Do you recognize that title line? It’s from an amazing song that Kermit the Frog made famous in the 1970′s, “The Rainbow Connection.” I find the music clever and entrancing. The lyrics are even more mesmerizing. I glean strength from this song now at 40 years as I did as a kid growing up chewing Star Wars cards bubblegum. Since then, songs come once in a while like it, but so far … nothing QUITE like it.
If you’re new to the song, check out these lyrics. If the song is an oldie but a goodie for you, see what you think of my notes:
Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what’s on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we’ve been told and some choose to believe it
I know they’re wrong, wait and see.
Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
The line “Rainbows are visions but only illusions” is powerful to me. When Guns and Roses released their monster huge album “Use your Illusion” it had be thinking why they named it that. I get it. It’s because our “illusion” is like the rainbow and it can lead us to all-time great heights if we follow it. We should never let anyone tell us it isn’t real. That is the rainbow connection between all of us.
Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that
and someone believed it,
and look what it’s done so far.
What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection,
the lovers, the dreamers and me.
Same type of thing. We all marvel at the idea of wishing on a falling star when we’re young, but why not now? Why not now?
All of us under its spell,
we know that it’s probably magic….
I get this from it: We follow the visions of others and they follow ours. It IS magic and it IS the way of this life in this world. If you can see the beauty in it, it is a great thing. If not, I suppose it could appear as black magic. Follow your vision though. We are all counting on you.
Have you been half asleep
and have you heard voices?
I’ve heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same.
I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it.
It’s something that I’m supposed to be.
Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection,
the lovers, the dreamers and me.
La, la la, La, la la la, La Laa, la la, La, La la laaaaaaa
Folks, this is the section I wrote this post for. I have rarely heard such a hauntingly beautiful piece of poetry and music. What is the arcane “sweet sound that calls the young sailors?” It could be the robust desire to conquer the seas. BUT, I can’t help but get an inkling that it could be the legend of the lusty, sweet singing sirens luring them to their deaths. How is that like the rainbow connection? I can think of a few ways.
The rest of the paragraph seems to connote he is captivated by the sound. It is as if he accepts his fate: bad, good, or otherwise. This is the rainbow connection in all of us. It is what binds us together … since I stated Star Wars ’77 earlier, it’s a bit like force indeed. Go do a YouTube search and give it a listen. Who knows, it may be what you’re missin’ this week. Do you have any impressions of this song to share?
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2 Comments
Damien, I had always loved this song! I think the melody, the lyrics and the message are beautiful and the fact that it’s sung by Kermit adds the childlike innocence and hope we all need to recapture sometimes.
Twitter: rileycentral
@Jessica The Rock Chick: I knew you’d like this song ;)
6 Trackbacks
[...] of.
[...] to his readers on his bio site. He is a co-songwriter of one of my most favorite songs of all time, The Rainbow Connection.”
[...] they create such amazing art because of their disorder, not in spite of it.
[...] consider myself a bit of a lover and a dreamer.
[...] favors you do for them and yourself.
[...] favors you do for them and yourself.