This song has been showing up quite frequently on my Pandora mix lately, and I really have taken a liking to it. I was not particularly fond of Collective Soul when they first hit the scene in the early '90s with their single, "Shine". However, it seems like as I get older, some of the bands and songs that I snubbed in my youth have become some of my new found favorites.
I read about the video concept on Wikipedia, and I felt that it was worth sharing with you:
"The music video depicts a businessman who begins to go about his day, reading The New York Times on the way to his office. As he reads about death and sees the homelessness and sadness on the street, he becomes disillusioned with his life and prepares to commit suicide. As he climbs to the roof of a nearby building, he takes off his shoes and looks at the ground crying. He stretches out his arms and readies himself to fall.
However, just as he is about to fall, a pigeon lands on his arm. He feeds it with the bagel in his pocket, and the crumbs attract ants, which makes the man notice the similarities of them to the people walking below. He laughs throwing all his money at the people and pulls himself out of his state.
During the entire video, periodic cuts to singer Ed Roland looking on at the man while singing the song are shown.
The video also shows sadness and happiness in the form of color hues for the video. While the man is disillusioned with his life and is thinking about suicide, the video is in a blue and purple tint, giving a dark feeling to the video. When the pigeon lands on the man's arm, the video's hue changes to show the normal colors of the city, also revealing the sun shining over the city, showing of the sudden change to happiness and relief."
I think we all become disillusioned with life at times... I know that I sure do. However, when times get a little dark and a little more trying than others, it always seems like something happens to remind me that there is still good in the world.
This weekend, I got to be a part of many inspiring events. To start off, on Friday, I got to watch a group of people from all different walks of life and backgrounds come together to meet one another and offer support to one another as they all begin a new journey and a major undertaking in their lives. Then to end the weekend, I got to attend a ceremony to celebrate their official start tomorrow. At the ceremony, as I was listening to the speakers, one, in particular, really struck a chord with me.
You see, when I was teaching, I really felt like I was making a difference and leaving an impact on the world. I felt assured that I was working towards a greater good. In my new career, I haven't ever really felt that same warm, fuzzy feeling about the work I am doing. However, as I listened to this particular individual speak about his experiences in the field in which I work, I realized that I am helping people more than I realized. I suppose that I have been looking at things in more of a "blue and purple tint" like the beginning of today's video. Listening to him made me see my work in more "normal colors". I still think I was contributing more to the world as a teacher, but I was given the gift of a different perspective on my current career this evening.
I'll quit rambling now, and I'll let you get to the video and lyrics. I'll also include two other favorites called "Run" and "Heavy"...
I read about the video concept on Wikipedia, and I felt that it was worth sharing with you:
"The music video depicts a businessman who begins to go about his day, reading The New York Times on the way to his office. As he reads about death and sees the homelessness and sadness on the street, he becomes disillusioned with his life and prepares to commit suicide. As he climbs to the roof of a nearby building, he takes off his shoes and looks at the ground crying. He stretches out his arms and readies himself to fall.
However, just as he is about to fall, a pigeon lands on his arm. He feeds it with the bagel in his pocket, and the crumbs attract ants, which makes the man notice the similarities of them to the people walking below. He laughs throwing all his money at the people and pulls himself out of his state.
During the entire video, periodic cuts to singer Ed Roland looking on at the man while singing the song are shown.
The video also shows sadness and happiness in the form of color hues for the video. While the man is disillusioned with his life and is thinking about suicide, the video is in a blue and purple tint, giving a dark feeling to the video. When the pigeon lands on the man's arm, the video's hue changes to show the normal colors of the city, also revealing the sun shining over the city, showing of the sudden change to happiness and relief."
I think we all become disillusioned with life at times... I know that I sure do. However, when times get a little dark and a little more trying than others, it always seems like something happens to remind me that there is still good in the world.
This weekend, I got to be a part of many inspiring events. To start off, on Friday, I got to watch a group of people from all different walks of life and backgrounds come together to meet one another and offer support to one another as they all begin a new journey and a major undertaking in their lives. Then to end the weekend, I got to attend a ceremony to celebrate their official start tomorrow. At the ceremony, as I was listening to the speakers, one, in particular, really struck a chord with me.
You see, when I was teaching, I really felt like I was making a difference and leaving an impact on the world. I felt assured that I was working towards a greater good. In my new career, I haven't ever really felt that same warm, fuzzy feeling about the work I am doing. However, as I listened to this particular individual speak about his experiences in the field in which I work, I realized that I am helping people more than I realized. I suppose that I have been looking at things in more of a "blue and purple tint" like the beginning of today's video. Listening to him made me see my work in more "normal colors". I still think I was contributing more to the world as a teacher, but I was given the gift of a different perspective on my current career this evening.
I'll quit rambling now, and I'll let you get to the video and lyrics. I'll also include two other favorites called "Run" and "Heavy"...
Has our conscience shown?
Has the sweet breeze blown?
Has all kindness gone?
Hope still lingers on
I drink myself a new found pity
Sittin' alone in New York City
And I don't know why
Are we listening
To hymns of offering
Have we eyes to see?
Love is gathering
All the words that I've been reading
Have started the act of bleeding
Into one
Into one
So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
As the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know
Oh, it's the world I know
I drink myself a new found pity
Sittin' alone in New York City
And I don't know why
I don't know why
So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
As the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know
Oh, it's the world I know
Yeah I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
While the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know
Oh, it's the world I know
Has the sweet breeze blown?
Has all kindness gone?
Hope still lingers on
I drink myself a new found pity
Sittin' alone in New York City
And I don't know why
Are we listening
To hymns of offering
Have we eyes to see?
Love is gathering
All the words that I've been reading
Have started the act of bleeding
Into one
Into one
So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
As the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know
Oh, it's the world I know
I drink myself a new found pity
Sittin' alone in New York City
And I don't know why
I don't know why
So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
As the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know
Oh, it's the world I know
Yeah I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
While the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know
Oh, it's the world I know
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