Songs that Inspire us; Videos that Don’t

Last week, my client asked me if I listened to music when I trained.

Of course! Music definitely helps me get through my training sessions. I don’t usually listen to music with my clients, as it can be tough to find anything we both can tolerate and enjoy. In another life, I was a DJ and was the King of Mixed Tapes. I would spend hours putting together an erg mix that my rowing teammates and I could listen to during our long bouts on the rowing machines. Putting together the perfect mix was about connecting the song to the emotion of where you were in the workout. You wouldn’t want to be listening to this during a 50,000 meter ergometer piece:

(This really happened. I was there, and it was awful).

With technology the way it is now, it is amazing that you can pull up any song just by typing the lyrics into Google. You can even watch the music video if there is one. This brings me to my topic. It is almost as if the music companies are in such a rush to put out a song AND a music video that they don’t wait to see if the song will be good enough to warrant one.

“Fight Song” – by Rachel Platten

This is a great song. The first time that I heard it, I was inspired. It was definitely one of those songs that tugged at your heartstrings.  When many of us are down, we all turn to a “fight” song that we use when we just want to say F*** you to everything. I have two daughters, and I imagine both will blast this song on their iPods when they are old enough to do so.

After listening to the song a few times, I knew that I had to watch the video. I am one of the MTV generation that have to watch the video when it starts to get stuck in my head. I have to connect visually to what the artist is trying to convey in the lyrics.

I watched the video. I didn’t get it.

The more I watched the video, the more it bothered me.

It wasn’t that it was a bad video, but it left me with more questions rather than connecting to me like the song did.

 

“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten

0:00 – 0:25

 

“Like a small boat

On the ocean

Sending big waves

Into motion

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion”

Okay, I got it. She is trying to write music, and is having writer’s block. I am right there with her. Sometimes when I want to write it takes me two or three days to get motivated. I have other things going on in my life, too. In the video, she is obviously very busy lying in her bed, throwing pieces of paper all over her apartment. She is also too busy to wash and put away the dishes in her sink. I wonder how her roommate feels about this.

 

0:25 – 1:06

 

“And all those things I didn’t say

Wrecking balls inside my brain

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time?”

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I’m alright song

My power’s turned on

Starting right now I’ll be strong

I’ll play my fight song

And I don’t really care if nobody else believes

‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me”

This first part of the video was the only part of that really struck a chord with me. She goes to the bar, gets on stage in front of an empty house and sings her song to nobody. She starts to cry. I have to admit I was upset for her. I know how tough it is to prove yourself. We have all been there. Let’s see where this goes.

1:07 –  1:19

“Losing friends and I‘m chasing sleep

Everybody’s worried about me”

In too deep

Say I’m in too deep (in too deep)”

It appears that she is leaving her apartment. Where is she going with that hat? I hope that she had the courtesy to clean up the dishes before she bailed on her roommate. Not to mention she drives off in a really nice 1973 red Mustang. Did she steal it? Is that why she is in too deep?

1:20 – 1:29

“And it’s been two years

I miss my home

But there’s a fire burning in my bones

Still believe

Yeah, I still believe”

Apparently the Mustang breaks down, and she stops to get it looked at. She must be on the run because she takes an illegal wide turn. I wonder why she is in such a hurry? She parks at a random gas station and get out and starts walking around. Where is she going?

1:30 – 1:41

“And all those things I didn’t say

Wrecking balls inside my brain

Ah “Wrecking balls”. Trying to get maximum SEO via Mylie! – 1:32

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time?”

Driving again. She appears happy to see the ocean, and decides to run down the tunnel made famous in the movie The Fugitive. Is she looking for the One-Armed Man? She must be on the run.

 

1:42 – 1:50

“This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I’m all right song”

Okay she seems happier. She meets some nice people in a bar. I wonder if they know where the One-Armed Man is?

1:51 -1:59

“My power’s turned on

Starting right now I’ll be strong

I’ll play my fight song”

How did she end up in the Muir Woods Park Redwood forest? Doesn’t she know that Caesar and the apes just want to be left alone? Where is James Franco?

“Caesar’s Home…”

Why is she going swimming? I know she seems that she is having fun, but who are the random dudes in the water behind her? I would be a little concerned about this…

 

2:00 – 2:15

“And I don’t really care if nobody else believes

Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me”

They are showing random people around the country. Does she know these people? Okay now they are flexing their biceps…

TANGENT

I never understood why “flexing” your biceps symbolizes strength? It isn’t even a joint action that can produce any force. I believe it would make more sense to have people around the country maybe Dead Lifting or Bench Pressing really heavy weight.

This is more like it!

Then I would probably say, “Whoa, now they are pretty strong! They mean business!” Flexing your biceps is more like a Body Building pose…are these people her friends and are flexing to show they are posers?

2:16 – 2:20

“A lot of fight left in me”               

 

More Flexing.

2:21 – 2:26

“Like a small boat

On the ocean”

Why is she on the beach from the movie THE CRAFT?

 

OH! She is going to summon MANON!

Now it is all starting to make sense. I am waiting for Fairuza Balk to show up…she was so mean to Sarah…

 

2:27 – 2:45

“Sending big waves

Into motion      

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion”

 

HEeere comes MANON!

That is what she means by explosion…”Fight Song” is about the movie The Craft…

 

2:46 – 3:25

“This is my fight song (Hey!)

Take back my life song (Hey!)           

                                         

Prove I’m alright song (Hey!)

My power’s turned on

Starting right now I’ll be strong (I’ll be strong)

I’ll play my fight song

And I don’t really care if nobody else believes 

                   

‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me”

 

“No I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me”

No MANON…. 😦

 

Video Score: 4 out of 10

 I really hope they reshoot the video. The song has really taken off and Rachel Platten should just say let’s do this again. The song has become bigger than her original concept of how it was “inspired by a lot of experiences that were hurting me and that were making me feel like maybe I didn’t have a chance in this industry.”

 

Well you and your song made it Ms. Platten. Your video did not…

 

Song Score: 10 out of 10

 

I really do like this song. It has already been used in a lot of OTHER inspirational videos and commercials and it has already been used as an anthem for the “Rise Above Cancer” campaign, inspiring children and people to fight cancer.

 

 

For that reason alone I have to give the song a 10, because if it inspires one person to fight for their life, then I am ALL for it.

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