Richard Cory

In the last few years, I've become quite a fan of Simon & Garfunkel. Really, they're amazing. Nothing like the '60's. Not only are the harmonies just perfect, but they're musically genius. Don't get me wrong, I love Black Eyed Peas, but somehow, Simon & Garfunkel are just a few steps ahead. They say the words "synopated time" and you better believe the music behind it is syncopated. Don't even get me going on the polyphonic texture in "Scarborough Fair." Plus, they speak of things that really matter. (Actually, I think that may be an actual lyric from one of their songs...) They question life, truth, love, home. They have a song called "The Sound of Silence." Genius, genius I say!!! So yes, I find them quite fantastic.

This week I've been listening a lot to Simon & Garfunkel, and I really enjoy the song "Richard Cory." It's upbeat, fun, easy to sing along to while I'm driving to work. But as is usual with S&G, the song is a lot more than just what it appears. In this song it's not too hard to see, because the lyrics say it all. Basically, Richard Cory has it all in the eyes of those around him. He's rich, stylish, sexy, and famous. Basically, he's living the American dream. The singer even muses, "Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he's got."

The chorus goes like this:

"But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory."

The ultimate irony occurs when Richard Cory went home one night, and "put a bullet through his head." It seems Richard Cory wasn't all that happy after all. I find that most of us know things like money and fame and beauty won't bring us happiness. I know that I know that, but I still want those things, more than I should. My mind knows it's not all that it's cracked up to me, but my body still desires those things, is pulled towards them.

I have a lot of Richard Cory's in my life. There are so many times that I wish that I could be someone else. It's one of the things I hate the most, because what it is in essence saying is that I'm not content with who I am. I want to be content with who I am, who God made me to be, but there is always someone out there I would rather be. Maybe not the whole person, but some bit or piece. This person is more fun. This person is more funny. This person is more well-read. This person is more insightful. This person is more wise. This person is more loving. This person is more well-liked. This person is better looking. This person doesn't even think about money. This person is more talented. This person, this person.... The list could go on and on.

Many of those things, like vanity and money, are simply dumb. But they're still there. And I think it's okay to desire more wisdom or to want a greater ability to love and love well. But when those things turn into jealousy or self-hatred, I don't think that's a good thing. I often fall into that trap and I never seem to quite learn.

Changing subjects completely, I am only in this world because of my mother, the dear Vickers, the Mothership. Happy 55th birthday, mom. When I told her Happy Birthday this morning, she said, "Fifty-five years young." You go girl. Booyah.