The Unbearable Banishment: Priceless therapy. Only $0.99 on iTunes.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Priceless therapy. Only $0.99 on iTunes.

Initially, I wasn't going to do a post about this because I have a tough guy reputation to protect. But for the sake of great art I will humble myself to you all.

I was having a bitch of a week—awful from top to bottom. At the very moment that things reached critical mass and I was on the threshold of losing it, this song came on. I hadn't heard it before and am only vaguely familiar with the artist. Before he got to the second verse I had burst into tears like a little girl—something I haven't done for a very long time. Not even when my mother passed away a few months ago. It was awful and cathartic.

Who needs a psychiatrist or religion with stuff like this floating around to help you out of the rabbit hole and through the thick bramble? This is The Weight off of Twelve Mondays, the new album by Ari Hest.

I’m going down to the riverbank this morning

Way before the family is awake

Gonna lay me down at the foot of the water

And spill out all my troubles for everyone’s sake


You can’t have love when you never can surrender

I’ve been spreading around my anger like a plague

I’ve sailed this far with my boat on fire

Fighting flames each day, too stubborn to expire


I will soak my soul

Let the river take control

I know it’s not too late

To let go the weight


The sun will rise and shine on me this morning

It will seep its way into my heart

And untie all the knots that have hardened me through the years

And I’ll embrace wisdom that sun will impart


And with this heat burning inside me

I will warm all of the people that I love

In their darkest of hours and weakest of minds

I’ll light up their nights with every star I can find

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"You can’t have love when you never can surrender"

oh, crap. i've been doing it wrong...

nothing wrong with a good soul-cleansing cry, tough guy. you must have needed it...

September 5, 2009 at 6:04 PM  
Blogger Leah said...

Good on you. See, you've broken free of the midwestern Catholic shackles at least a bit!

September 5, 2009 at 7:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When we experience grief, we must experience it. This have I learned.

I'm glad that you found a trigger for your release. Take it from me,dude, even tough guys have to cry sometimes.

Thanks for sharing this. I found "The Weight" on Youtube and gave it a listen. I'll have to find more by this guy and check it out.

September 5, 2009 at 9:11 PM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

Daisy: Yea, but now I don't feel so tough.

Leah: I didn't really enjoy the experience. I'd like my emotional shackles back, please.

Rob: It's a great song musically as well. The kind of fuck up part is that I found out he did a free outdoor concert along a river about :10 minutes from my house just last week!

September 5, 2009 at 10:06 PM  
Blogger Laura said...

If you thought last week was a bitch tomorrow begins mercury in retrograde-- google that, cause it's not pretty.

September 6, 2009 at 12:59 AM  
Blogger Barlinnie said...

Now you're getting it.. Music is a blessing, while that religious malarkey is merely a temporary crutch.

September 6, 2009 at 4:03 AM  
Blogger ~E said...

How dare you make me tear up at 3:33 in the morning?!?!

Blah *sniffle*

September 6, 2009 at 6:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

*hugs*

September 6, 2009 at 6:36 AM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

FGS: Welcome! I have no idea what that means and I'm afraid to Google it. I'll just take your word that it's not good.

Jimmy: I suppose religion touches some people the same way that that song knocked me on my ass. It's just that no harm ever came from music. Religion? Don't get me started.

E: Another successful sneak attack by The Banishment! Ho ho.

Nurse: Thank you. Can I get two of those?

September 6, 2009 at 8:27 AM  
Blogger Please Don't Eat With Your Mouth Open said...

I want to listen but I can't Im' at work. I like how some songs have that effect. I hope you 'banish' the bad things this week so it's not so 'unbearable'

(see what I did there)

(funny eh)

September 7, 2009 at 4:50 AM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

Jo: The only reason I maintain a blog is so that you have a repository for your Brit wit.

September 7, 2009 at 6:40 AM  

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