Radio 79, side A, track 11: “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” by Yes

Oh, Yes, I have to say no.  In that no, I don’t have much to say about this one other than what I’ve written before.  Although I will say that I appreciate the lyrics more as I listen to it again.  The whole concept of “you’re every move you make” and “you are the steps you take”, it definitely strikes a chord.  My office mates and I have had some existential discussions about that in recent months (although Yes did not come up in the conversation).  I grew up in a church that taught that even if you never did a bad thing in your life, if you thought it, it was just as bad as committing the act itself.  You can imagine the impact that can have on a kid growing up with that Orwellian logic of your every thought being monitored for badness.  Guilt and shame have been a big part of my life, which, when you mix in depression and anxiety and who knows what else, it’s a real delicious cocktail, Yes.

Anyway, I no longer subscribe to that concept.  You can think what you want, I say.  I just don’t want to hear about it.  You hear that, Facebook?  And also, while I whole-heartedly believe that words have weight, in the end, it’s your actions that define you.  That saying “don’t pee on me and tell me it’s raining”?  Yes, Yes.  So true.  And I’ve been peed on a lot lately by folks who want me to believe they’re meteorologists rather than horrible people with bladder control issues.

Wow, Yes.  I did not think I’d have anything to write about today, but here we are talking about theology and urine.  Excellent work, Yes.

lyrics to “Owner Of A Lonely Heart”