1994

A lot changed in my life that year. My family moved from Iowa to Arkansas. The Arkansas Razorbacks won a national championship in basketball. And this quirky little band I liked put out a song that was far more prophetic than I think anyone at the time could have imagined.

Hook, was so full of political satire it had to be flipped and flopped and discussed and studied because there was just so much packed into one catchy AF song. But look at these lyrics and tell me that we aren’t seeing this scenario play out in front of us on a daily basis.

It doesn’t matter what I say

So long as I sing with inflection

That makes you feel I’ll convey

Some inner truth or vast reflection

But I’ve said nothing so far

And I can keep it up for as long as it takes

And it don’t matter who you are

If I’m doing my job then it’s your resolve that breaks

Then they bring it around with the chorus…

Because the hook brings you back

I ain’t tellin’ you no lie

The hook brings you back

On that you can rely

And if you had any doubt of the deeper meeting, they smack you in the face with the second verse.

There is something amiss

I am being insincere

In fact I don’t mean any of this

Still my confession draws you near

To confuse the issue I refer

To familiar heroes from long ago

No matter how much Peter loved her

What made the Pan refuse to grow

I suppose this came back to me lately because I am really ready see our culture swing back to a place of real conversations that matter. Discourse over problems that we wrestle with together until we come to solutions that work for every party.

Am I imagining a nonexistent utopia?

Is mutually respectful discussion between those representing opposite sides of issues truly a pipe dream?

I don’t look to politics for the provision of my theater. Thespians are far better suited.

I look to the place that political power lives as the space in which we fight every day to do the “right” thing.

If you want to reminisce with me, here’s the link to the video.

Marta C. Youngblood is a writer, education and social entrepreneur based in Hot Springs, Arkansas. For more information on her current projects visit https://about.me/MCyoungblood.