Jeffrey Gaines "Hero In Me"
Sunday, November 09, 2008
This is a song that has continually sustained me through the most troubled times of my life. (Can't say much about the video. First I've seen it and all I can say is it's NOT the video I would have imagined, but it was the early 90s after all.) Jeffery Gaines is an artist from Pennsylvania whose self-titled album got a lot of local press in Philadelphia when it debuted back in 1992. Gaines' influences include (at least as far as I can hear) Elvis Costello, David Bowie and John Lennon. Unfortunately, Gaines never became the star I imagined he would be, but he continues to make music on the fringe.
I've always felt like many of the lyrics in the song have spoken directly to me. But I guess that's typical of a lot of great songs. I've always been a huge proponent of the healing powers of music. In trying times, I've administered several doses of this song daily. I always thought this would be great in a movie, which probably means it's actually in one I have just never seen.
Hero In Me
He's lived as long as he possibly can
Given the circumstance
'Cause he's protected himself from the world
He never gave it a chance
And he says: Here in my security
I've put a limit on my self-potential
And my possibility
She's seen these walls and they never change
Everything's in its place
Her relationships so neatly arranged
Down to religion and race
And she says: Here in my security
I don't make a move unless my friends approve
I do what's expected of me
And as I grow older
And there's so much that I do not know
I'm drawn to those who are bolder
And go where no one dare to go
And I sleep
And I dream of the person I might have been
Then I'll be free again
And I speak
Like someone who's been to the highest peaks
And back again
And I swear
That my grass is greener than anyone's
'Til I believe again
Then I wake
And the dream fades away and I face the day
And I realize
That there's got to be some hero in me
There's got to be some hero in me
They've been suppressing their every desire
They do nothing on a whim
She's lost her sparkle and he's lost the fire
Their future looks very dim
And I say: Here in my security
I've simply let myself go
I've developed a co-dependency
And as I grow older
So many places that I've never been
Time's tapping my shoulder
I hope it's never too late to begin
And I sleep
And I dream of the person I might have been
And I'll be free again
And I speak
Like someone who's been to the highest peak
And back again
And I swear
That my grass is greener than anyone's
'Til I believe again
Then I wake
And the dream fades away yet I face the day
And I realize
That there's got to be some hero in me
There's got to be some hero in me
(Can't find the legal line on this; sorry, Jeffrey)
posted by Jim Chadwick @ 12:28 PM,
