Coming of age of sorts
Queen’s "Another One Bites the Dust" was the first record I bought with my own money. It was a 45 record, yes, vinyl, with a flipside that could’ve used more traction on our record player.
I remember struggling not to spend my recess money while saving for it, and the pride and freedom that came from the feeling of “having your own” bought with hard-earned (scrimping on recess money is hard-earned!), money.
It was liberating. Oh the power it gave me, to be 11, and be able to play the song whenever I want, over and over, when I was mad, happy, sad, ecstatic, bored, and to dance like no one was watching (even though my siblings probably were), and lose myself to the song. It was a coming of age of sorts.
I watched Bohemian Rhapsody with those memories washing over me as the songs took me back to my 11-year-old self, in Cainta. I sat in the movie house reliving the life of the band centered on Freddy Mercury’s struggles.
The sound system at the Ayala cinema made the experience fuller, and richer, and the thought that I was sharing that moment quietly with my girls a few seats back with their cousins and Kigao, Magi and Mabi to my left.
Lights on, credits rolled and our eyes were bright. I didn’t want to get up. Tried to stay for more of the music, the era, the story. Youngest daughter was in awe. My eldest cried more than I did.
Years ago, and I think I’ve written about this before, my eldest’s small self about seven, her little sister and I were dancing around in our candle-lit living room, to rock music. When it was Collective Soul with Shine, she sat down and went quiet while the youngest and I continued our head banging, shouting, and twirling. When I asked her what was wrong she said that the song made her sad.
Rock is sad, in more ways than one. We have to get to the loud and the whispers to truly appreciate the music in its entirety, the way the gods and goddesses meant the creation to be.
Until we start to feel and then maybe fear and then maybe understand.. Then live in that instant, that moment when the universe speaks to us through creations of humans, as others tag these as Satanic.
I quote Falcone in Batman Begins: “You always fear what you don’t understand.”
Thanks for the movie, tito Mabi.
"I am an X in an indeterminate equation. And that X is the rock upon which I stand." - Mario Puzo
I remember struggling not to spend my recess money while saving for it, and the pride and freedom that came from the feeling of “having your own” bought with hard-earned (scrimping on recess money is hard-earned!), money.
It was liberating. Oh the power it gave me, to be 11, and be able to play the song whenever I want, over and over, when I was mad, happy, sad, ecstatic, bored, and to dance like no one was watching (even though my siblings probably were), and lose myself to the song. It was a coming of age of sorts.
I watched Bohemian Rhapsody with those memories washing over me as the songs took me back to my 11-year-old self, in Cainta. I sat in the movie house reliving the life of the band centered on Freddy Mercury’s struggles.
The sound system at the Ayala cinema made the experience fuller, and richer, and the thought that I was sharing that moment quietly with my girls a few seats back with their cousins and Kigao, Magi and Mabi to my left.
Lights on, credits rolled and our eyes were bright. I didn’t want to get up. Tried to stay for more of the music, the era, the story. Youngest daughter was in awe. My eldest cried more than I did.
Years ago, and I think I’ve written about this before, my eldest’s small self about seven, her little sister and I were dancing around in our candle-lit living room, to rock music. When it was Collective Soul with Shine, she sat down and went quiet while the youngest and I continued our head banging, shouting, and twirling. When I asked her what was wrong she said that the song made her sad.
Rock is sad, in more ways than one. We have to get to the loud and the whispers to truly appreciate the music in its entirety, the way the gods and goddesses meant the creation to be.
Until we start to feel and then maybe fear and then maybe understand.. Then live in that instant, that moment when the universe speaks to us through creations of humans, as others tag these as Satanic.
I quote Falcone in Batman Begins: “You always fear what you don’t understand.”
Thanks for the movie, tito Mabi.
"I am an X in an indeterminate equation. And that X is the rock upon which I stand." - Mario Puzo
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