When The Music´s Over

Is there anything sadder than the ominous fade out of a song? That´s why Elvis is the king. He knew how to take us from a melodic climax to an acute sadness, and then to another climax, a miraculous one, with his Suspicious Minds. There is also the sudden, abrupt silence of a song. Is there a more hostile and hopeless thing? Of course we´re talking about good music, whatever it means to each person. Anyways, it feels like we lost our ticket to the dreamy world, to the oasis, to the blue bus, to the yellow submarine, to the highway 61.

There are just a few things than can really take us to a state of mind as agitated, primal, stupid, angry, vulnerable, eloquent, articulated, rusty, visceral, lucid, as complete. In drugs, there are uppers, downers and hallucinogens. In music the possibilities are infinite.

But if a song ends, just to let another equally stimulating song start, then everything´s fine. If an album takes its natural journey between the different trails, even though it does not follow the yellow brick road, but still takes us to the land of Oz, then everything´s fine. But when that album is over, that feeling of emptiness returns. And then you urgently need another fix.

Then the ipods came. And with them, music becomes a partner, sometimes an anonymous one, but partner whatsoever. And you get hooked up to its company, as never before. Those overrated, in vogue, great gadgets, give you the opportunity to have a tangible soundtrack of your life. The soundtrack of your life, your walk, your razzle, your fuck, your dinner, your writing. The soundtrack of your essence. And suddenly, before your eyes in disbelief, Vancouver´s Robson St. becomes a Nashville street when “Cocaine Blues” starts; it turns into a street from Madrid when the first, furious notes of “Yo Me Bajo En Atocha” can be heard; and it even becomes a traditional street of Monterrey´s downtown when the subtle, urgent, and intoxicating sounds of “Las Tres Tumbas” fill your ears.

When the music´s over… turn off the lights. The Armageddon is not a global fire, nor a great drought, nor a Texas-sized meteorite striking the Earth. It is silence.

_____________________________________

Original date of composition: Monday May 4, 2009.
10:28PM