In the persuit of happiness which I aim to show is a continuous and conscious action, our upbringing has 'taught' us to relate to certain things (very broad) in various ways and sometimes differently to the way others may experince them. Music is one part of my life (our lives) that more often than not, has a possitive spin and provides feelings of goodness and happiness and yes, sadness too.
From his 1972 album 'Transformer' that I am led to believe, David Bowie had an hand in, Lou Reed wrote this song that many believe to be about his addiction to heroin. While this may be so, I think that it can also be taken very much at face value or a basic level where even heroin addiction can be reduced to the simple things in life that make us happy: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYEC4TZsy-Y) or (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2JXy1Z9ovs for a special BBC various artisis mix which is not bad at all).
"Just a perfect day,
Drink Sangria in the park,
And then later, when it gets dark,
We go home.
Just a perfect day,
Feed animals in the zoo
Then later, a movie, too,
And then home.
Oh it's such a perfect day,
I'm glad I spent it with you.
Oh such a perfect day,
You just keep me hanging on,
You just keep me hanging on.
Just a perfect day,
Problems all left alone,
Weekenders on our own.
It's such fun.
Just a perfect day,
You made me forget myself.
I thought I was someone else,
Someone good.
Oh it's such a perfect day,
I'm glad I spent it with you.
Oh such a perfect day,
You just keep me hanging on,
You just keep me hanging on.
You're going to reap just what you sow,
You're going to reap just what you sow,
You're going to reap just what you sow,
You're going to reap just what you sow...
(One must not forget, it is also the way that he sings the song that adds to the effect of lonliness and the need for goodness. There are many cover versions that do not come close to creating the emotions he stirs up in this song)
The first verse reduces our wants and desires to the five senses and associated feelings of goodness. He has masterfully picked on the likely things from our childhhod's that make us happy: favorite drink, carefree moments of freedom (memories), the secuirty of home, animals (being adventurous or just the cudly type) and preferred relationships that one wants to keep when one returns home. In this verse I think we are asked to identify our own basic elements and histories that make us happy.
The chorus reiterates the need for ongoing perfect happines and to escape that which makes us unhappy. While he seemingly refers to a human relationship to share this with, I would like to think that he asking us to find all the things that make us happy and to string them together, often - and so be able to face the reality or necessities of modern life that we are required to fulfil in order to survive or just be part of the human race. He is asking us to make every day a perfect day. 'You just keep me hanging on' seems to tell us that we need to find a balance (or overbalance) on the side of happiness and goodness - that which makes life worthwile.
The second verse carries on from here where we must escape from that which makes us unhappy and strive for a more positive outlook on life. We need to discover that within us that makes us good and move away from that which makes us mediocre. Like behaviourists, continuous rewarding or re-emphasising that which is 'good' will overcome 'bad' to the extent that we may even associate a lot of good which we in the past have have not liked at all. Create you own 'good associations' and avoid the bad.
"You're going to reap just what you sow" is perhaps the most vital ending; telling us to take responsibility for ourselves, find inner happiness, peace etc and perhaps even spead this message. We are accountable to ourselves and therfore we need to find out what makes us happy and creat the ongoing scenarios for this to be achieved. If you are unhappy with your life - it is your fault so get out there and change it. Make every day a perfect day.
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