Inkspiration

…so about a week ago, I polled the audience for blog topics, and my sweet, sweet friend Heather asked: 

What is the best music to bring you out of a funk in a jiffy? and why…

I’m going to answer her question now…sort of.

Her question kind of inspired me to want to write about, well…something I’ve been wanting to write about.

A song.

It’s a simple song, really. It doesn’t say anything particularly new that hasn’t been said before. But of all the songs I’ve ever heard in my life, it’s the one song that I connect with more than any other. And no matter what kind of mood I’m in, it never ceases to inspire.

It’s absurd to think that PJ Morton was thinking of me when he wrote the song, because let’s face it, PJ Morton has no clue who I am. But, I can’t help but think that this song is a sort of soundtrack for my life…of what it has been, what it is, and what it will become.

The song is Mountains and Molehills. Its subject, something with which I’m sure we can all relate.

The first verse says:

There’s this girl from this small town
She doesn’t really fit in
Wants to leave and spread her wings
But she feels that she’s boxed in
She says, “I’ll never make it in the big city,
‘Cause things are always moving fast.
Besides, where will I live? Where will I work?
So much to search, and I’m fresh out of cash.”

I’m in the first verse. Honestly, I’m in a good place..I am, but, in my heart, in my spirit, I know there’s more. I know there’s something else I’m supposed to be doing. I feel it, and I’ve heard it too many times for it not to be true. 

“You’ve got it there’s something about you…you should be doing…something”

So, why am I not doing..something? Oh, but, I am.

I’m busy.

Super busy, even.

I’m busy doing nothing…except maybe making excuses and not trying…hard enough. I’m doing exactly what PJ advises against in the first bridge.

Stop the excuses, don’t believe the lies
Make up your mind and you’ve gotta try
Instead of…

Simple, right? You’ve just to got try….I’ve just got to try.

He goes on to reiterate as much in the chorus.

Making mountains out of molehills
When they’re not even real
Need to go and follow your dreams
Not as hard as it seems
(You gotta) try-y-y
(You gotta) try-y-y
You won’t know unless you try
(You gotta) try-y-y
(You gotta) try-y-y
You won’t know unless you try-y-y

The girl in the story, stopped making mountains out of molehills, and she prevailed. We learn this in the second verse:

Now let’s fast-forward to the present
She lives in a high-rise right downtown
Makin’ more money than she ever has in her life
Now she just looks back and laughs
To think she ever thought twice

I’m gonna laugh like that someday.

When I get out of my own head, I’m going to laugh just like that girl did—probably harder. 

She made up her mind
She did what she felt
She listened to her heart and nobody else
And she stopped

Making mountains out of molehills
When they’re not even real
Need to go and follow your dreams
Not as hard as it seems

The great part about this song, perhaps why I feel it’s so personal is, PJ doesn’t just tell a story. He becomes a voice of reassurance—in the vamp, he says:

If there’s ever a time you’re doubting
I’ll be right here to encourage you
If you feel like you’re falling
Then just take my hand
I’ll pick you up and show you
It’s not as bad as what it seems

Making mountains out of molehills
When they’re not even real
Need to go and follow your dreams
Not as hard as it seems
(You need to) try-y-y
(Just give it a) try-y-y
You won’t know unless you try

This song means so much more to me than I could ever really find the words to properly relay, no matter how colorful a vocabulary I might have stored inside my head. 

As much as I’ve loved this song, for as long as I’ve loved this song…nothing’s made me love it more than the performance of it that PJ rendered on the night of April 8, 2012 at Nashville’s own, Exit/In. 

I’ve seen PJ perform this song on several occasions. Tonight was different. PJ’d been touring and was under the weather. His voice was just barely in tact. But you know what? PJ pressed on. He wasn’t going to turn this molehill into a mountain. PJ is no hypocrite. No sir.

On his high energy songs, he was on two separate sets of keys, along with a microphone. I could barely snap a good photo of him because that music had him on the move. Music makes some people high. It makes me high…and every time I’ve seen PJ, he’s been high on music. Even on this night when he wasn’t feeling well. 

Mountains and Molehills is a slow-tempo song. Purposely. He keeps it simple because there’s so much packed in the message. It doesn’t need to be dressed up, and so, he simply doesn’t dress it up. No distractions. 

So, when he sat at his piano and began playing the first few notes that night, I knew where he was going, but I never once wondered if he would get there.

PJ doesn’t make mountains out of molehills.

PJ morton presses on.

I could share a flawless version of this song, easy. But this version is even more inspiring to me because it shows that no matter what, you’ve just got to try. And the even more beautiful part? The audience was his vamp.

Enjoy.

P.S. I didn’t entitle this blog ‘Inkspiration’ for nothin’. Hint, hint. ;)

Until next time…

[ ♥ ] . Peace. And Bacon Grease.