^^^ The Russian kids were amazing, thanks for posting, SoS. Too bad the German youngsters sang in English. It would have been interesting to hear a German version of the song. The melody is indeed very haunting and beautiful. I can see why you like it so much and find it comforting, in spite of its melancholy. That makes a lot of sense, by the way – there is freedom in embracing one's brokenness and accepting life's perplexities and losses.
To be honest with you, when it comes to Leonard Cohen songs/poetry, not that I'm familiar with his entire body of work, I actually prefer
Dance me to the end of love. I've also admired his anti-abortion stance, which is a brave and rather uncommon opinion to have, especially in the world of arts and entertainment.
It is indeed Easter time and the praises to the Lord should be very high, but according to some ignorants in newspapers, people should give up belief. What a shame some are unwilling or unable to grasp the beauty of the Gospel –
there's no greater wonder and no greater miracle than God's love for us, made manifest through the birth, passion and resurrection of God's only begotten Son - Christ, the Lord. Nothing and no one is more important than this.
And I suppose that is why I have a slight problem with music lyrics like the ones in your 'soothing song' and in others – everything from Michael's very own tunes to Peter Gabriel, for example. From the theological point of view, romantic love should not be placed above the worship we owe to God. From that perspective, pretty much the entirety of
Heaven can wait is problematic.
If the Lord should come for me before I wake, I wouldn't wanna go..........Thinking about it now, it's probably for the best I wasn't around Michael when he recorded that tune. Cause otherwise, had I seen the lyrics, I might have whooped him a ghostly one over the head, goin' somethin' like ''
Say what again, boy? You better choose your words more carefully, little one, or else you're in big trouble''. Before anyone feels the need to jump in Michael's defense and protect him from scary, little me, I would like to reassure everyone that I'd make sure the slap was applied most ghostly and quite gently. Wouldn't want to make a scene and end up in the tabloids now, would we?
But seriously, leaving silly jokes aside, the lyrics about rejecting eternity with God because of a temporary human attachment, however enchanting, are problematic. The Lord's call and kingdom are worth infinitely more than any human affection and attention.
In a similar vein, Sananda Maitreya, back in his Terence Trent D'Arby days, sang in that otherwise amazing tune,
Sign your name -
I'd rather be in hell with you baby than in cool Heaven. Peter Gabriel also said
In your eyes I see the doorway to a thousand churches. With all due respect to these artists, but they either don't know what they're singing about or pretend not to.
Eternal separation from God, which is the actual definition of hell, is no real option for anyone who understands that the One above is the source of all goodness, beauty and eternal love. I also think that anyone who needs the stare of another to see the beauty of God and of His faith, didn't have, perhaps due to no fault of their own, a proper introduction to Christianity.
There is so much purity in the truth of the Gospel, such wonder in the solemnity of the mass, so much wonder in the sacraments and such splendor in the sacred art which can surround believers, that I cannot help but feel sorry for those who miss out on such an amazing gift – God's enduring love and presence made concrete, albeit in sublime ways, in today's turbulent world. Ugly churches and far too contemporary praise music are the notable exceptions to the lines above
Some other problematic lyrics are those in
IJCSLU –
my life ain't worth living, if I can't be with you. Of course life is and must be worth living, even when one cannot be with the one they love or, worse yet, when there is no one to love. Life must be worth living because the author of life is God and His love for us is just like Him, infinite and unyielding. Even if the world hates us, even if people don't love us, He does and He always will.
Obviously, all of the lyrics I've mentioned are mere metaphors and expressions about the beauty and the grace which can truly be found in romance. They may also be cautionary lessons about taking things too literaly. They're just words in songs, right? Kind of like Michael in studio recording
Fall again and musing over the lyrics about dying in his sleep. How did he put it?
But it's a song, right?
What is also true is that God Himself has used the man-wife and parent-child relationships as the the templates for relating to humanity. We are to refer to Him as Abba, because He is our Father and we are made in His image, hence the immense value and dignity of
any human life. And that has been exponentially increased by Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, who, like the Bridegroom He is, lovingly gave His life for His bride, the Church.
Furthermore, God made marriage a sacrament and thus, it became the means through which most people can sanctify their lives most readily. The domestic Church, the family, where we are supossed to spend the most time is the best environment in which to practice the virtues of Christian life – love, faithfulness, forgiveness and endurance. Not just for the sake of one other and as reward for the joy we share, but, above all, for the sake of the One who brings us together, loves us tremendously and asks us to walk in His ways daily.
Now, after this long Christian-inspired reflection, I feel the need to return to some other music lyrics. SoS, you were also mentioning Michael's '
difficult situations of various sorts'. Well, a few nights ago, I was reading some comments online and people were using the Depeche Mode tune
Condemnation as a call for sympahty for some public figures who had become targets of the media, some of them for days, others for a few years.
Then the thought occurred to me – well, if Michael was around, he could sure help out with some advice on how to deal with the media's viciousness, given that he had decades of experience behind him, fighting so many. I'm pretty sure there were fans, back in 2005, who used the DM tune for confort during Michael's trial. And btw of life experience, I think them folks who could have used Michael's input into dealing with the insufferable ones and their masters, could have also offered Mike advice in other areas, where he might have benefitted from their ideas.
But then again, if one is open enough, they can learn worthwhile lessons from anyone, not just from fellow billionaires. The intrinsic value of people does not reside in their wealth, fame, social status or academic achievements, but rather in their dignity as God's children and their ability to use their God-given talents, whatever they may be, to build others up and praise God through it all. In terms of learning from others, I must say that I am completely inspired and I remain in awe at the grace of those who are able to carry their crosses with strength, dignity, resignation and acceptance, unlike me. I suppose I need to read the full version of the serenity prayer more often, so I can truly make it mine.
Leaving irrelevant me aside, another
Depeche Mode tune came to mind when thinking about Michael and his many troubles was
Precious. He was indeed so very precious and the world put him through so very much, perhaps far too much. And beyond his claims at having rhino-skin and all his genuine resilience, perhaps he was also very fragile...........
As for Magicgirl's dream – who knows? I tend to think that dreams are just reflections of our thoughts, preoccupations and desires and they are not necessarily related to reality, but others give them a more profound meaning. They could very well be right.
P.S. Just to be clear – just because I wrote what I did about HCW, doesn't mean I don't love the melody tremendously or find the bridge section most poignant.
I never heard a single word about you..........certainly comes to mind 
Therefore, that chick better thank her lucky stars that Michael was involved in such an exquisite type of job, hence a most sublime form of torture for her.
I hope I will take the time to read more 
Ot’s one of those days when I just miss Michael SO MUCH I could (and do..) cry. 
) Dun dun dun…
wow .... and @SoS its lovely to read you both again. 
