"Every form of refuge has its price."
Over their long career as songwriting partners, Glenn Frey and Don Henley created many memorable songs, with lyrics almost universally well-suited to their simple but effective melodies. I know there are legions of Eagles fans among you, so I'm hoping you'll submit at least one nomination of an aphoristic Frey/Henley lyric you think is an equal to the short phrase above. Remember: Your nomination must be able to stand alone, be brief enough to be easily recalled, and it must contain a universal truth, i.e., words for the ages.
Consider for a moment how much that phrase from Lyin' Eyes says about choices we each make throughout life. Although the "I guess" preceding that gem is necessary for the cadence of the lyrical line, those seven succinct words are the essential ones. The inescapable truth of it takes my breath away at the same time it reminds me of my missteps. What price have you paid for a refuge you chose?
"And I know my life would be all right if I could see it on the silver screen." Can't tell you how many times I've found myself saying this line with a smile on my face. The truth is our lives, with all of our screw-ups and neuroses, might look even worse in larger-than-life Technicolor, but what this line expresses how the movies captivate us in such a unique way. For example, my daughter recently produced a movie called FREUD'S LAST SESSION, starring Anthony Hopkins. Because I'm her dad I got to see various cuts five or six times on my TV as they were preparing the film for distribution. Then I finally went to see it in a theater and it was an entirely different experience. Several of the scenes, which were ordinary on the TV, were stunning up there on the silver screen.
ReplyDeleteJim; Thanks for the comment and your Frey-Henley (with help from JD Souther & Jackson Browne) nomination. I love the line you cited though I must admit it had slipped my mind until you brought it back to me. Our conversations about lyrics while we were together in Africa really juiced me and I was pretty sure my next installment of Words for the Ages would arrive soon thanks to that buzz. Thanks for that as well.
DeleteHey Pat. For me, among the all too many great lyrics from The Eagles, I'd have to go with 'You Call Someplace Paradise, Kiss It GoodBye' from The Last Resort. The entire song has a haunting quality to it and I can't help but wonder if there was any influence for the song taken from Joni Mitchells 'Big Yellow Taxi'.
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Bob
Bob; Love that song and lyric. You may/may not recall that I used "The Last Resort" in one of the courses you attended. And, I even referenced the environmental and lyrical connection to "Big Yellow Taxi" in that same course. So, either you're channeling a Pat Barton riff (scary thought) or ... you & I are having a Spock mind-meld moment (even scarier). Either way, your suggested lyric hits the mark for words for the ages.
Delete