How To Save A Life
I've been thinking about this song a lot lately.
I think that, for some reason, it is a song that everyone likes. It's funny watching people when this song is played, they can't help it - they have to sing. But they sing because of the visceral memories that this song conjures, as if they wrote it themselves. You can see it on their face.
Is it because everyone has someone in their life that they weren't able to help? I think so. Young people immediately remember a time in their life when a friend went off the rails. Older people remember someone that they were desperately trying to connect with, on some level. I have a few people in my life that spring to mind. Two ended up doing well, both survivors (both alcoholics, by the way). The others haven't fared as well (one of these guys definitely had a drinking problem, the other may have a drug problem). I have a feeling they are both in jail. The lyrics to the song say, "I would have stayed up with you all night," - I've done that. Trying to talk to someone and reach them, to no avail.
Or do people love this song because they were the one that didn't get helped? Are there people out there that listen to this song and remember someone that couldn't help them (or they refused to let help them).
I think that, for some reason, it is a song that everyone likes. It's funny watching people when this song is played, they can't help it - they have to sing. But they sing because of the visceral memories that this song conjures, as if they wrote it themselves. You can see it on their face.
Is it because everyone has someone in their life that they weren't able to help? I think so. Young people immediately remember a time in their life when a friend went off the rails. Older people remember someone that they were desperately trying to connect with, on some level. I have a few people in my life that spring to mind. Two ended up doing well, both survivors (both alcoholics, by the way). The others haven't fared as well (one of these guys definitely had a drinking problem, the other may have a drug problem). I have a feeling they are both in jail. The lyrics to the song say, "I would have stayed up with you all night," - I've done that. Trying to talk to someone and reach them, to no avail.
Or do people love this song because they were the one that didn't get helped? Are there people out there that listen to this song and remember someone that couldn't help them (or they refused to let help them).
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