I've been working on commiting some folk songs to memory, I've printed out a whole book of lyrics and I'm slowly working my way through them. Not exactly sure why I'm doing this as I have no aspirations of a career in folk singing, well maybe deep down I have, but there is no way I could do it, my trouble is I can't sing in front of people, I know my long suffering neighbours can probably hear my attempts as the walls are soooo thin but it is only when I'm alone that I can sing till my heart's content (which it is when I'm singing.) I also have a pretty bad habit of singing when I cycle, bad because people probably think I'm mad but ahh what the hell, I enjoy it.
I've been reading a book called 'Women who run with the wolves' today, it's a really interesting read about the wild women archetype, the part of the female psyche that is wild and intuitive and finds joy in creativity, individuality and nature. This particular chapter was about how the wild nature is easily caged, constrained and damaged. Stifled like the earth under concrete.
The expectations of family, the community or society as a whole is quite often to blame for this. And the pressures to 'fit in' and be lead by those around you can have a real detrimental effect, as ones instinctual nature gets left by the way side. I'm sure that this isn't confined to the female psyche but I can only say from a female perspective that I think this is very true.
And I worry for the children of today because as far as I can see these pressures are bearing down on them more and more. Their choices have been already made for them. Outside influences decide the way they should look, act, the music they should listen to, the films they should watch, the people they should look up to.
My worry is if you have all this shoved down your throat from birth then instinct doesn't even get a look in. If everything is mapped out for us by someone a million miles away (as they may as well be) the corporations, advertisers, media companies, and governments that are controling our choices then people loose their innate sense of joy and awe, they loose the spark. And I see this happening all around me.
I think aiming advertising at children is despicable because essentially it is teaching them from a very young age to be consumers and to be followers. It's reeling them in when they're at their most impressionable and sentencing them to a life of insipid banal bullshit. And it works, advertisers know this, and they go for the throat everytime.
I find it particularly disturbing for young girls as so often in the media women are portrayed as sex symbols and well... thats about it. I can probably take an educated guess that it was a man who was the bright spark behind this.
Just look at chart music, now it is a known fact that the majority of people that buy chart music are children, now look at the acts, they're barely clothed and they're singing about sex, not love any more, just sex. And so you have 5 year olds that have Shakira as a role model. This really hit home with me when the other day I saw a little girl who couldn't have been older than four 'bumping and grinding' out on the street. It freaked me out, it really did.
The following is a traditional folk song I'm currently learning. It may sound a little over prudish or feminist but it's not to be taken too literally. (Not sure what is mean't by 'rue'!)


Let No Man Steal Your Thyme

Come all you fair and tender girls
That flourish in your prime
Beware beware, keep your garden fair
Let no man steal your thyme,
Let no man steal your thyme,

For when your thyme is past and gone
He'll care no more for you
And in the place where your thyme was waste
He'll spread all o'er with rue,
He'll spread all o'er with rue,

A woman is a branchy tree
And man's a clinging vine
And from her branches carelessly
He'll take what he can find
He'll take what he can find

Come all you fair and tender ladies
All you who flourish in your prime
Beware take care, keep your garden fair
Let no man steal your thyme,
Let no man steal your thyme,

I highly recommend 'Women who run with the wolves' the author, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, uses her gift of storytelling that was passed down to her from her aunts and combines it with her knowledge as a Jungian analyst. She tells the tales she grew up with and imparts the wisdom behind them. Her ideas are incredibly life affirming and resonant. You can feel the wild women archetype burning away inside, trying to claw her way to the surface.
And folk songs like fairy tales I feel are of the same essence. They too would have been passed down from mother to daughter, to warn of the dangers and pitfalls that can befall a young lass. Guidance for the spirit as opposed to guidance around supermarket aisles.
I'm scrabbling to get off the conveyor belt and it's not easy you get dragged back on one way or the other without even realising it. But it's silly to stay on when there is a beautiful rowing boat on a shining winding river, yes, it may take a bit of rowing every so often but the view is a damn sight nicer.
Anyway enough of the analogies. I was shouted at today by a customer because of ridiculous management rules that they left me to receive the flack for. I think thats what started me off on this rant, just need to get this stuff out sometimes!
Just noticed we have reached the 06/06/06 no apocalypic goings on going on just yet. I pity the child named Damien born today.