Golden Jukebox: Life is Long by David Byrne & Brian Eno

This is my first Golden Jukebox entry. Think of it as a playlist of nothing but my favorite songs. Here you'll find exactly what you'd expect: the song and why it means so much to me. I chose thing one in particular to create a contrast with my entry the other day. Where Murder Ballads is a dark, sorrowful record, Life is Long is about as uplifting as music gets.

If you intend to read this blog with any sort of regularity, you are going to hear a lot about David Byrne. Whether it's his work in the Talking Heads, his solo material or collaborations with any one of the numerous artists he's recorded with over the years, the man has proven himself to be a genius time and time again. Speaking in terms of personal tastes, he's my favorite artist still recording today, and there is very little of his material that I don't cherish in one way or another.

Back in August of 2008, he recorded the album Everything that Happens will Happen Today with composer Brian Eno (There second collaboration, after 1981's My Life in a Bush of Ghosts). At the time, Byrne lived in America and his hand was very much on its pulse. Ongoing wars, a divisive election, a looming economic meltdown (which would come to its head mere weeks after the album's release) and a general dissatisfaction with the state of affairs is what he saw. In response, he and Eno set out to write what they like to describe as an "electronic gospel" record. They meant to deliver a hopeful, uplifting record for the troubled times.

And did they ever.

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today is a beautiful record that touts the healing that people can find in one another. And although it's not the title track, Life is Long embodies the spirit of the album more than any other. The opening lines, in particular, sum it up best.

"Everybody says that the living is easy
I can barely see, 'cause my head's in the way
Tigers walk behind me
They are to remind me
That I'm lost, but I'm not afraid"

In itself, the opening of the song is a brilliant statement of hope. It's too often true that the one thing keeping us from happiness is the meddling of our own minds. And even though the way forward might not be clear, the right frame of mind can allow us to face it bravely and content ourselves with our blessings. The "chains and bars" that Byrne sings of are the worldly obstacles that life places in our paths, but in spite of them, freedom can remain in heart if one chooses simply to share life with others. Toward the end of the track, during one of the "refrains", Byrne describes the ability to say "those three little words" as being enough to hold back the troubled water around him. The theme (essentially love conquers all) is hardly a new one, but it's stated in a more elegant, honest way than many have been able to. Love in others isn't simply all you need, as the Beatles might have you believe, but it is enough to sustain one's personal wellness. It's enough to lengthen and strengthen life beyond what it can appear at face value. And it can certainly help ward off the dread that can seep in when the world throws its inevitable curve-balls.

 It's a comforting message, and Byrne's vocals sell it beautifully. Never in his career has he sounded better, or more earnest than he does in this song. Typically known for being flat, pitched and minimalist (particularly in his performances with the Talking Heads), he really opens up on this record to pour his heart out. It lends an emotional reverence to this song in particular, and helps drive home the meaning of his words. I believe that  he's dreaming a world, because he sounds so passionate about it. I believe that he's still free because of the elation in his voice. Byrne isn't given enough credit for his vocal range, and while this is not a traditional gospel recording by any means, he delivers it with all the enthusiasm of a reverend singing with his flock.

Of course, the lyrics and vocals are doing half of the work in this song. Backing them up is Brian Eno's brilliant composition. As is typical Eno, it's occasionally difficult to discern exactly what instrument you're hearing at any given time. But despite the obfuscation of sounds, they all come together in an uplifting, ethereal cacophony. This is big, harmonic, powerful cathedral-style gospel music with a modern twist that only a mind like Eno could have concocted. The way he layers Byrne's vocals on the refrain creates an almost choral echo that compliments the lyrics' message of the power in human oneness.

I often (lovingly) joke that David Byrne is a space alien. In much of his body of work, he seems almost like a fascinated outsider looking in at the curious interactions that man-things have with one another. But in this song, he displays an understanding of love's power to lift us above life's hurdles that can only, truly be expressed by someone who's experienced it for himself. The world is hard on us sometimes. Jobs disappear, money grows scarce, people get sick and friends drift away. All of these things have happened to each of us at one point or another, but we keep on going because we know it gets better. And it gets better because, at the end of the day, the best thing people have going for them is that we can connect with other people. We share our lives, grow close and come to depend on one another. Life is Long celebrates that bond we all share, and does it well. That's why it will always be one of my favorites.