A glimpse of magic

Up until now I have dodged every 'challenge' that was thrown at me. Coincidentally, I was thinking about how much one song has affected me this past year and still does when I noticed that @egotheist had nominated me to write about a song from my highschool/college years.

It´s the 7 Day Wayback Music Challenge, but I am only gonna write about one song:

Running before time took our dreams away

Leaving the myriad small creatures trying to tie us to the ground
To a life consumed by slow decay

Not many people know that I have a really special bond to music. I have always been obsessed with listening to music but about a year ago something shifted. It was like I was starting to absorb music through different senses. Sometimes it feels like I am seeing music and sometimes I am tasting it. And sometimes it feels like the music is a huge invisible force taking me in its arms and comforting me.

Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us

To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side
Steps taken forwards, but sleepwalking back again

Due to my preteen obsession with 60's and 70's rock I discovered Pink Floyd too early to appreciate their music. I regarded them as one of the 'best' bands because everybody did so as well (including my father mr. fanboy, who went to their concert in 2012) but I did not enjoy their work apart from 'Money'. I simply did not understand it. Their music seemed like an abstract constellation of ambiguos words and weird exotic instruments. Pink Floyd was experimental, but I wanted order and rythm.

Encumbered forever by desire and ambition

There's a hunger still unsatisfied
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road we've been so many times

About a year ago I gave their albums a second chance and it was like I was listening to their music for the first time. I started to become really fond of 'The Dark Side of the Moon', listening to the whole album again and again while walking around my town at 4 in the morning. I loved jamming to 'The Wall' with my friends. Heck, I have even lost count of how many times I have listened to _Echoes_, Dogs and Shine on You Crazy Diamond.

But there was one song I was not really aware of. In retrospect, I am shocked that I had not known the song before, considering that it was going to be one of the very (very) few songs that I am emotionally attached to. And when I mean emotional attachment, I mean it. There was even a time I did not dare to listen to it because I knew I couldn´t handle it. If this sounds pathetic, it probably is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMlFXouPk8


I was at a friend´s house when I first heard it and I was mesmerized. And it wasn´t the deep and meaningful lyrics that overwhelmed me, it was the guitar solo of David Gilmour. (As a fact: I am currently saving some money to buy a lap steel guitar to learn that solo) I have to admit that the very first time I listened to 'High Hopes', it was under 'special' circumstances, nonetheless the sensation and awe I am feeling while listening to this song have not faded, even today - almost a year later- the emotions are very present and strong. And everytime I listen to it, it feels like the first time.
Usually I am good at tracing back my feelings and understanding what events or things have caused a certain emotion. But I cannot explain to you why I am so attached to this song. Or maybe I can but don´t want to admit it.

If somebody asked me what the word 'bittersweet' means to me - I would quietly point to this song.

The grass was greener

The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river
For ever and ever