transcendence

Every now and then, a song comes along that can totally be dated, but in one's heart and mind, transcends time. The song may have been from a specific time/era, but it has the ability to remain good and true throughout the years - through all the fads, through all the changes in music, the song remains close to one's heart.

I have such a song. The song came out in 1993 I believe, and I can remember where I heard it for the first time, and the first time I saw the video for it. I remember the song struck such a chord within me, even at the age of thirteen, that I have never been able to let go of it. The song that I am talking about is Round Here by Counting Crows. That song will forever be one of my favorite songs, no matter what anyone tells me.

There have also been different versions of this song. One version I have is from a bootleg of a Boston show, and he incorporates lyrics from another song called "Private Archipelago". There is a lot of adlibing in this version, and it's totally beautiful. But I think the version that gets me the most is off the the Live Across a Wire album. It's from a live MTV concert they did. It's absolutely amazing... There is a part with beautiful piano, and the lyrics go as such:

"There's a girl on a car in the parking lot.
She says 'man, come on, come on, just take a shot.'
She says 'Can't you see me? Can't you see me?
Can't you see my walls are crumbling down?
Can't you see my walls are tumbling down
Can't you see my sun stopped spinning around
Can't you see that sky turned black and brown
Can't you see that moon go flashing round
Can't you see me? Can't you see me?
Can't you see me.... No.'"

That part in the song stirs such an emotion in me, it's crazy... Like I said, every so often there is a song that will transcend time. This one is it for me. It's been well over 10 years since this song came out, and it in no way seems old or outdated to me. I love songs like that...