Have you had a song written about you?
Someone has, in fact, written a song for me and it just so happens that they are an excellent composer and thoughtful sound designer. I never understood why musicians were so sought after, but I totally get it now.
To know someone thought of you and put in the effort to write a song for you – well, I can’t put it into words, but it’s enough to get a girl to blush. ‘Déjà Vu’ isn’t your typical love song with cheesy lines; it is a classy song that has a modern twist, yet it doesn’t sound like it tries too hard. I might be a little biased when I say this, but I really love this song.
It begins with a certain brightness that is juxtaposed with the grittiness of the lo-fi crackle and an auditory mise-en-scene of autumn or early winter through the sound of rustling leaves. Just when you have the picture of a daytime piece, the transition at 0:12 brings the piece somewhere different. It’s as if time skips a little and you’re taken from a place with bright winter-ish glare to a place in the evening that’s quiet – and maybe a little jazzy. ‘Déjà Vu’ takes you to places physically and emotionally in its striking resonance of the piano reverb, adding to the nostalgic feel Aoku goes for.
Looking back on my reflections of ‘Déjà Vu’, I realised I haven’t analysed something like this in a long while. It was a little hard, but also very rewarding. In some ways, and you might think I’m stretching it but, I think analysis can serve as a way to increase your gratitude for things. On a surface level, it means you are taking the time to understand how much work goes into just about anything.
My church has been going through a series of sermons about gratitude and thankfulness, and somehow, gratitude naturally came to mind when thinking about ‘Déjà Vu’.
Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,
but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thes 5:12-18
It’s so easy to forget how much work goes into something when you have one expectation, but in delving deeper – in taking the time to understand how much work goes into a song, a work project or an act of love, you build patience and it opens up ways to love and serve others. This is something I am still learning and I hope this helps you think a little differently about people and the world.
水 