Music dies. I never realized it until today. I was sitting at work wanting to listen to music, as I always do. Music makes me more productive than coffee ever will. I turned on my usual Pandora station, and got busy. For some reason my station turned to some 90’s artists. I was rocking out to Sugar Ray, and I started thinking about how long it had been since I heard the song playing. Sugar Ray was playing everywhere in the late 90’s. How could it have been that long ago? I’m not that old. Then it hit me, all my favorite songs from the late 90’s weren’t being played anymore. All those HUNDREDS of cd’s I bought in high school (never from Walmart, they edited their music), and all the songs I sang at night while I did my homework, where had they gone? They are dead. The All American Rejects, Sugar Ray, Third Eye Blind, Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, so many other favorites… all gone. How did this happen?! I listened to them all the time, I know every word from EVERY SONG on their albums (mp3’s ended knowing entire albums). I went to college and when I was finished, they had all gone away. It hurts me to think about them. Those songs spoke to me, I remember actually listening to lyrics that were written for my generation. Lyrics that meant something, lyrics that could mend broken teenage hearts. And now… Lady Gaga, and her songs with lyrics about riding disco sticks… it’s not the same. What do kids do now? I can’t count the times I would lay on my bed in my room, and listen to music that took away my pain. I didn’t need drugs, music was my drug. Where have the skinny guys, with long hair, converse shoes, and rock t-shirts gone? Are they all dead? Did they get poisoned by Gaga’s rotting meat dress?!
I’m sure one day the top songs of my generation will wind up on some “oldies” station broadcasted from a “studio” in Iowa. But what about those songs that never made it to the top? What about the ones that some people didn’t understand, and didn’t have flashy videos? Where do they go? Music heals, music saves lives, how do we just let it die a horrible death in a dusty box in our parent’s attics? Until today I had forgotten about them. I still know their words, but will I forget them too one day? I can’t believe I sold so many of my old rock t-shirts in a garage sale last Summer. I didn’t even think twice. They meant nothing to me anymore. I completely forgot how many hours of waiting in smelly lines under the hot summer sun I’d spent to get them. How many times I’d tied them to my belt loop so they wouldn’t get lost in the bottom of a mosh pit (do kids even still have mosh pits?) Well, I’m never throwing out my peace sign converse shoes. I’ll never use my Weezer t-shirt for a dust rag. I’ll always have a crush on skinny boys with long hair and bad attitudes.
Rest In Peace my old friend, it’s better to burn out than fade away…
Hey, don't write yourself off yet
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.
Just try your best, try everything you can.
And don't you worry what they tell themselves when you're away.
It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything (everything) will be just fine, everything (everything) will be alright (alright).
Hey, you know they're all the same.
You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in.
Live right now.
Yeah, just be yourself.
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else.
It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything (everything) will be just fine, everything (everything) will be alright (alright).
It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything (everything) will be just fine, everything (everything) will be alright (alright).
Hey, don't write yourself off yet.
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.
Just do your best, do everything you can.
And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say.
It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything (everything) will be just fine, everything (everything) will be alright (alright).
It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything (everything) will be just fine, everything (everything) will be alright (alright).
