What's going on with our dreams? Beats me. Are our brains just like computers? Downloading info, clearing the cache, processing the events of the previous day? Maybe, although, that is not how I think of my dreams.
Coded-messages. That's closer to the mark.
A long-winded way to get to the point. Phil Collins, the famous r&r roller, member of Genesis, vocalist & drummer, popular solo artist, with lots of ubiquitous, and annoying music on the airwaves, especially in the 80's, came to me last night. We were at a music venue, on the same bill, (not likely, especially in pandemic times). Phil was drinking (I think he is long-time, famously sober now) and he was pretty unhappy. Disgruntled. He told me about recording and mixing "In the Air Tonight," a massive hit.
I was super-interested, I love talking music, even though, I am not a Phil Collins fan, I don't own any of his records, I usually try to avoid his songs when they are on the radio. Except, you know, that one song, "In the Air Tonight" the mix, the drum sound, the tension, the payoff. Pretty good single. I was pretty encouraging, trying to rally Phil, assuring him that the song was amazing.
He wasn't really having it. He was miserable. Defeated. Deflated. Unhappy. Unsure. Unfulfilled. I was surprised. To say the least.
What is the coded message? The message was the dream itself. The reality of Phil. Something about life and ambition. Success & failure. Trying to make something beautiful, something worthy, something lasting, and sadly, unfortunately, coming up short. Oh Phil...
The a.m. soundtrack - Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight." (1980) played this morning via YouTube. Like I said, I don't own any Phil Collins records, so, just like over 200 hundred million other folks, I'm listening to, (and watching), this one on-line. A few more coins in Phil's pocket. You know, it actually, really does sound pretty good. Makes me think of Sisyphus this morning... pushing that rock up the hill, watching it tumble down...
"Well if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before my friend, but I don't know if you know who I am
Well I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been
It's all been a pack of lies
And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord"
-Phil Collins