Skipping by Eddie Vedder

I don’t know what it means to be a parent.

As a teacher I’m responsible for my “kids,” but at the end of the day, they go home to their parents and I go home to my wife and my dog.

I’ve talked to parents, read books about parents and I’m currently watching Parenthood on Netflix. Parenthood is something that is on my mind not only because of my profession but because it’s something that God-willing will be part of my future.

I first heard Eddie Vedder’s “Skipping,” in a funeral. Throughout the service stories of an 18-year old boy filled the church. A couple pews in front of me I could see between a mother’s grief as she listened to people talk about her son.



When I read in the program that an Eddie Vedder song would be played during the service, I was surprised. My exposure to Eddie Vedder was pretty limited and my main impression of him came from Pearl Jam’s controversial hit, “Jeremy.” But as the voice of a young girl squeaked out between a calming guitar line and Vedder’s distinctive baritone started, I realized I was listening to something very special.

Vedder wrote “Skipping,” for his daughter as part of the charity album, Every Mother Counts, dedicated to addressing the issue of maternal mortality during pregnancy. This song was one of the mother’s and the son’s favorites. As the song played, each lyrics seemed to be written about their relationship.

The simple act of holding hands, which we take for granted, was a central way that this mother and son communicated their love. Like the service, this song is full of thanksgiving and cherishing the moments that bring true meaning into life.

“Forever we’ll talk and forever we’ll drown in each other skipping around,” could not have meant more in that moment as we all sat there contemplating how forever could exist in the memories we hold in our hearts.

The most powerful story that was told during the service was about how the son would feel after surgery.  This boy had to go through many difficult medical procedures in his life and he would wake up confused after the operations, not understanding what had happened or where he was. Then his mom would reach through the jungle of tubes and wires to hold his hand. He would know immediately that it was his mom and he would calm down. As Vedder sings, “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men,” could not keep this mom from holding her son’s hand.

This service and "Skipping," gave me a glimpse of the love between a mother and a child.  More than that it made me realize how much I don't understand about the human heart.  There's so much I have yet to experience in life and while that fact is intimidating, it's kind of exciting.

There's a lot of amazing things on this planet but I'm not sure I'll ever witness something quite as powerful and beautiful as the love I saw during that service of a parent for a child. 

Badlands by Bruce Springsteen

One of my friends jokingly said that Springsteen doesn’t sing his own songs in his concerts because the audience sings along. People pay big bucks to go to his shows sing in a big group like a live Karaoke band. 

Of course, I disagree with this.  Springsteen works harder on stage than most musicians, half his age.  But I didn't understand how meaningful his music really was until I heard "Badlands" at the end of a funeral service. 

Singing along to music can mean very different things to different people. Sometimes it’s nostalgia and other times it’s just loosing yourself in music through euphoric joy. You can have a song that is not that deep or meaningful and sing-along with a stadium full of people and have fun. It’s an amazing thing.  But with Bruce Springsteen, it’s more than that.

Imagine yourself at a Black Eyed Peas concert singing these lyrics along with the band:

I gotta feeling...
That tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good, good night!

Now try to imagine singing these words along with Bruce and the E Street Band:

Lights out tonight,
trouble in the heartland.
Got a head-on collision,
smashin' in my guts, man.
I'm caught in a crossfire,
that I don't understand.

I’m not making the argument that the Black Eyed Peas are an inferior band (I did that in this earlier post). But they are doing something very different and singing along to “I Gotta Feeling,” means something different than singing along to “Badlands.”

Springsteen tells the story of a man who through struggles and hardships realizes some truths about life. The first verse talks about being in a figurative “head-on collision” and a “crossfire.” He’s fed up. He doesn’t care for the “same old played out scenes” and he wants something real. It’s the same fear and reservation that is expressed “Thunder Road,” of a life that may go to waste through inaction.

The chorus states that the sorrow and broken hearts of the past as a price that you have to pay to make these badlands, these rough times in our lives to “start treating us good.”  The second verse continues these conclusion that the protagonist has made:

Poor man wanna be rich
Rich man wanna be king
And a king ain't satisfied
Till he rules everything

These are the truths about human nature and greed. In understanding these things we realize that it’s love, faith and hope as Springsteen sings that will raise us up, not wealth.  The bridge is a stirring and proud declaration of unity and perseverance:

For the ones who had a notion,
A notion deep inside.
That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive,
I wanna find one face that ain't looking through me,
I wanna find one place, I wanna spit in the face of these badlands.

"Badlands" symbolizes all of the people who try to keep us down and Springsteen stirs the spirit inside of us to throw those shackles aside, be glad that we’re alive and search for meaning in the relationships that truly matter.

From the first opening riff, “Badlands,” is a celebration. The guitar solos and Clarence’s incredible saxophone solo are like the ending of “Thunder Road,” extended out into one amazing feeling of liberation.

Springsteen’s music and songs like “Badlands,” hold profound spiritual meaning for people. Singing along to these songs inspires people with strength and hope.

On my desk is a memorial card for a young man who died at the age of 18. On the front is his picture and on the back is information about the young man and the memorial service. About halfway down the back is a small cross and below the cross are these lyrics:

Well, I believe in the love
that you gave me.
I believe in the faith
that could save me.
I believe in the hope and
I pray that some day,
It may raise me
above these Badlands . . .

“Badlands,” isn’t just another pop song. Bruce Springsteen is not just another rock star. To this young man’s family, his words are an expression of what made this life that is now over, meaningful.  As I sat there in the church I couldn't help but softly sing-along, closer to a prayer than a song with grace and thanksgiving.

Thunder Road - Part 2: What else can we do now?

Sometimes life answers our prayers in ways that we don’t expect.

Yes, Mary can hide from the world, throw down the gift of roses and push away the boys that have tried to comfort her. She can wait for some figure, some savior to appear. What Mary doesn’t realize is that the person she is looking for is right in front of her.

He knows he’s no hero. The only way he can bring her “redemption,” bring meaning to her sins and her heartache is ride out into the open road, to escape and find freedom.



He can’t offer her the world but he can help her find it. In the simple joy of feeling the wind in her hair, and the possibility of the open road there is liberation. There’s a sense that anything can happen. With uncertainty mixed with excitement, they’ve got one more chance to strip their wings, the angelic visions of their dreams, for the reality of these wheels that can drive them to everything and anywhere. It’s a transformation from the dreams you’ve prayed for to the blessings you’ve never imagined.

The name “Thunder Road,” an allusion to a Robert Mitchum film brings images of romance, the unknown and mystery. Like a “killer in the sun,” a criminal with no where to hide they can make it to this magical place, their own personal promised land, if they run.

What does he really have to offer her? In a moment of childlike excitement he describes his guitar. There’s a sense that he is trying to impress her but then he quickly pulls back. He knows that it truly is a long walk from her front porch to his front seat. He explains that the ride isn’t free because he knows that there are things that he is asking her to sacrifice.

There are words that she longs to hear from him that he can't speak.  It’s in this acknowledgement that we realize that this is not the end of a journey but the beginning of one.  He will eventually say these words she needs to hear as he promises that he can provide her freedom.

This part of the song is all about the things that we hope for coming true in ways that we never expect. Life doesn’t always have a sense of urgency because it all seems infinite but it’s not.

We need to trade in our illusions, face the possibilities in our life and take whatever path will make our dreams come true.

Election 2012: The Land Of Hopes And Dreams

When George W. Bush was reelected as President in 2004 some of my friends who were Democrats were quite upset. By that time President Bush’s leadership he demonstrated after 9/11 had faded in people’s minds and many liberals expressed significant issues with his leadership. It wasn’t just my friends were angry with Bush being re-elected. A lot of people were spreading doomsday scenarios resulting from four more years of President Bush.

But we survived and none of my friends who said they would, actually moved to Canada.

Now the tables are turned. The same liberal negativity towards President Bush is coming from extreme conservative voices towards President Obama. The doomsdays scenarios and the criticisms are just as crazy as the far left liberal complaints about President Bush.

Is there a lot at stake in this election? Yes, but it reaches far beyond just the president. While the Electoral College renders some people’s voices moot, local elections and referendums count on every single vote, every single voice. So please do your research and vote.

I vote because even with Politics, I’m an optimist. Are their corrupt self-serving politicians out there? Of course. There’s corrupt self-serving people in every part of our society, from schools to churches, from books clubs to waiters. But we still go to these places. We don’t’ just give up on institutions because they have problems.

We are the American government. It’s not some alien entity, the government is a reflection of who we are, with all of our great traits and some features we’d rather not think about sometimes. It is the collective expression of all our greed and selfishness, but it is also an expression of our greatest hopes and dreams.

A couple months after President Obama was elected someone I knew who was conservative asked me how that “hope and dream stuff” was working out for me.

After four years it’s still working out great. I still believe in President Obama.

I don’t believe Mr. Romney is a horrible person or that he’d lead our country into an apocalyptic zombie wasteland of capitalism run wild. In many ways he would be a very similar president to President Obama. To accomplish his goals he would have to move towards the center with many of his views like President Obama had to. Any major changes he would try to make would take time to implement.

Am I worried about the economy? Yes, am I sure either Mr. Romney or President Obama have significantly better plans to fix it? Not really. It’s not like the President can literally make jobs. I don’t think President Clinton doesn't deserve the credit for the surplus, and President Bush doesn't the blame for the recession. The consequences of economic policies are passed down to latter presidents. It’s difficult to place blame or credit for something as immensely complex as the economy on one person. I trust that there are smarter people then me trying to figure this stuff out on both sides of the aisle.  Regardless of who will be elected, our economy will continue to improve, not because of one man but because of our collective will.  

The main reason I voted for President Obama is that I believe he along with the Democratic party is on the right side of history when it comes to LGBT rights and women’s rights.

Democrat Stephen A. Douglas was on the wrong side of history when it came the issue of slavery when he lost to President Lincoln.  Southern Democrats as well as some Republicans were wrong fighting against the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act.

While slavery and Civil Rights were extremely contentious issues of their time, no reasonable person in our society now would argue that our country did not move into the proper direction of protecting more people’s rights.

We are now at a similar impasse. The Supreme Court is deciding which case to hear this year about the issue of Gay Marriage. Women’s rights have once again come to the fore as a political issue. At this critical time, more than ever, we need a President who can lead on these issues, fighting to expand rights to all citizens.

Can President Obama make these changes all by himself? No, but his voice, on these issues brings comfort to those who feel disenfranchised and reminds us of the compassion within us that we sometimes forget. This is the part of us that puts aside stereotypes, and insecurities and acknowledges the basic human rights that we all deserve. Right now, every single voice that fights against hate and bigotry is literally saving lives.

I am 100% confident that future Republican candidates and Republican platforms will have very different things to say about LGBT Rights and Women’s Rights. It will take some time and there will be people like the ones whose insecurities resulted in the need for National Guard Members to escort students to school in Little Rock. But we will get through this, and America will continue to expand rights to all of its citizens.

So vote. Vote with the best inside of you. Don’t vote for a “lesser evil.” Put aside the gaffs, the jokes, and the headlines.  Think about who represents the best inside of you, the best inside of all of us. Believe in our system as we believe in ourselves. Place hope in politicians through your vote. If you don’t believe in anything or anybody, you will never be disappointed, but then again you will never know what its like to feel the glory of a dream fulfilled.

Waitin’ On A Sunny Day by Bruce Springsteen

One drop.

When it hit the top of my head, I ignored it thinking that it was just my imagination. But as Bruce continued to sing “Waitin’ On A Sunny Day” a fine mist blanketed Wrigley field.

I stood there Saturday in the second of two concerts Springsteen put on in Wrigley field. The concert had started with Springsteen laying into his harmonica blasting “Promised Land” across the city. He continued taking the audience on a journey that was the American experience.

We had seats on the field. The view of the stage was incredible but even better was the view of the stadium. You could turn around and see thousands of people rocking out in unison to the stories that Springsteen sang and the values that he preached.

I instantly recognized he opening chords to “Waitin’ On A Sunny Day.” I had played them countless times as I have made this song part of my 5th grade curriculum for the past two years.



“Waitin’ On A Sunny Day” came from Springsteen’s album The Rising.  This album dealt directly with the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. This light hearted and hopeful song uses about rain as a metaphor for life’s difficulties and the hope that is a sunny day.

It wasn’t lost on Springsteen as he played this song that the rain got harder and harder. Instead of hesitating in the weather, he leaned in and gave the audience even more. He pulled a girl up on stage and gave her the microphone to sing once through the chorus and joyously ran around the stage getting soaked along with the rest of us.

Before transitioning into the next part of the concert he played a solo version of Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop The Rain.” This was the only song he played without the band, which means he probably decided to play at that very second.


As the entire stadium sang the chorus “yeah, I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain,” it became clear that the rain may not stop and that wasn’t necessarily going to be a bad thing.

My wife and I found shelter in the back of the second deck of seats and watched Bruce perform the last half of the concert in the pouring rain. Rain has a way of dampening spirits and draining the energy out of a person but for Bruce it seemed to have a different effect. It was like the rain gave him even more energy and after and incredible twenty-seven song set, he left the audience with a renewed energy to believe.

Sometimes in life you can’t wait for a sunny day. Sometimes you just have to go out there and make the best of a rainy day.  Bruce showed us all last Saturday, that the hard times can become the celebrations that make life worth living. 

Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen

As I said goodbye to Allie, I tried to say something honest and real but instead all I could muster was awkward reassurances. Allie was moving away and like any big change in life, the feeling was bittersweet. There was the excitement of new opportunities mixed with letting go of the life that came before.

One of the things about going to a college that attracts people from all over the country is that you become friends with people who in the years after college move away.  My late twenties seemed to be marked with having to say goodbye to friends.

Saying goodbye always feels unfinished. There is never enough time to say what you want. You tell yourself that it doesn’t matter if you get it all out because you'll "be in touch," however that's not always the case.  As easy as a cell phone call or an e-mail can be, sometimes keeping in touch with those we care about fall to the corners of our lives.

While we said our goodbyes the silences between our words were filled with the joyous singing of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In The Dark.” Like a guiding spirit, his presence helped me get through that moment and listening to this song afterwards revealed to me feelings I always had but couldn't articulate.



“Dancing In The Dark,” is Springsteen’s most successful single that led to the sales of Born In The U.S.A. This song, packed with 1980s synthesizers feels completely different than the passionate and operatic rock of Born To Run. While people seemed to revel in this song, the happy melody and harmony juxtaposed against the disturbingly dark lyrics like “I want to change my clothes, my hair, my face,” never really made sense to me.

Something changed when I listened to this song and thought about Allie. The lines about the challenges of life seemed to take a back seat to the lyrics about hope:

Message keeps getting clearer . . . 
There’s something happening somewhere. . .
I’ll shake this world off my shoulders, come on baby this laughs on me.

These lines reflect why I admire Allie and why I am proud to be her friend.  While Allie has been blessed with a wonderful life, she has had challenges. When life has knocked her down, Allie gets right back up, and with a smile keeps on.  Never a victim, Allie lives life with the wind on her back and the sun upon her face.

In darkness, like in life there is much to fear.  You can’t predict the future and it’s impossible to truly see what’s around you in the darkness. So you have a choice: you can sit in the darkness petrified by uncertainty or you can stand up and dance.

Allie chooses to dance.

None of this came out as I said goodbye because I didn’t really want to think about what it meant for Allie to move away. Now that I have, I think it’s okay that things were left unfinished. This friendship isn’t ending so why should a goodbye feel complete?

Allie, best of luck in your new place with your new job, I’ll see you in September when Bruce rocks Wrigley.

Wrecking Ball by Bruce Springsteen

In about two weeks Bruce Springsteen is releasing his newest album Wrecking Ball. The first single “We Take Care Of Our Own” came out a couple weeks ago and I discussed the power of this song in this earlier post.  One of the fascinating things about this album is that the title track is almost three years old.  



“Wrecking Ball” was written to commemorate the closing of Giant Stadium. This song and the shows Springsteen played there served as one last hurrah for that legendary stadium. So why is a song about a football field the title track to Springsteen’s 17th studio album? Because, like with most of his songs, this song is about so much more than what it seems.

The first time I heard this song I thought it was simply a way for Bruce to see how many times he could feature the word “ball” in this song (which by my count is 45, heehee, ball). And no, I am not a 5th grader but I do teach them and some of their humor rubs off on me. Once I got over my initial fits of giggling what Bruce lays out in the first two verse is pretty much a tribute to Giant stadium.

Bruce makes references to  New Jersey, the Meadowlands and past championships. While reminiscing about these memories Bruce calls on to the imminent destruction of a wrecking ball. Maybe it’s bravado or maybe it’s something deeper.  However as he sings “hold tight to your anger, don’t’ fall to your fear,” the song becomes very different.

Something he loves, this stadium is being destroyed and only if he stays angry can he stand up to the destruction of everything he loves. In the last verse, Bruce talks about a game that is already decided while “your best hopes and desire are scattered through the wind.” Then he repeats, “hard times come, and hard times go,” over and over. The conclusion he comes to is that they will simply come again.

This stadium is our lives; everything we build up will eventually be torn down. Hard times will keep coming.  The wrecking balls in our lives are inevitable. So what do you do? Let fear overcome you? No, you’ve got to hold tight to the great memories of the past and know that after the destruction you can rebuild.

Life isn’t reliving and maintaining past triumphs. It’s about building up to new ones. By screaming, “bring on that wrecking ball,” we’re saying that we’re ready to move on.  We want that destruction to plow through our lives so that we can start again and achieve something greater than we could ever imagine.

"We Take Care Of Our Own" asks us about what it means to care for people in our lives while "Wrecking Ball" challenges us to face the trials of life with hope and strength.  I can't imagine what else Bruce has to tell us with this new album, but I can't wait to find out.

When Will My Life Begin (from Tangled)

E-mail from one of my 8th grade students:

Hi Mr. Tang,
Here is your daily and friendly reminder to stop reading this email and go watch Tangled.It will be a great family activity for you, your wife, and buffy! So put down the camera (filming buffy again?) and GO WATCH TANGLED!or else Megan and I will sing more princess songs on wednesday.
Look forward to tomorrows email!!!  

~Kate (and Megan in spirit)

I was totally skeptical and regretting telling my students that I would watch this film, but Mandy Moore lends her voice to one of the most endearing Disney' Princesses.  I love how right after she gets out of the tower she is "at war with herself."



Ah, SO cute, but what I really have to highlight is the opening song.



I love how optimistic music is tied with the monotony of her life.

If you have ever liked Disney animated films in the past, this is a great and beautiful film to experience.

The Edge Of Glory by Lady Gaga

“It’s a meditation on where you are going to stand, with who and where you are going to stand.”

Bruce Springsteen said this to describe his masterpiece album Darkness On The Edge Of Town. The same words apply to Lady Gaga’s newest single “The Edge Of Glory.”



Does it seem crazy to compare Lady Gaga and Bruce?

Well take these things into consideration: Lady Gaga has called “The Edge Of Glory,” her “Born To Run” and wrote it as a throwback to Springsteen and his music. She was so inspired by Bruce that she featured Springsteen’s saxophone player Clarence Clemons in the middle of the song.  If you strip away the dance beat the echoes of Springsteen come across more clearly.



To me Lady Gaga isn’t the crazy outfits or the provocative music videos. Lots of artists have done similar things to Gaga like Madonna and David Bowie and while these images make an impression in pop culture what is truly meaningful, what truly lasts is their most heartfelt music.

Lady Gaga’s best work has been a combination embracing her influences and mixing them with deep personal feelings like “Speechless” an Elton John-inspired song about her father, which she sang with the Rocket Man himself in a loving tribute to her father and Elton.



“The Edge Of Glory” is similar, taking the memory of her grandfather and mixing in some Springsteen creating the same hopefulness and longing that Springsteen so often expresses.

The title itself expresses a feeling of being at cusp of something great and needing someone else to help you get there. Lines like “Right on the limits where we know we both belong,” and “I’m on the edge of something final we call life” are so much deeper than they seem. For Lady Gaga to push her music beyond the provocative to the emotions shows great growth as an artist.

Gaga described the “Edge Of Glory” as someone’s last moment of earth. The bravery, the optimism, the pure celebratory euphoria expressed in this song makes a powerful statement on the way that we should not only face death, but the challenges we face every single day.

The creation of music is a conversation.  One artists writes a song and another responds.  Just like in a spoken conversation the comments that keep the discussion evolving are the statements that build off of what has been said before and add something personal and meaningful.

Lady Gaga embraces music in this way and responding to things other artists have said previously doesn't make her unoriginal but it makes her a real artist and get her closer to the edge of her musical glory than ever before.

The Rising by Bruce Springsteen

This morning I sat in room of fifth graders, most of which were barely a year old on 9/11, watching one of my fellow teachers explain the significance of the death of Osama Bin Laden. To these children the events of 9/11 might have well been the attack on Pearl Harbor. Even though they were alive during the times of the attack, they have no memories of these events. It feels strange to me that there is a whole generation of people who do not have the first-hand experience that was the pivotal experience for many people in my life.

As I watched this discussion, the words of President Obama came into my head as he quickly made real the effects of 9/11 to the country during his speech last night.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace.

That was the most powerful statement he said last night and I’m glad that the speech wasn’t a flag-waving celebration but rather a thoughtful, solemn and deliberate message of unity and thanksgiving. While I understand the need to exuberantly express patriotism, it’s not the most meaningful way to make events relevant in our lives because it doesn’t really reflect the true depth of our feelings

After 9/11, one of the most famous songs recroded was “Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue” by Toby Keith which featured a line about sticking boots up certain orifices as being the “American Way.” At the time it came out, I thought the song was fun, but driving to work this morning a more personal song, much like the message The President gave last night came to mind: “The Rising” by Bruce Springsteen.



The Rising stands as the most significant and important album in popular music about 9/11. It’s centerpiece is the title track which tells the story of firefighter rushing up the steps of the World Trade Center, dying and rising to heaven.

Can't see nothin' in front of me,
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness,
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed ...
On my back's a 60-pound stone [oxygen tank]
On my shoulder a half mile of line [fire house]

It is not clear in the song when he dies but in the third verse, Springsteen describes the journey to Heaven.

I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of the line

Through the sadness of death there is comfort and beauty in the afterlife. This brings meaning to the actions of the firefighter and to us as the sky changes from the ominous to hopeful.

Sky of blackness and sorrow (dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness (dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow (dream of life)

Listening to this song this morning the world made just a little bit more sense. The death of Bin Laden doesn’t change everything in our lives and for me, neither did 9/11. Yes, the world felt different and the sky seemed a slightly different shade but life continued.

After 9/11, I remember my mother telling me that the way we honor those who have passed is to continue to live our lives and go about our daily business in the best way that we can. That’s the same thing we need to do with the knowledge that Bin Laden is dead. We continue and honestly, I don’t feel like celebrating. I feel sad remembering those who we lost and hopeful that his death will prevent the suffering of others.

"The Rising" is a personal story in which we find ourselves, our fears, our hopes and our dreams.  We do our jobs every day, work to make a better tomorrow and Rise up together in a dream of life that we all share.  That is the American way. 

Angel Standing By by Jewel

I still remember watching this live when I was in high school:



The studio version doesn't even compare to the intimacy and pure expression Jewel displays. Yes, she was a phenomenon of the 1990s but like her angelic voice, this song transcends it's time in my memory as one of the most beautiful performances I've ever seen.

Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers

There are many misunderstood lyrics in rock music. While some musicians are very deliberate at making sure that their lyrics are understood, rock singers often do not focus on annunciation as part of their craft resulting in misunderstood lyrics or simply words aren’t understood at all.
Most of the time, this doesn’t really bother me. I’m used to looking up Springsteen and Rolling Stones lyrics to make sense of the meaning in their songs. However there is one example, one instance in which a misunderstood lyric had a profound effect on my identity: “Secret Agent Man.”



When I was in elementary school my dad would often pick me up from school and he would always be listening to Oldies stations (which is one reason I love pop music the way I do). Now I don’t know if he was serious or joking when he told me that this particular song about a spy was named “Secret Asian Man.”

Now in my elementary school brain somehow it made sense. Could you really blame me? Look, there is no hint of an ending “t” syllable when Rivers sings the chorus, AT ALL. Asian people can do spy-like James Bond stuff too. So why not? This is a song about an Asian James Bond character who was “secret” as well as a “man,” hence “Secret Asian Man.”

This connected with one of the other culturally experiences I shared with my dad, watching James Bond movies. I loved watching these films with my father and whenever marathons were on the television, we were all over it. Now, James Bond was of course, never Asian, but a lot of bad guys were like that guy who through hat at people.



Connecting my childhood fantasies of being a James Bond-like spy with a song that told of an Asian James Bond cemented in my head that I, a little Asian boy, could in fact be a “Secret Asian Man.”

Unfortunately like many childhood illusions, I came to the realization that Johnny Rivers was not actually talking about an Asian spy but instead was cashing in one the 1960s spy craze by recording a song about a generic spy character.

Realizing that there was no song about an Asian spy shattered my dreams.

Johnny Rivers, you made me think that I could do something with my life, that I could be a “Secret Asian Man.” You convinced me that racial barriers could be crossed and that stereotypes could not limit my dreams. Then reality crushed the hopes of a little boy who realized that you actually didn’t believe that an Asian man could be on the Riviera one day and hide out in Bombay the next day. All you believed was that by catching on to a craze you could cash out. 

Well I hope you’re happy and that your “Secret Agent Man” money comforts you when think of all of the little Asian boys that you misled with your incoherent Southern Drawl.

Post #300!!!!! Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen

From the first post I did on this blog I've kept a running list of songs to post about.  "Thunder Road" has been on that list since the very beginning.  I've had many false starts trying to put into words how much this songs means to me, how it changed my life and why every time I hear this song it becomes more powerful and meaningful to who I am. 

So I'll just let the song speak for itself. 



I could not think a better song to represent what this blog has been about, what I believe and what my life is all about:

Magic,
Faith,
Love,
Hope.

Follow Through by Gavin DeGraw

One of the most magical moments is hearing a song for the first time. It is an experience that can never be replicated but every once in a while that feeling of discovery is captured in a song and we can come close to reliving that moment.

I was looking for one of my favorite Genesis songs “Follow You, Follow Me” on iTunes library and accidentally selected “Follow Through.” I was immediately transported to the sitting in my dorm room and hearing this song for the first time years ago in college.



“Follow Through” opens with a beautiful description of discovering a new love. With conversational lyrics reminiscent of Elton John and soulful singing reminding us of a young Billy Joel, “Follow Through,” takes these two influences into a gently unfolding celebration of love combined with a life-assuring plea to follow through.

The idea of asking for commitment this early in a relationship may seems a little extreme, “our love have just begun to blossom and everything is great, by the way I need you to commit to me.” However, the way that he asks her to for her heart is heartwarming and expresses a sense of vulnerability.

It’s almost as if our protagonist has had his heart broken before, “build through this destruction” and he is just coming out of his shell with the courage to love again. As he asks for commitment he expresses a simple but heartwarming sentiment, “all I really want is you, you to stick around.”

What makes this song so effective is that DeGraw is capturing a specific moment in a relationship. It’s this small window of time right at the beginning when all you see is possibilities. The realities of life have yet to set in and there is magic in the future. It’s not real life-long love, maybe it’s more infatuation, but that doesn’t mean that this emotions, this feeling are any less meaningful or unforgettable.

This moment is fleeting and for those of us who are lucky enough, this moment of discovery develops into a deeper feeling a love. While I wouldn’t trade the way I feel about Diana, my wife, after being with her for 8 years for anything sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of that time at the beginning of our relationships. It was a time all I thought about was her, all I talked about was her and all I wanted to do in my life was spend time with her.

On second thought, maybe I'm stuck in that moment.  I still think about my wife all the time, I talk about her constantly and all I really want is for Diana to stick around so that I can see her every day.

Save My Love by Bruce Springsteen

On November 16th, Springsteen is releasing The Promise: Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story.  This set includes a DVD documentary, live concert footage, the original album and CD songs that didn't make the original album.  Below is one of these song.



Really Bruce, this song wasn't good enough to be included in "Darkness On The Edge Of Town"?!? Only with an albums as amazing as Darkness On The Edge Of Town would a song this great be rejected. 

Man it would be awesome if someone got this for me for for a early Thanksgiving present. . ..

The '59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem

There’s a difference between what we want to believe and what we actually believe. As much as I would like to believe in the afterlife, in my heart I wonder.

Throughout the history of music artists have explored the nature of death trying to find comfort, solace and understanding of the greatest mystery of the human experience. Many songs about death have provided answers about the afterlife like “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.



While other songs like “The Rising” by Bruce Springsteen explore the journey into the afterlife.



What’s unique about “The ’59 Sound” by The Gaslight Anthem it doesn’t provide answers. It's about our questions, hopes and fears about the journey to the afterlife.



I discovered The Gaslight Anthem in a recent issue of Rolling Stone that featured the bad as one of their “40 Reasons To Get Excited About Music.” Rolling Stone called lead singer Brian Fallon “The Next Jersey Rock Hero.” There are many comparisons between Bruce Springsteen and The Gaslight Anthem made in a complimentary way. Taking the passion, the storytelling and the depth of human emotion that Springsteen expresses in his music and adding a modern punk mentality has created a musical landscape that is both beautifully referential while surprisingly fresh.

The first verse starts pondering what music they will play when they “float into the ether.” There is a beautiful literary allusion to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, “I hope we don’t hear Marley’s chains before July” hoping that the Marley (the ghost of Christmas Past) won’t visit them at the end and tell them they have something to regret about life. This allusion is carried through to the last line of the verse stating that “the chains I’ve been hearing now for most of my life.”

The chorus is a series of questions asking someone who is yet to be identified what they heard when they died. Was it something comforting: “the ’59 sound”? Was it Marley coming to haunt them: “the rattling chains?” Was it something religious and revelatory: “the old gospel choir”? Or was it something comforting and personal: “your favorite song”? Even though this song tells a sad story, there is a celebratory tone in the chorus as the questions doesn’t so much focus on the negative possibilities of death but the positive ones.

In the second verse the “you” from the chorus is identified. It’s someone who the protagonist cares about who has died in a car crash. The narrator apologizes for not being the “spirit left your body.” Even though this is sad point, there are things that the singers holds onto in the assertion that he still knows “the song and the words and the name and the reasons."

The Gaslight Anthem proposes that maybe it’s not in the answers that we find meaning but rather in the questions. This process of wondering defines who we are in life and maybe it defines our journey into death. I have still have a lot of questions and maybe I’ll never stop wondering and “The ’59 Sound” shows us that this is something not to be feared but to celebrate.

Let It Be by The Beatles

“It will be all right, just let it be.”

These words told to Paul McCartney from his late mother in a dream inspired “Let It Be,” the title track from The Beatles final studio album.



In the ten short years that The Beatles were together they recorded songs that included every single pop genre of the time and predicted many to come in the future. From songs from musicals:



to hard rock:



The Beatles did it all. So it should come as no surprise that they would eventually do a gospel song. The Beatles had a lot to say about life but most of the time it was centered on around idealized teenage love. As the ban, matured deeper subjects broached like in “Hey Jude,” which was originally written in an attempt to reconcile Julian, John Lennon’s son when John and his first wife were getting a divorce.



“Let It Be” examines the way we live, the way we react and who we are. With a deliberate tempo and a simple but carefully crafted melody, McCartney sings a song of calm. He asks us not to ignore our problems but to take a moment and reflect. Sometimes we are so quick to want to fix something, to help the people around us sometimes we miss the truth, the reality that some problems don’t need to be fixed, sometimes our friends need to help themselves. Sometimes we need to let go..

Maybe this was a message from Paul to all the Beatles fans who would soon be dealing with the breakup of the most influential group in popular music or maybe this was a simple contemplation that helped McCartney deal with the inner turmoil in his own life.

Regardless “Let It Be” stands as a reminder sometimes the hardest thing to do in life is absolutely nothing. Often in life the most difficult situations that we face are completely out of our control. Whether it’s losing a job, breaking up with a boyfriend or dealing with the loss of a loved one there is some part of these situations, which are beyond our control.

While our head tells us that these changes are “for the best,” our heart yearns to change the situation, to take some action, to do something about it. And if we truly believe that things happen for a reason then all we need to do is to let it be.

The Job Interview

I thought the interview went well. We talked enthusiastically about my background, my intentions and who I was a teacher. I learned a lot about not only the positions but also the school. As I left the interview feeling proud of how I represented myself I hoped that I would be chosen for the second round of interviews.

It was exactly hope that made difficult when I found out later in the evening that “they are moving forward with other candidates.”

Hope is a tricky thing. If you don’t hope for something better you will attain anything in your life that is meaningful. However, if you hang on to hope, it sets you up for disappointment. Sometimes what you feel with hope unfulfilled is more than disappointing, sometimes it’s painful.

What do we do? Give up and be satisfied with out lives the way they are, never take a chance and never dream beyond our circumstance? Part of me admires people who can. That’s just not me.

Can you imagine working a job that doesn’t really challenge you, being in a marriage with a wife that doesn’t motivate you to be a better you, and living a life with friends who accept mediocrity in how you treat them? I can't.

Can you imagine not feeling that drive, that spark inside you that gives you the courage to face another day? You can’t.

It is exactly that spark that is my spirit. What feeds my spirit is looking for the sun beyond the clouds and even though sometimes the darkness in the sky seems impenetrable, We can’t stop searching.

Life is meaningless if you let that spirit die inside of you.

There are many different reasons that I can explain why I didn’t get to the second interview. Maybe I didn’t have the right experience, maybe the other candidates were simply a better fit or maybe my personality didn’t match the atmosphere of the school. I’ll never really know so I guess it’s best not to dwell on it.

As Joseph Campbell said, "The adventure you're ready for is the one you'll get." This job simply wasn't the right one for me. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to had this interview and it was a great experience regardless of the results.

So on to the my next adventure. I’m not sure what it’s going to look like, but I hope, no I know it will be a great one.

Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was the first great American rock star. He defined the teen idol, revolutionized rock music and left an everlasting impact on our culture. However, for a period he became irrelevant.

One of the first pop artists to expand into film (now a common occurrence), Elvis started out showing impressive range in “Love Me Tender.”



However his films quickly became jokes, the music he created which accompanied his film were no longer on the edge of rock’s development. Elvis, a man whose bottom half of his body was censored during television performances because of the suggestive ways his hips moved became about as threatening as the Jonas Brothers.

In 1969, Elvis decided he needed to make a change. He put together his legendary comeback special and jumped back into the studio. What emerged was From Elvis In Memphis, his first album not related to a film in eight years. It was country, gospel, soul, rock and most of it was Elvis. Distilled down to what made him change the world, Elvis gave us one last reminder of the power of his voice with his final number one hit before he died “Suspicious Minds.”



Like a great Motown song, the background instrumental and vocal singers are so well-crafted and full of soul, a monkey could record the lead vocal and this song would still sound awesome. The twirling guitar that opens song, the gliding strings lines, the pulsing horns in the second verse, the rolling bass line and the snap of the hi-hat rhythm all combine like ingredients in a stew. Every single piece can be easily separated and identified for their individual greatness but together they create a masterpiece of sounds and colors that doesn’t so much emote feeling but lives and breathes life.

The back-up sings act as a Greek chorus with the sounds of a gospel choir. They are haunting as they lead into the second chorus building up the exclamation “Yes I’m CRYING!! Ok, so I guess I was exaggerating a little bit, if a monkey did the lead vocals, this back-up singers would not save this song, but you get the point.

Elvis sings best when he’s in pain. The slight hiccup in his voice with the Shakira-like moan that he glides through the notes with are melodramatic but come across as genuine and heartfelt. His baritone has so much tone and depth, it’s like there’s a cathedral reverberating inside his body before his voice pours out of him. When Elvis sings “you can’t see the tears I feel I’m crying,” his voice slides down these pitches and even though his girlfriend can’t feel the tears he is crying, we can.

Emotionally “Suspicious Minds” sticks with us because it’s about something that we all struggle with in our lives, trust. When you trust someone you are taking a chance, but you need to take that chances or else you are destined for disappointment.

People act the way that we expect them to and if you believe that someone will betray your trust, chances are they will. Real love can only develop from believing that someone can be trusted and having that trust fulfilled. It’s not an exaggeration to be as torn as Elvis is when dealing with the way someone thinks.

How we perceive the people around us, shapes our interactions and “Suspicious Minds” reminds us how powerful and painful lack of faith can truly be.

What It Means To Talk About Politics

As the House of Representatives, prepare to vote on the Senate health care plan, the political debate over this issue is reaching a critical point. This blog is not about politics, it’s about my reaction to the world and the positivity in our culture that brings up hope. However, I feel compelled at this critical time in our country’s history to speak out against the negativity threatens our belief in our government.

If you are fighting and arguing against the current health care bill because you think defeating this piece of legislation will help improve the quality of life for the majority of Americans then by all means, please continue to argue. However, if you are fighting against this bill for any other reason, for the love of God, stop.

Sometimes people argue against something that you fear will make something worse, without providing alternative solutions. Hmmm. . . so I don’t think you should take this medicine because the side effects might be bad, but I’m not going to research any alternatives at the same time, I’ll just sit hear and let you rot.

I agree with Obama that not offering alternatives and just arguing things down is unacceptable. It creates a false image of a “party of ‘no’” while at the same time provides fodder for people to argue that Republicans are only arguing against Obama and Democratic to be vindictive and that they do not have the best interest of the American people in their minds. I strongly do not believe in the same way I don’t believe that all Republicans are right-wing moral conservatives.

Some of the negativity towards this bill has to do with our popular culture's negativity Bush. I never supported irrational George W. Bush hate. He is not the worst president in the history of the United States. He is not evil and he doesn’t live on the brains of puppies. Yes, he may have mislead America about the War In Iraq and spent more money than I can comprehend but really which president didn’t mislead the American people on some major issue and mess with the budget in a way that one party can argue is negative.

No matter how insidious and annoying criticism against Bush were it doesn’t justify applying that same attitude towards Obama and the current Democrats. It’s like bringing up something Diana did to upset me four years ago when we have an unrelated disagreement.

Next time you get into a political argument, ask yourself: are you simply arguing to win and prove that you're right about something? If that's the case, argue about something else, like sports or movies are who could win in a fight: Hulk or Superman.

Political issues are people’s lives. The budget, military conflicts overseas, health care, these topics are not theoretical subjects that exist to exercise your mental muscle. Government decisions about these issues change people’s lives, often for the better but sometimes unavoidably for the worse.

If you need to feel good about your knowledge and that you are smart, stop arguing politics and get in a field where the discussion doesn't effect the well-being of the people in this country. Selfishly motivated political discussions pollutes the political environment and distracts from people from the truth and people who are truly working to make our country a better place.

If the health care bill passes than let’s hope for the best. Being proven wrong and losing an argument is more than worth seeing people have a better quality of life through better health care. And if the legislation fails, then let’s take this as an opportunity to start with a clean slate and create a better plan that more of this country can believe in.

What we fighting for in politics is ourselves and each other with the hope that we can improve our lives and our country. Arguing about politics without this hope is fruitless, cynical and annoying.

The government isn’t some alien institution, it’s an extension of every single one of us. A lack of faith in our government is a lack of faith in ourselves. For if we lose hope, we are not only giving up who we are and this dream we call America.