Tuesday, September 13, 2005

What the hell?

Can someone please tell me why "Listen To Your Heart" (originally by Roxette, now covered by DHT) is the official song of Hurricane Katrina?

After 9/11, versions of certain songs were played on the radio including sound clips from TV and radio coverage. Now, of course, they've done the same thing with the hurricane (at least here in the Detroit market). However, what the HELL does the following song have to do with this catastrophic event?

I know there's something in the wake of your smile.
I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yea.
You've built a love but that love falls apart.
Your little piece of heaven turns too dark.

Chorus:
Listen to your heart when he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart there's nothing else you can do.
I don't know where you're going and I don't know why,
but listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye.

Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile.
The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yea.
They're swept away and nothing is what is seems,
the feeling of belonging to your dreams.

Chorus


And there are voices that want to be heard.
So much to mention but you can't find the words.
The scent of magic, the beauty that's been
when love was wilder than the wind.


I bolded the ONE part of the song that could be loosely symbolic of the hurricane. However, the overall message of the song (and 90% of the lyrics) clearly say "Hey, maybe you should search your soul before you walk away from this person" (ahem) and NOT "We lost everything we own to this historic act of God/Mother Nature, yet we will find the courage and inner strength to go on and rebuild our lives."

I am not, in any way, making light of the tragedy these people are facing. I just really don't understand which programming genius was watching the hurricane coverage one day and suddenly thought, "Oh my God, this is SO 'Listen To Your Heart!' "

Am I missing something here? I mean, I realize that there aren't a whole bunch of songs out there that literally translate to this EXACT situation, but come on-- if you're trying to find a song to represent the horrible, heartbreaking loss and/or the bravery and resolve to move forward--there has to be a song that's much more fitting than this one.

8 comments:

Jen said...

FOR EXAMPLE

This is another "hurricane remix" (I truly don't mean to sound cavalier, but I think you know what I mean) that I've heard: Green Day's "When September Ends." Now these lyrics, interspersed with audio clips of hurricane survivors, rescuers, etc, are VERY relevant and touching. An excerpt:

Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends

Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars

Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are

As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost

Wake me up when Septmber ends

keesh said...

I think that some people are just terrible at song interpretation. others are really good at it. this person is probably unable to hear what we hear. Some people hear words, not meaning.

keesh said...

Can I also say that Roxette's version IMO is much better!

Jen said...

OK but even if these marketing geniuses are basing it on lyrics...how can someone hear this and think, "Oh yes, hurricane!"

Listen to your heart when he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart there's nothing else you can do.
I don't know where you're going and I don't know why,
but listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye.

sparkydiva said...

the song that they're playing here for the hurricane is a song by sugarland called 'stand back up'. much better choice...i agree with you - that's just flat out wierd.
~b

keesh said...

I didn't say it wasn't a bad choice, but you asked why someone would choose it. Seriously, people just sometimes are HORRIBLE at hearing words. Usually on the coverage I see they are playing Faith Hills 'there will come a day.'
and the Green Day song, which as you said fits a lot better.

Nik said...

Jen, you radio stations over there are just weird! Neither one of those songs really strike me as fitting for what's going on.

Jason, I had the same thought about the Canes, but I don't think they'll change the name.

Fred said...

I suppose there will be a Hurricane Katrina drink in the French Quarter. Just wait and see...