The Problem of Pain

What do we do when we get too old?

What is too old?

The Boomers are taking over, sucking the pension right out of the Millennials. We are taking most of the resources and leaving behind deficit, decay, and a planet in distress. So for the good news—

I like to write and listen to music and so I love All Songs 24/7 from NPR because it introduces me to MANY styles and new stuff. It helps me feel relevant. As if I can have an opinion on Brandi Carlisle and Cardi B. This is important in the journey to getting old, being able to have opinions and act like I know what’s going on.

It’s all an act.

So I’ve been discovering and rediscovering some old musicians such as Marianne Faithful and Paul Simon, who both in their 70s, have put out new work, their latest (last) album.

Marianne Faithful, whose biography, has so many re-boots that she truthfully shouldn’t be here. I won’t go into detail, because that would be impossible, let’s just say she doesn’t give up. Maybe gives in to addiction, her impulses, to frankly not the right choice. Yet, she has defied the odds. With her new album Negative Capability she has with her hoarse and cracked voice struck a chord. Her words can belong to all of us on the cusp, the brink of our own mortality. “In My Own Particular Way” is a song about vulnerability, about being old and lonely, of fear.

Send me someone to love

Someone who could love me back

Love me for who I really am

Not an image and not for money

I know I'm not young and I'm damaged

But I'm still pretty, kind and funny

In my own particular way

In my own particular way

Capable of loving in my own particular way

And ready to love

At last

It's taken me a long time to learn

In fact my whole life so far

So much rubbish I had to burn

So much I had to go through

You sense the pain, the regret, the transparency.

Send me someone please who'll love me

Someone who can see all my faults

But love me nevertheless

And we will love each other

If this isn’t the eternal cry of humankind, then I don’t know what is.

Paul Simon has recent come out and said he is done. Done writing songs. He has been a songwriter for 60 years—as long as I’ve been alive. I think I need to revisit Graceland—which is what he’s done.

Recorded in 1985 and 1986, Graceland was influenced by racism and apartheid in South Africa and featured Ladysmith Black Mambazo and other African influences. Now over 30 years later there has been issued a remix, the dance or workout tape version. Graceland: The Remixes pushes his monumental 1986 album into the realm of modern electronic music. It gives the opportunity to several contemporary producers to reimagine some old classics. I particularly love the Graceland Remix (MK & KC Lights).

It means you can teach an old dog new tricks, now we just need a better metaphor.