One Man’s Life

by @kludge

Challenge: PALINDROME
One Man’s Life
kludge
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Liner Notes

#palindrome #acousticonetake

The chords are shamelessly lifted from Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone”, but turned into a palindrome (G Am Bm C D C Bm Am G). It was inspired by a realization I had some time ago that, when I was a baby, I loved cooked carrots, but the older I got, the less I liked them, to the point where I wouldn’t eat them at all. Then at some point, I started liking cooked carrots again, and the older I get, the more I liked them.

The older I get, the more I see life as a palindrome. Being old is so like being young in some ways.

Lyrics

A child is born
Everyone comes to see for the first time

Says his first word
Takes his first step toward his life

A boy plays games
He learns to play with all his friends

A young man dreams
Of all the things his life will be

A grown man brings
Another child into this world

A grown man grieves
Letting his parents go to what lies beyond

The man grows older
Regretting all the things that his life could have been

An old man plays
Games he played in childhood, with old friends

Til he can’t walk, says his last words
Everyone comes to see him for the last time

Comments

[avatar]
@quadrivium
What a powerful palindrome a lifespan is! Well done.Like @marilisa I love that both the story and the chords are palindromes. And for me “the man grows older” as a divergence works, because I don’t like when things match up perfectly—it’s a bit of artistic asymmetry. So I actually really like that.
[avatar]
@jodidamon
Great take on the theme. This is just nitpicky, but I wish the line "the man grows older" fit the same format as all the first lines "an old man_______" . Maybe
An old man thinks
about all the things that his life could have been
Anyway, good stuff. Thanks for sharing.
[avatar]
@kludge
I’m kind of like a reverse Little Mermaid, @marilisa… I gave up an adrenal gland and got my voice back! I mean yeah, it’s nice that the malfunctioning organ is no longer going to cause me to stroke out by the time I’m 65, but I’d do the whole surgery again just to be able to sing. :)
[avatar]
@marilisa
I love that the palindrome-ness happens in both the chords and the story of the song! And life really is like that, yes. Lovely song that made me think. Great to hear your voice sounding so strong, too! <3
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