I have started to wonder why I keep feeding and nurturing my inner demons. When things go for me I usually don’t dwell on it for long, I simply shrug and move on, feeling good, but always thinking what’s next. When things go against me, I should definitely shrug and move on. But I don’t. Instead I tend to retreat into my man cave and brood.
My recently found release from this brooding has been to go for a walk and take some photographs. Later on I will put some music on and go with the flow to edit and remix the photos . Using various apps and filters I turn them into images that often have far different characteristics from the original subject matter.
My mood at any particular moment influences my choice of music to inspire the creative output, and the results are reflective of that choice. This particular journey into my mind started last night with The Smiths album Hatful of Hollow. Then, this morning after a troubled night’s sleep and two mugs of coffee, I put on UB40’s Signing Off album.
Both albums are full of fabulous songs. But the stand out this time round has to be UB40’s I Think It’s Going To Rain Today. An upbeat tune with comparatively maudlin lyrics laced with signs of hope, that’s my interpretation anyway.
Human kindness is overflowing, I think it’s going to rain today
I Googled the song to find the lyrics. I discovered that it was actually written, sometime back in the early 1960s, by Randy Newman. It’s been covered by many artists as well as UB40, amongst them are Barbara Streisand, Nina Simone, Peter Gabriel and quite recently, Tom Odell. Nina Simone even manages to make it sound like a hymn. Don’t get me wrong, they are all fabulous covers. UB40’s version though is still my favourite as it’s the most upbeat, in that it reminds me that despite the shit going on, there’s still hope. And it inspired the main photo accompanying this blog.
Here’s the lyrics in full….
- Broken windows and empty hallways
- A pale dead moon in the sky streaked with grey
- Human kindness is overflowing
- I think it’s going to rain today
- Scarecrows dressed in the latest styles
- With frozen smiles to chase the love away
- Human kindness is overflowing
- I think it’s going to rain today
- Lonely lonely
- Tin can at my feet
- Think I’ll kick it down the street
- That’s the way to treat a friend
- Bright before me the signs implore me
- To help the needy and show them the way
- Human kindness is overflowing
- I think it’s going to rain today
I don’t need to go into details but I had a strange day yesterday. A day of hope early on turning into a day of despondency as the hours unfolded. It’s been a soul searching effort to return to the hope, to turn my attention to the human kindness and not the rain.
I find the main photograph at the top of this post mesmerising. It may not be the most beautiful creation I’ve made, but its something I felt compelled to work with, then stare at for quite a while, studying its details. The original photograph was of the remnants of a seed head, alongside the Macclesfield Canal. To the chosen soundtracks, started last night and finished this morning, I applied washes and filters along with some cutting and pasting to get the results I liked.
Within the resultant main image I can see the form of an entity staring out at me. Is it a demon or an angel? I’ve opted for it being an angel. An angel of hope and kindness, staring out from the darkness.
As much as they have been trying, and even though its raining again, I refuse to let the bastards grind me down.
Ronnie xx
