When I was young I wasn’t overly interested in the music of Michael McLean, mainly because he did “church music”, and I found church music a bit too sappy. I don’t think I really started to change my opinion until I went to a live performance he did of “The Forgotten Carols” and found that his songs are much more effective when he sings them himself. His voice is far from terrific, but he knows and believes what he’s singing about, so it comes through much more powerfully than when artists of better voice perform it. In my opinion.
I’ve also begun to realize that there’s a depth to his music you just can’t appreciate when young. Some things you just have to experience for yourself to really beging to understand. But I’m older now, and I’ve experienced much of the same things he has, and his music is beginning to make more sense to me. I still wish he’d sing his own songs more, but I’ll live. Over the weekend I picked up a couple of his albums. A couple songs stuck out, and one in particular:
The Things I Cannot Change
I’ve got to change the way I’m feeling about some things I cannot change
And I’m afraid this might sound holier than thou
But I keep trying not to give in to this world that I live in
And it makes my life a lonely one right now
I’ve got to change the way I’m dealing with my friends I cannot change
But it’s so hard to do when I think they are wrong
If I object to where they’re going
They say “Your judgmentalness is showing”
And the proof they have is I won’t tag along
Well I guess they’re right…I see black and white
And I think the world’s much to gray now
And I feel I need more light or just might lose my way any day now
I’m uncomfortably aware every day that all I need to do be liked more, to be considered wise and open-minded, is to just give in and agree with the mainstream school of thought. The trouble is, most of the real happiness I’ve experienced in life comes from doing things the mainstream school of thought tells me are outdated at best and completely idiotic and generally malicious at worst. So, do I trust them, or my own “lyin’ eyes”?
Ironically though, mainstream thinking also says “Follow your bliss”, “Follow your heart”, and “Do what makes you happy.” Always left unsaid is the caveat, “–unless what makes you happy runs contrary to what we think should make you happy.” But they don’t have to be me.
And so I continue to believe what I believe, do what I feel I should do, and try to be who I feel I should be. Better to die on my feet than live on my knees, right? There are days when that path leaves me a little battered and bruised. But there are other days when everything feels…right. I am happiest when I stay the course.
Well said. I feel that way often.