I was working on a few things via the Mac tonight and listening to iTunes as I usually do. When up popped a song I hadn't heard in many years. Many of us first heard this song in the movie Deliverance (very disturbing scenes forgotten). It is called dueling banjos and it has great back and forth energy. In college, it often got mixed in by the DJ (bless his heart) in between Gun N Roses and Depeche Mode. Either way it left the crowd stunned. Stunned at the scene of a banjo led mosh pit where 25 guys headed to the dance floor alone (without a female partner) to sizzle and pop like drops of water on a hot pan.
So as this song started up, I got inspired. I stopped so I could write this intro. You see, I wasn't going to post anything here tonight. Now my plan is to write with this song blaring (as best it can) in my ear buds and see what comes out on paper.
This version is by the Wood Brothers and it is 3:18. If I can write the way I used to dance, this could be scary. Believe me, I'll understand your struggling to picture someone (a college kid) dancing to this song. You'd have to know me back then and the guys I hung with! Here goes . . .
"So it starts out kind of slow. The battle slowly edging forward and I'm thinking about how a civil war soldier must have felt as he walked uneasily toward his death. A cold gun in his hand. The music also reminds me of the guitar in the Good, The Bad and The Ugly. As Clint Eastwood's character stares down the other two - each looking to take home the gold.
Now the song jostles forward and gets fast and fun. People loved dancing to this part. Now it's like the music is climbing and jumping, scooping up dirt along the way as it runs down a dusty path. Now it is running crazy like being chased by something or someone. . It stops and shakes its head, spit flies. Heavy breathing, looking side to side for an attacker. None found, it collapses, rolls over and sighs."
OK, that's all I got. Not very many words for 3:18. Only 140 words. Boy, that went by fast. I actually felt the music pushing me along. Impatient. Like "C'mon, boy! Is that all you got!"
What do you think about this little experiment? It is a great example of Quixoting. Taking action an idea that just hits you.
What's hitting you?
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