My favorite book of all time is Decoded by Shawn Corey Carter aka Jay Z. There are a multitude of reasons for his book being my favorite but I'll dive into that in another blog post.
For now I'm going to steal something that Jay included in his book. It was his song lyrics "Decoded." I was blown away when I read through his unbroken codes. I realized that the songs were so much more than clever rhymes. They were deep personal stories ridden with linguistic devices to reinforce the ideas and stories he told. I'm no HOV but I thought it may be fun to break my lyrics apart in the manner that he did. This is my first attempt. I'll start with an easy one.
Rarin' (0) to Roam
23 years with this heart of mine
Tender as a worm on a fishing line
I’m hoping for a nibble not hoping for a bite
No'm much to young to tie my line too tight (1)
Well I never grew up, guess I never tried (2)
Heard the older you get the closer you are to dying
I’ll admit Imma lonely, I’ll admit Imma scared
Cause I’m not so sure I’ll ever care (3)
One foot in your river bed, one on shore (4)
Longing to love but I live to explore
Gotta lay you in the water (5)
Can’t take you home
Now the sun is rising and I’m (6)
Rarin’ to Roam
23 years with this heart of mine
Just trying to figure out how to spend my time (7)
Cause a life without loving is a life un-lived
And a man without a mission is an empty tin
I could date one in the morning to fill my bed at night
But something about that just don’t sit right
Cause every day I’d drag her deeper down
Till I up and leave her to drown (8)
One foot in your river bed, one on shore (9)
Longing to love but I live to explore
Gotta lay you in the water
Can’t take you home
Cause the sun is rising and I’m
Rarin’ to Roam
23 years with this heart of mine
As tender as a worm on a fishing line (10)
(0) Raring (adj.) - Aching desire, restlessness, or yearning. Rarin' to Roam means I have an aching desire to be free to explore.
(1) I'm young, tender-hearted and aching for love, but at the same time, I'm young, free, and uninterested in being tied down to anyone or anything. There's a big world out there to explore.
(2) I'm 23. Recently graduated from a "great" university and decide now it is time to get serious about my music career. Most of my friends/peers are going out and getting new cars with their nicely paying jobs in the corporate world and I'm moving into my younger cousin's attic in Nashville. I tell myself I'm cool with it though. I'm only being irresponsible by very conservative society standards and I guess I'm not so sure I believe in those standards anymore.
(3) Yah^. I sound all big and tough with my "don't care to ever grow up speech" but I'm more afraid then the lot of ya. I may be ok not growing up quite yet but I know I want to support a family and kids one day. Is music just an irresponsible and selfish exploit? What's that say about me if I don't care about the potential costs in the future?
(4) The chorus is a little cryptic and plays with the multiple meanings. Two stories are told simultaneously. One of a boy adventuring unable to decide whether to keep fishing or to keep exploring. The other and more weighty is a story of a love interest: one foot in your bed, one out.
(5) Keeps the fishing theme with the catch and release idea but really it's talking about a fear of relationship commitment.
(6) I like the visual of the sun coming up and the character's anxiety taking over. Can't stay in bed but rather has to leave before she wakes up.
(7) It's a reiteration of the opening confusion in the song but with a little more weight and frustration. I know life is ultimately about love but so far I have not found any fulfillment in my love life. Beyond that, I know I want a career and a purpose on my own. At this point I believed I had to choose one or the other.
(8) I have the luxury of many older siblings and one snippet of wisdom that they've shared with me is that Love is so reliant on timing. At this point, I was at a place where my career was all I wanted to focus on and anyone in the way of that (seeking time and attention) was going to be disappointed. I desperately craved loving another but I just didn't feel right about seeking a relationship with someone when I knew eventually I'd have to leave them for the road/tour.
(9) This time when the chorus hits, it's more of the story of ending a relationship just before it really starts. It's a break-up before the break-up is really necessary.
(10) Starts where the story began. Feels nice to come full circle but at the same time, this character hasn't resolved the situation yet. His heart is still tender. He's still playful but he recognizes that he's seeking something.
-the things I think I think