Rarely does a single song nail the zeitgeist of an entire nation and the mood of a period. Personally, I’m of the mind that Radiohead’s Creep nailed the 90’s. But maybe that’s just me. But this song? Exit Music (for a film) knocks it clean out of the park. There is no song, none, that nails a post Trump election win than this song. None. And believe you me, I’ve looked. And I’ve looked. This is it. This is the song that encapsulates America, right here. Right now. I don’t care if you are for him, or against him – this is the song.
And the MOVIE that encapsulates today? Easy. Pump up the Volume. I was chatting with an old friend recently and a quote shot to my brain out of nowhere, “Eat your cereal with a fork, and do your homework in the dark.” And the next thing I know? I am up til 3 am watching Heathers and Pump Up The Volume and reminiscing. But Harry? He got how we feel today. He saw Trump coming 30 years in advance…
“Ok, this is really me now. No more hiding. Listen, we’re all worried, we’re all in pain. That just comes with having eyes and with having ears. But just remember one thing, it can’t get any worse, it can only get better. I mean High School is the bottom. Being a teenager sucks! But that’s the point, surviving it is the whole point! Quitting is not going to make you strong, living will. So just hang on and hang in there. You know, I know all about the hating and the sneering. I’m a member of the “why bother” generation myself. But why did I bother to come out here tonight, and why did you? I mean, It’s time. It’s begins with us, not with politicians, the experts or the teachers but with us. With you and with me. The ones who need it most. I gotta believe, with everything in me, the whole world is longing for healing. Even the trees, the earth itself are crying out for it. You can hear it everywhere. Same kinda healing I desperately needed and I finally feel has begun, with you.”
No?! Which, reminds me of a passage in Romans… yes, I just flipped from Christian Slater in Pump up the Volume to Romans. Deal with it. That’s how I roll.
“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”
Which, for me – reminds me that this life… this world, this experience we share together is ultimately broken. All of it. But I have an eternal hope. A bigger vision for what this life is about. Trump. Clinton. Destitution. Child Pornography. Slavery. Murder. Bigotry. Racism. Pogroms. Genicides. Hate. Riots. Heart ache. Depression. Loss. And sadness. But I know that there is a hope beyond the fear and the sadness. If you don’t know that hope, I’d be happy to tell you more about it.