows on the ship as you can! If you’re able to reserve a seat for free (Royal Caribbean offers this), then book the seats! You won’t find better world-class entertainment!
Tip the staff. You can automatically tip your staff when you pay for your cruise, or you can allocate higher tips to certain staff members you like best (you’re given this option at the end of your cruise). Check your cruise line’s guidelines for more instructions about tips.
Visit every deck at least once!
Keep track of your spending! Cruise lines with mobile apps let you keep track of your spending by showing you your onboard account. You may even be able to access your account information on the smart TV in your room. If a charge doesn’t look right, then go to guests services, wherever it is on the ship. I had a discount that didn’t go through on merchandise I bought, so I had to go to guest services to avoid an extra charge.
Departure is similar to your arrival. The main difference is that you will be assigned a specific group number and time slot in which you will leave the ship. Sounds more nerve wracking than it actually is!
Be courteous with the staff! They are required to be professional, but they will converse with you and ensure you’re having a splendid time!

Although you might not be a pro sailor by the time you arrive or depart the ship, these tips can help you start to mature your sea legs. Bon voyage!

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How to Commemorate Memorial Day Year-Round

Congratulations! You can officially wear white after today. At least, that’s according to an old American tradition. But while today is usually summer kick-off with barbecues and family gatherings, many Americans are continuing to find ways to truly honor all those who have served (and still are) our country in countless ways.

Commemorating those who have sacrificed time, talent, and even lives doesn’t have to involve elaborate and complicated gestures. Obviously, today isn’t the only day you can commemorate either.

The true meaning of Memorial Day, both today and all year round, can be simple, yet profound:

Memorial Day Commemorations

Praying for those who have died while serving our country or those who still are
Looking at photos or sharing memories of loved ones who once served
Visiting a cemetery / placing flags on graves
Educate yourself – read up on events and battles in American history and learn how various historical figures served the country
Reflect on what you’re grateful for every day
Donate or get involved in charities connected to veteran organizations
Think of one veteran you know/have known. Consider all the ways how your life would be different without that person.
Not all of us are cut out for military service. That doesn’t mean we haven’t also served our country in other ways. Reflect on what you’ve done in your own life that counts as service
How can you become more involved in your own community?
Without getting political, just reflect on the American values we all share
Think of people you’ve lost in your own life. How do you / can you honor a loved one’s life?
Light a candle in memory of someone
Stay kind and polite

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A Personal Jesus for Your Easter Basket

The Easter Bunny may have hopped off your lawn by now, but the celebratory joy, hope, and peace that define the holiday don’t simply disappear one calendar day later. In Catholicism, Easter is 50-day season, encouraging continued rejoicing in the power of Jesus’ resurrection and God’s love.

Many Christian reflections will remind you that although Jesus died for everyone’s sins, He specifically died for you. His love, like that of a shepherd who sets out to save one lost sheep of the flock, is personal. We each have unique spiritual relationships.

But how does a loving relationship with Jesus spill over into our daily lives and other relationships? While we can’t be perfect like Jesus, we are able to model the loving humility with which He served.

Could we take this powerful spiritual relationship and humanize it too much? Or, can we balance it with love and understanding, looking to Jesus as the perfect model?

In the mid-1980s, New Wave and Synthpop took the music world by storm, and one of the most influential (and of course British) bands that helped to shape and define that era of music is none other than Depeche Mode.

Known for their mysterious and sometimes dark poetic lyrics, Depeche Mode has explored many facets of human and spiritual nature. Although their “Personal Jesus” is undoubtedly one of their most popular songs, it has also received criticism for the way in which this spiritual relationship with Jesus is presented. Other critics claim the song is about addiction.

Is there any merit to these religious claims, or are we just not seeing the beauty in such a poetic masterpiece?

The soft echo at the beginning of the song hints that something divine is coming our way. Then enter the synthpop sound.

The first verse commences with the idea of faith as physical. If faith is to believe, then our ability to “reach out / touch faith” is a complete oxymoron. On one hand, it implies that faith relies on our ability to touch that belief, as if we’re insulting the actual point of faith. But, according to scripture, isn’t faith without works dead? We need to see or do to believe? Well, not always. After His resurrection, Jesus tells His disciple Thomas that “blessed are those who have not seen and yet lieve [in Him].” Yet, don’t we desire to simply reach out and touch Jesus? Disciples in the New Testsment were able to when Jesus performed miracles? No matter the case, we must believe without hugging Jesus.

Now we turn to prayer. Sure, we can hear each other’s oral prayers and intercessions, but we aren’t the ones to answer them. Is the song implying that God, because we can’t physically poke Him in the arm, can’t be trusted to answer those prayers? Do we need that physical person in front of us just to feel any better? That would go against religion entirely.

In the second verse, Gahan sings of being alone. A relationship with God or Jesus, however, is not meant to be lonely. God is love, and Christians encounter it through the Holy Spirit, which wouldn’t be possible without Jesus. God is not distant and angry. He wants that loving, personal, and spiritual relationship, which means, if present, you are not alone. You’re also not unknown. A God who knows everything about you, including the number of hairs on your head, is more intimate than a human lover.

Meanwhile, as the song continues, that lonely person is “flesh and bone by the telephone,” which hints at denying Jesus was incarnate, both God and Man, fully human and divine. You can’t form an intimate relationship with God if you see him as some far off power in the sky who is going to strike you with lightning at every wrong turn. This is why God sent His only beloved Son (Jesus) to be born into the world and connect with us through our own human nature.

Here the song seems to be focusing on a strictly human encounter that seeks to model Jesus. Just confess to anyone and don’t worry about anything divine. How would that work and be truly fulfilling?”

However, these are criticisms of “Personal Jesus.” At first glance, it sounds blasphemous, acting as though a romantic relationship alone could satisfy a spiritual one. Yet, we can flip this song on its head.

Although we’re not divine, we as humans are called to be Christ to others. We rely on each other for emotional support. We’re called to serve others by listening, caring, consoling, offering and accepting forgiveness. All of this is ALSO KNOWN AS LOVE for each other. The relationship in the song still meets those requirements.

A marriage is a covenant: a promise to each other and to God. We mirror the love God has for us in our relationships. So, by that theology, we all need people in our lives who are like a personal Jesus. A lover cannot replace Jesus. He is the Lord and Savior, after all.

So “Personal Jesus” isn’t completely wrong. There are hints at good intentions, yet it is a bit blasphemous on the surface, without any deeper interpretation.

And this is why it’s fun to analyze songs from all sorts of angles!

Before You Go…

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What Kids These Days Will Never Know How To Do

If you or someone you know has claimed to have been forced to walk to school uphill both ways, in the snow, and with one shoe that you had to share with your brother on the way home, then this post is for YOU.

2024 is nothing like 1924. History moves forward, and generations inevitably change. So much has evolved within the last 30-40 years alone! With technological advancements and lifestyle rearrangements, youth today will just never know how to do certain things.

Here’s a glimpse at the aptitudes some will not, or may not need, to develop.

Checkbooks

Online platforms and services have taken our daily lives by storm. Our streaming subscriptions are directly deducted from our checking accounts. Our paychecks are automatically deposited. All we need to do is provide a routing number or simply link our accounts on our own. In mere seconds we can transfer and receive money.

Why would a young person need to know how to balance a checkbook by hand? Online statements and activity logs show us exactly where our money is.

True, this automatic system isn’t without error. Humans can still misplace money. Maybe you thought you had more in your account than you did, but you forgot that you spent money on a birthday gift. Or perhaps a subscription fee doubled without you realizing it. People may not be physically writing down expenditures in a physical check register, but the inevitable need to manage finances remains.

Writing in Cursive

Okay, start the debate! Should cursive be taught in schools? In fact, Pennsylvania has been looking into requiring it in the curriculum.

A signature is a valuable identity marker–not taking forgery into account, of course. When told to sign your name, could you imagine freezing and staring at a paper. Sign? You mean I can’t print? How do I sign my name?

Fine, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but not every signature in life can be done simply by clicking a square. We write and sign our names probably at least once a day! It can’t be ignored.

Sure, kids can grow up and learn to scribble, but where’s the honor and dignity in that? Would you expect your favorite celebrity to draw a squiggle and pretend it spells anything at all?

Tune a Radio

Nowadays, music is streamed just about everywhere. Even local radio stations provide opportunities for listeners to listen via online media players. Tuning a radio to find a clear station is quickly becoming a task of the past.

Kids won’t need to bother with positioning antennas in the right direction or adjusting dials bit by bit until a station is perfectly clear without a scream of static.

Stereos and boomboxes are fading (unless you’re a DJ), thanks to supply and demand.

Read an Analog Clock

I teach 8th and 10th graders. Would you believe that some 16-year-olds don’t know how to read a clock that has hands instead of digital numbers? In my classroom, I have a cute and simple analog clock hung on the wall so I can glance up and keep track of my lesson timing. Students will ask me what time it is. Um… look on the wall….and then students begin discussing how they never learned to read an analog clock.

Not every clock in the world is digital, yet our pocket-sized cellular wonders are never far from our grasp. So do we even need analog clocks anymore? Besides, most kids prefer smart watches over basic analog ones.

Reference Books

Does R come before Q? With instant internet access, we no longer need to flip through dictionaries or encyclopedias. Ask Google what you’re looking for, and you’re good to go. But isn’t there something exciting about flipping through a book to find information? It’s almost like a scavenger hunt. True, it’s not always practical when searching for large amounts of information, but reference books, including maps, aren’t necessarily obsolete, just not as popular anymore.

Driving a Stick Shift

Don’t ask me to say more about driving a car with a manual transmission. I’m too young for that and have no clue!

Sewing

Finally, many youth today don’t know how to sew their own clothes, especially if they weren’t offered a family consumer science class in school. I sewed a pair of pants for a student once because I was tired of seeing the same hole in her uniform slacks.

Truth be told, I’m no sewing expert. I was taught to sew a button in high school, but I had to look to my mom for learning the rest.

Without basic sewing skills, today’s youth will either throw away tattered clothes or wear them out completely. We don’t have to be sewing experts, but the ability to fix a tear is oddly gratifying–and practical!

Aptitudes must change with the times, but a little nostalgia won’t hurt either!
-Classic Confession

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Winter’s Strain on Romance

In literature, figurative language is widely used to build connections for the reader. Imaginative and flowery language help readers to make comparisons and engage with the text. Likewise, metaphors and other figurative devices allow writers to deliver strong emotions and express their message.

Because song lyrics are essentially poetry, music also makes great use of figurative language. Even if the singer isn’t the songwriter, singers usually take the written figurative language and perform it in a way that evokes meaning.

Rockabilly artist Johnny Horton was one of these singers. Even if he didn’t compose the lyrics, he knew how to keep the tone light-hearted or mournful.

Between the late 1950s and early 1960s, Horton’s popularity grew as he joined the ranks of pioneer Rockabilly performers (Rock + Country = Rockabilly). Many of Horton’s notable songs were ditties that retold the stories of past historical events, such as in “North to Alaska,” “The Battle of New Orleans,” and “Sink the Bismarck.”

On the flipside, Horton also had a knack for passionate vocals, especially for ballads and songs of romance.

Now combine figurative language and emotive country boy Johnny Horton….BAM! The result is beautiful and moving; Horton’s 1959 song “Whispering Pines” is no exception. This song is perfect for this time of year between a dreary January and heart-filled (or broken) Valentine’s Day.

“Whispering Pines” by Johnny Horton

“Whispering Pines” opens with a very haunting introduction on account of the descending backing vocals. That female voice immediately sets the somber tone. It’s almost like snow drifting to the ground!

Personification is a type of figurative language where an inanimate object or animal is given human-like qualities. This song is packed with personification, as winter “calls” and pine trees “whisper.” Not only does this language set the sorrowful mood, but it shows just how heartbroken and desperate Horton is at the loss of his love.

Nature, here, is also accurately portrayed in some cases, as in the mourning dove. Horton compares his own loneliness to the saddened coos of a mourning dove. The heartbreak isn’t an isolated experience because Horton is attempting to find connection and comparison in the outside environment.

When the wind blows through trees, there is a whispering sound as the pine needles sway back and forth. At least, this is the picture that Horton is picturing. That “whispering” is echoed in the backing vocals from the beginning of the song. Yes, the trees are being personified here and can’t actually whisper, but, again, Horton is making comparisons to nature. He is in such lonely solitude that all he hears is this whispering. His only friend and comfort right now comes from the trees blowing in the wind. Desperately, he laments about losing his love and begs for answers…even if he’s pleading to trees.

Although the imagery of the squirrel and his mate might remind you of a cartoon-type of romance, Horton is still making comparisons. It’s pretty bad if the squirrels have a better love life than you!

All around him, Horton sees love unfold while he only wants his to return. He can only rely on nature to help him. In other words, there isn’t much he can do. Whether or not his baby comes to him is no longer in his control. He has no choice but to let life take its toll.

The repetition of “whispering pines” and other alliterative sounds in the lyrics continue to echo Horton’s sorrow. Unfortunately, we don’t learn if there is a happy ending.

Before You Go…

Make sure you listen to and follow the Guilty Pleasures of a Classic Soul playlist!