opening the locked doors

as you probably already know, i started off today listening to neil young. what a great songwriter... except for that song "a man needs a maid." i don't care if he wrote it in the 70s -- that song was quite comical in a "is he serious?" kind of way. that really made me laugh, but i hear there is an acoustic version of the song that will erase my memories of the dramatic musical version. on the other hand, i love love "pardon my heart." it appeals to the sobbing sap in me.

when i listened to that song five billion times, i got into the mood suddenly to listen to the dresden dolls. they are dark and emotional at times... i craved the song, "half jack." it was weird how i began to listen to it on a whim because it's one of my faves of the band, and then i started to feel intensely sad. the lyrics are vague enough to where i could relate to them and the pain that is encapsulated in amanda's voice and those powerful words. the song opened a flood of thoughts and emotions -- opening the doorway to stuff i don't like think about. not too many songs do that these do they?

most of the time we listen to music to escape and forget our troubles. but the dresden dolls love to open up and put the spotlight on their troubles. wallow, even. or poke fun of. their music is exposed, and listening to songs like "half jack" is like picking a scab over and over to watch it bleed -- until finally it forms a scab and you can move on. quite cathartic.