Tuesday, May 19, 2009
GED3,Deep Blue Something, and Jury Instructions
Last Friday, GED3 listed a song I haven't heard in years as one of those that was pegged to a place and time for him:
Here are the lyrics from the hook, which is about people breaking up and trying to pin down why they were in love:
And I said what about "Breakfast at Tiffany's?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got."
I've never found anyone who was actually in love who could articulate why in a convincing way. I guess it is an emotion, not a conclusion. It's surprising how that works. There used to be a line in the standard jury instructions defining "beyond a reasonable doubt" that claimed that a reasonable doubt was "one which would make you hesitate in making the most important decisions in your own life." That made no sense to me. We make the most important decisions in our own lives-- whether to buy a car we can't afford, who to love, where to go to school-- for reasons that aren't really reasons at all, they are emotions. You can love someone and not be able to peg it rationally to anything other than that one movie you saw... but the reality is that the love springs from something far deeper and mysterious. You can't stop it, no more than you can stop gravity or hurt or wind. We so want to control our own lives, but especially in those most important areas we just don't, and the heart goes where it will for reasons we can't describe. And then when we do try to describe it, we just sound silly-- "What about Breakfast at Tiffany's?"
Mystery, deep magic, the strongest emotions, we struggle to control. But it cannot be denied.
Here are the lyrics from the hook, which is about people breaking up and trying to pin down why they were in love:
And I said what about "Breakfast at Tiffany's?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got."
I've never found anyone who was actually in love who could articulate why in a convincing way. I guess it is an emotion, not a conclusion. It's surprising how that works. There used to be a line in the standard jury instructions defining "beyond a reasonable doubt" that claimed that a reasonable doubt was "one which would make you hesitate in making the most important decisions in your own life." That made no sense to me. We make the most important decisions in our own lives-- whether to buy a car we can't afford, who to love, where to go to school-- for reasons that aren't really reasons at all, they are emotions. You can love someone and not be able to peg it rationally to anything other than that one movie you saw... but the reality is that the love springs from something far deeper and mysterious. You can't stop it, no more than you can stop gravity or hurt or wind. We so want to control our own lives, but especially in those most important areas we just don't, and the heart goes where it will for reasons we can't describe. And then when we do try to describe it, we just sound silly-- "What about Breakfast at Tiffany's?"
Mystery, deep magic, the strongest emotions, we struggle to control. But it cannot be denied.
Comments:
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That definition of "beyond reasonable doubt" is tricky. I cannot imagine any juror, no matter the instructions from the court, taking it that personally. It is a grand notion but not one that seems probable. Most jurors are there under duress, so for them to make it such a personal matter is either far-fetched or hopeful at best.
On the other hand, isn't that reckless abandonment what makes love so spectacular? If it had to be scrutinized and looked at from the point of law, would it ever occur? I like the way the song reads... he is trying to capture something they had a connection with that would remind her of the happiness. How can that be a bad thing? And… a table set with sliver service and Champagne – who could resist that?
On the other hand, isn't that reckless abandonment what makes love so spectacular? If it had to be scrutinized and looked at from the point of law, would it ever occur? I like the way the song reads... he is trying to capture something they had a connection with that would remind her of the happiness. How can that be a bad thing? And… a table set with sliver service and Champagne – who could resist that?
You'll never know the depths of this inarticulate feeling until you really understand the concept of "the pompatus of love," grasshopper.
Think on these things.
Yoda
Think on these things.
Yoda
# posted by 
: 10:24 AM
: 10:24 AM
I always felt it was a song about a moment, more than just love.
When we jumped around and acted silly, I was acutely aware that the moment would not last.
When we jumped around and acted silly, I was acutely aware that the moment would not last.
I just want to say that I am terribly, terribly disturbed that album was released in 1995 and 1995 was 14 years ago.
I mean, I guess I knew that it wasn't on the top 40 anymore but my popular music consciousness has blacked out for, like, a decade.
I mean, I guess I knew that it wasn't on the top 40 anymore but my popular music consciousness has blacked out for, like, a decade.
Off topic, but I can't miss a good plug for the great music scene in Denton, TX, where "Deep Blue Something" formed. The Pipe brothers are still producers in the area, too.
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