"It's strange, what desire will make foolish people do."
Can I hear an "Amen"? Despite its simplicity, that terse phrase from Chris Isaak's Wicked Game (1989) captures a universal truth. And it stands on its own; no rhyming couplet is required. These are words for the ages, no matter how straightforward.
In fact, I would argue Isaak could have easily left out the word "foolish". Certainly, the things that desire drive us to do can be foolish. And the consequences of those things often make us look foolish indeed. But wouldn't you agree that even reasonable people do foolish things under desire's influence? How many people have you known who've had their life upended by desire? For just a minute, put aside the things those people did. What percentage of those people would you have described as foolish before their desire took over?
Perhaps Isaak's timeless lyric is directing us to chicken and egg land. That is, was the person who succumbed already foolish enough that desire was more easily able to do its work? Or was the desire a force so intense that even a reasonable person would succumb?
I agree he should have left out foolish, as it kinda threw it off for me when I saw that word as part of the phrase. Your most thought-provoking line is at the end when u say what percentage of those ppl.... We could go to town on that one line!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous; Thanks for the comment and affirmation.
DeleteHey Pat .. Have to add my agreement that 'foolish' could have been left out and the meaning would still have the same impact. Wow !!
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Bob
Hey Bob; Thanks for the affirming comment.
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