Jason - Song

On the writing:

This week’s selection seemed a little easier than some we have done, 500 works on a song I love. Should be a piece of cake, right? Well, the issue was not the writing, it was on the selection of the song. See, I could pick a powerful and deep spiritual song or just a song with a deep meaning, either of those would be good. I could also go with a song of that reminded me of days gone by or maybe on in which I see myself. I turned song after song over in my mind. Then, with a little help from the girls, I settled on one that was a little of each of these. Ok, maybe not spiritual so much.

A song I love

Not only do I love this song, but it is a song of love. No, it is not a torch song of a jilted lover or the sickening sweet of first or forbidden love. There will be no highways of love or baby love or asking to know what love it. No, this is something more complex than that. In a way, it feels more genuine. The background for this piece is that the beloved in this song has recently been rejected, not an experience he is familiar with and as the melody begins he is a broken man. How broken, you might ask, his companions offer to ease his suffering with alcohol and he can’t see the point. Let me pause for just a moment and bring this home. The man owns a tavern and he can’t see the point of beer! So, this first of these companions, the leader of this man’s unofficial fan club, composes these verses. Like a truly obsessed admirer, Lefou knows how to get to this big Frenchman's heart. After all, what do the French love, when food and alcohol won’t do? Flattery.


This song is in the melody of a drinking song, that starts slow and then picks up. The rhythm alone practically forces a smile. In it Lefou starts off by pointing out how hard it is to see Gaston so distressed. After all, he is “everyone's favorite guy”. The minion then reels off a number of good compliments, but they degrade to ones that are somewhat more ludicrous. “No one has a swell cleft in his chin like Gaston.” “In a spitting match nobody spits like Gaston.” It is at this point, the beloved, takes his part in the song, perhaps inspired by what he views as a great praise. “I’m especially good at expectorating,” he bellows. This makes me laugh for a variety of reasons. First there is about a zero percent chance that, this character would ever use that word. He is a bit of a dullard. On top of this, what a ridiculous claim to join in on, to take as special praise. On second thought, he’s right. I think I would like to get a shirt that proclaims my expectorating prowess.


See, to fully enjoy this song, you enjoy it from the position of Gaston. You imagine that Lefou, the tavern, even the whole town is in love with you. Then, because you are distressed because of the one girl who is not interested, they too are distressed. In this blue state it begins. “....There is no man in town as admired as you,” they say, “You are everyone's favorite guy.” Don’t you feel better already. People really do like you. Breathe that in. By the end of the song you will have shed your guilt in eating four dozen eggs and will be ready to take up your new life, a decorator with a penchant for using animal parts. Who cares about that one girl? You’re Gaston.


Live it now here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNlpuD42_BM