The most abstract idea conceivable is the sensuous in its elemental originality. But through which medium can it be presented? Only through music. Kierkegaard, Either/Or
Matthew mentioned the new album from Vampire Weekend below, and I am over the moon about it as well. So this latest excursion into Kierkegaard’s Musical-Erotic is a response to that.
Yes, the chorus for this song is, at first, somewhat annoying. At first. As one commentator wrote, it sounds as if it’s being sung by mice. I post it because, well, I like it anyway. You will grow to love it, too. If for no other reason, the lyrics are a good deal more interesting than most:
Through the fire and through the flames
You won’t even say your name
Through the fire and through the flames
You won’t even say your name
Only “I am that I am”
But who could ever live that way?
Ut Deo, Ya Hey
Ut Deo, Deo
Vampire Weekend here refers, of course, to Exodus 3:14, “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
Contrast these lyrics with Jean-Luc Marion riffing on Heidegger and Exodus, from God Without Being:
The principal denomination of GⓍd as and by Being cannot—let us point out the evidence straightaway—be justified by pure and simple recourse to the verse from Exodus 3:14. Indeed, only one’s conceptual weakness permits the attribution to the “metaphysic of Exodus” of the dignity and the merit of a radical innovation. Otherwise, Saint Thomas would have stated only the common, directly biblical thesis—which, as much from the point of view of Gilson as from any other, could not be defended. May a few remarks therefore suffice here to mark the disparity between the biblical text and the “metaphysic of Exodus.” (a) The formula from the Hebrew, ehyeh asher ehyeh, can be understood as a positive statement, of the type, “I am the one who is,” but doubtless first as a refusal to specify further of what ”Being” it is a question, in the way of a statement of the type, “I am who I am”, thus did Gilson himself recognize that, understood literally, Exodus 3:14 offers “the only formula that says absolutely nothing and that says absolutely everything.”
And Here’s Ezra (lead singer):
Outside the tents, on the festival grounds
As the air began to cool, and the sun went down
My soul swooned, as I faintly heard the sound
Of you spinning “Israelites”
Into “19th Nervous Breakdown”
Be sure to check out the cork … was that planned? Was it luck? Grace?
Judge for yourselves!
It’s odd-sounding, that chorus, but I didn’t find it annoying. I think they’re going for a sound that’s not of this world, askew.
The whole dang song is amazing, starting from the opening:
Oh, sweet thing
Zion doesn’t love you
And Babylon don’t love you
But you love everything…
The whole dang album.
First off, I’ve never been a huge fan of their music. I liked it well enough, but never enough to really listen. Based on your kollective recommendation, I gave it a listen. Thanks, korrektiv!
Second, how about Everlasting Arms? I was made to live without you….. Hold me in your everlasting arms. Interesting stuff. Even the title is intriguing.
As for the chorus in Ya Hey, it sounds awfully close to Yahwey, no? As sung by Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Everlasting arms has my favorite line of the whole album:
I thought it over and drew the curtain
Leave me to myself oh leave me to myself
I hum the Dies Irae while you sing the Hallelujah
Leave me to myself oh leave me to myself
If you were made to serve a Master
You’d be frightened by the open hand, frightened by the hand
Could I be made to serve a Master?
But I’m never gonna understand, never understand.
I’m kind of partial to this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mDxcDjg9P4&list=UUUGzhBmck61sa3eGxp9xI8A
Oh, yes – best song qua song on the album. I sing it while I empty the dishwasher in the morning.
Did you just say “song qua song?”
I figured it was okay since we were talking about Vampire Weekend. Per se, “song qua song” is hopelessly twee; but vis a vis this particular band, it seemed a propos.
IIRC, he wasn’t bad, as UN Secretaries-General go.
Oh, you saint. Thank you for both the song and the essay-ette, Mr Finnegan. Until now, I had never had any interest in Vampire Weekend or any knowledge of Jean-Luc Marion. You have begun to cure this dual deficiency.
I’d been vaguely aware of the distinction between ‘I am the one who is’ and ‘I am who I am’, but had never really paused to think about the difference between the key-like ‘positive statement’ of the former and the mystic tautological tease of the latter.
TAGGED WITH…?
Yep, I’m getting there. Give it about 24-48 hours, and I expect to be right there with you. And the gorgeousness of the rest of the song is easy to appreciate.
It is impossible to say.
Thanks again, sir.
Gah! Really, really working on reducing the number of obsessions in my life, and you all come along with this. I could say “please, no more,” but I wouldn’t really mean it.
On my way to Amazon MP3 store.
Thanks, Korrektiv!
Did you happen to see the article in the NY Times in which Koenig likened their first three albums to Brideshead Revisited?
“The naïve joyous school days in the beginning. Then the expansion of the world, travel, seeing other places, learning a little bit more about how people live. And then the end is a little bit of growing up, starting to think more seriously about your life and your faith. If people could look at our three albums as a bildungsroman, I’d be O.K. with that.”
http://tinyurl.com/po8d82x
Omigosh. Thank you for this.
A twitch upon the thread?
More than a twitch, apparently. “Arrows”
A twang upon the bowstring.
I’d held off on reading this post… Uh oh, with the Brideshead reference now I have to listen to the album.