Better... better... better... better.......

Those of you who really know me, know that not only is "Hey Jude" my favorite song, but that I very rarely listen to it. Since I was closing in on track # 40,000 played through last.fm, I decided it was time to listen to it to be the magic # 40,000..

In a way, I like the fact I listen to the song rarely, so the sheer rush of when they build up to the climax of the song "better.. better..." comes through full force. It almost seems that if I listened too often, it would become common place. As Paul McCartney sang in another song (solo career) - "May I never miss the thrill of being near you..." I never want that sheer thrill to grow old.

This may sound cliche to call Hey Jude my favorite song of all time - but it really is. The lyrics are simple, and the chorus may be even simpler - but the joy of the song is so pure that it simply doesn't matter.

The build up to that point where Paul just let loose that one note right before the chorus started crashing in.... I compare it to the build up of the orchestra in the last movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony where it sounds like heaven is just about to open up, only to have the strings come crashing in with a simple, almost flirty melody. I also compare it to that wondrous moment in the Rhapsody in Blue when all of a sudden the full orchestra swells the theme of the piece - but even that disintegrates back into the disjointed piano. (no, I'm not describing either of these well - there was a reason I did poorly in my music class at Berkeley)

The difference between these pieces and Hey Jude, to me, is that unlike those other pieces, in Hey Jude, heaven DOES open up. For that one moment when Paul is holding that note, it's truly perfect. I never want not to experience that sheer thrill. Yes, the chorus afterwards is simple - but so is joy. One doesn't need polyphony, Chaucer-level lyricism and atonality to express joy. And at it's core, that's all that "nah-nah, nah-nah-nah-nah, nah-nah-nah-nah, Hey Jude" expresses. Couple that with Paul's inspired vocalizations as the chorus winds on, and really, how can one not feel a piece of the sheer joy of the song?

On top of that, the story of the song - of Paul wanting to comfort young Julian Lennon at the impending divorce of Julian's parents, further endears it. And while simple, the lyrics are lyrics of hope. Hope of getting the girl, hope of overcoming fear, of accomplishing the great feat, hope of not only being able to make things better, but of doing so.

Oh yeah, the harmony vocals in the first half of the song are also just so ludicrously beautiful.

Yes, I am effusive in my praise here, and likely more than a little silly. But it's hard to be rational - I love this song, plain and simple.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...

No, this isn't a Who related post (though "their" new album, Endless Wire, hasn't yet engaged me enough to justify a single full listen, which probably says a lot about the album) - but a more literal reference to me starting a new job. As the title implies though, my old boss, will be my new boss, as I will be working for my friends' new company (different company as before, but the same friend) I'm both excited, and a little nervous at going back to the wonderful world of the tech startup, but the product looks good, is in an area that interests me, and the company appears good too. (plus I get a macbook pro out of the deal =)

That also means that I'm leaving my current gig, which also leaves me with mixed feelings. I like the people where I work right now - I really do. I like a lot of what is involved in working there. I definitely do not like driving 60 km each way every day through bad LA traffic each way (the new gig is less than half as far away), and I can do without having to deal with SQL Server, .net, Visual Studio and other Microsoft fun day in and day out. (out of respect to them, I will not be saying more than that, not only because I do like the people there, but also because I plan to maintain a relationship, both business and personal with the people there and the company)

When I know a little more about what I am doing at the new place, I will post more than a placeholder link to Steelcape.

To quote the film Yellow Submarine, "Once more unto the breach, dear meanies!"