The Wisdom of the Illiterati


	emp 2: pushing vs. waiting Since I mentioned it specifically before the conference, I should throw in my impressions of Robert Christgau's presentation on John Mayer's "Waiting On the World to Change". It was good, it was funny, it was committed, it was, as always, skillfully and wittily written, and it didn't change my mind a bit. Though I'm willing to accept the idea of "Waiting..." being more ambiguous and thoughtful than it first appears, it still strikes me as politically and intellectually lazy. It gives the impression of someone throwing their hands in the air and saying "What can we do?" without taking a closer look at the possibilities open to them. You might make the case that the song is about waiting for someone else to come and point out the right direction for everyone to march, but there's nothing in Mayer's flatfooted lyrics that makes that suggestion. Still, Christgau might have convinced me if not for one thing: his apparent misreading of the song most people highlight as Mayer's musical inspiration, The Impressions's "People Get Ready". If Mayer did take that song as inspiration, Christgau suggested, it was easy to understand why he appeared to support the idea of political non-action, since Mayfield's original did the same. Christgau must have a blind spot when it comes to Pentecostal religion (nothing to be ashamed of--many people do); otherwise it's hard to see how he could mistake a song that stresses the strength of character and faith required to attain personal salvation as an endorsement of political inaction. Besides, when I listen to "Waiting On the World to Change" I don't hear "People Get Ready". The chord changes may be the same, but Mayer's tempo is faster, and Mayfield used those changes in a lot of songs. What I hear, instead, is "Keep On Pushing", a song whose message is as far from Mayer's as possible, and a lot closer to "People Get Ready" than Christgau seems to realize. I'm more than willing to believe that Mayer's heart is in the right place, and certainly Christgau's is, but I think Christgau is too willing to read political opinions into the song that Mayer may very well hold, but doesn't come close to getting across. And he never once addressed how Mayer's fans may be taking the song. Will this expression of political frustration cause them to turn towards Obama (if they lean left) or John McCain (if not)? Or will it serve only as justification for a deeper political apathy? I hope for the former, but I lean toward the latter. And though I don't think Christgau is right about this, wouldn't it be nice if he was? \| [Archives] Search entries:		top ten 1966 top ten OTHER OCCASIONAL RAMBLINGS Hail Blogoslavia! ~~100~~ 45 or so things about JSM The Saga of the Lone Biscuit OTHER BLOGS Blogroll Me

emp 2: pushing vs. waiting

Since I mentioned it specifically before the conference, I should throw in my impressions of Robert Christgau's presentation on John Mayer's "Waiting On the World to Change". It was good, it was funny, it was committed, it was, as always, skillfully and wittily written, and it didn't change my mind a bit. Though I'm willing to accept the idea of "Waiting..." being more ambiguous and thoughtful than it first appears, it still strikes me as politically and intellectually lazy. It gives the impression of someone throwing their hands in the air and saying "What can we do?" without taking a closer look at the possibilities open to them. You might make the case that the song is about waiting for someone else to come and point out the right direction for everyone to march, but there's nothing in Mayer's flatfooted lyrics that makes that suggestion.

Still, Christgau might have convinced me if not for one thing: his apparent misreading of the song most people highlight as Mayer's musical inspiration, The Impressions's "People Get Ready". If Mayer did take that song as inspiration, Christgau suggested, it was easy to understand why he appeared to support the idea of political non-action, since Mayfield's original did the same. Christgau must have a blind spot when it comes to Pentecostal religion (nothing to be ashamed of--many people do); otherwise it's hard to see how he could mistake a song that stresses the strength of character and faith required to attain personal salvation as an endorsement of political inaction.

Besides, when I listen to "Waiting On the World to Change" I don't hear "People Get Ready". The chord changes may be the same, but Mayer's tempo is faster, and Mayfield used those changes in a lot of songs. What I hear, instead, is "Keep On Pushing", a song whose message is as far from Mayer's as possible, and a lot closer to "People Get Ready" than Christgau seems to realize.

I'm more than willing to believe that Mayer's heart is in the right place, and certainly Christgau's is, but I think Christgau is too willing to read political opinions into the song that Mayer may very well hold, but doesn't come close to getting across. And he never once addressed how Mayer's fans may be taking the song. Will this expression of political frustration cause them to turn towards Obama (if they lean left) or John McCain (if not)? Or will it serve only as justification for a deeper political apathy? I hope for the former, but I lean toward the latter. And though I don't think Christgau is right about this, wouldn't it be nice if he was?