A meme is a unit of cultural ideas, symbols or practices, which can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals or other imitable phenomena. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes, in that they self-replicate and respond to selective pressures.
The British scientist Richard Dawkins coined the word "meme" in The Selfish Gene. Examples of memes given in the book included melodies, catch-phrases, beliefs (notably religious beliefs), clothing fashion, and the technology of building arches.
The sad songs are the best ones. This is often said. Whether we are talking about 'Yesterday', all the Burt Bacharach classics, 'Lilac Wine', Dylan's coveted tunes, there is an endless list of sad tracks that support the irony that a miserable subject can invoke a lovely joy. Sad songs tend to be the best. Seem to have the most profound sentiments. Or is this just a learned reaction? A belief? Something I picked up from my upbringing on classic Soul? Is this my Meme?
The Delfonics, Stylistics, Blue Magic, all come from the underrated producer Thom Bell. He specialised in Orchestrated Soul. But listening to it, you can hear it's other-worldliness. The arrangements are executed perfectly by some of the greatest musicians this planet has known. But all the lyrics are about Love that AIN'T happening like it could be.
James Brown screams in Love Pain, for the loss of his mother. Curtis recites line after line about "how should I tell her - that it's over now?". Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes give words to Teddy Pendergras such as "To Be True, is such a hard thing to do, it's hard when each time you look around, someones saying 'Hey you, you looking for something to do?'"
I love these songs, I woke up to those songs during the formative years of my life. They seduced me to life. To love, to the challenge of life and love. To sadness, because they made sadness seem so cool! So beautiful.
So now whenever I am in a relationship, where things are going good, I don't know what song to sing. I only feel passion for the sad songs!
Are we what our genes are? Or are we what we believe we are?
The David Garside song 'Mr Wise', is so profound, because he resolves it by saying "now I see myself through my own eyes". He seems to be saying we are what we believe we are.
And this is the thing, no matter how desperate or desolate the song's situation, you can still find some sense of redemption in the song. You can still find some sense in those classic soul songs that they, and you, can rise above the worst situation. If nowhere else, you can usually hear it in the bass drum's heart beat.
And nothing we know of, is worst than the loss of love.
June 12 we begin the 2010 Art Terry/David Garside UK Tour, at Matsu Gallery in London. It will be a very special performance that brings the spirit of those soul classics to life. NOT TO BE MISSED. NOT TO BE REPEATED.
Black Ivory sing "Man forsakes his love, and love escapes from man, like a spinning wheel spins, always beginning where it lands, searching for a melody where he might touch completely. Wo-ah-ah-o, Love is a magic moment, Love has no sense of time..."
