Arcade Fire - Wake Up (Apartment Sessions)

I had never heard these guys until a few days ago, at least not that I knew of.  For me, if it isn't the Grateful Dead, I just don't really care.  Outside of my guys, new music only comes to me somehow, whenever, but is not something I actively pursue.  The music of Jerry Garcia has always been enough for me.

A couple nights ago, some video of a top 10 list of rock anthems came on because of autoplay on Youtube.  This song, "Wake Up" was one of the honourable mentions in that video.  The name, Arcade Fire, sounded kinda familiar, but nothing that my brain registered.  

The most I could make of it was that I think I saw my friend, Chad, post something about seeing them once.  (Knowing him he's seen them more than that.  Chad's a smart boy.  He likes his shows!)  He posted that, who knows when, however long ago.

As the top ten list was playing I checked out this song because it was the one on the list that I didn't know.  It turns out that it was in the movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which is an incredible film.  When I read that, the familiarity of the tune rumbled into my head in an unsure way.  It made me want to watch the movie again though, as I had not seen it in a long time, and it is a flick that evokes a sense of goodness within from having watched it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie0EJPcaeSQScreenshots from "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by 20th Century Fox

This tune was used in the perfect place in the film...when Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) beckons Walter (Ben Stiller) to take a chance to bust loose and go after it in life...where the journey Walter is about to unexpectedly embark upon becomes evident and takes hold.

So, after being invigorated from the movie, I did a little digging and found this apartment version of "Wake Up" on Youtube.  The immediate thought in my head was about seeing all these people of all different kinds (Guys, girls, black, white, Asian, long hairs, short hairs...) coming together to create something that's beautifully harmonious.  The video, the vibe and the music embody and convey an exuding sense of a wholesome feeling, that something genuinely good is happening that is rooted in layered optimism.

Watch the video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie0EJPcaeSQ

While I watched and listened, it started feeling like it's this kind of thing that is desperately needed right now.  People just seem to be so angry at so many things in so many ways these days.  Too many people are all too busy picking sides for one thing or another, and going after the side that isn't theirs.  It's almost as if we're forgetting how to just be a human free of labels we put on ourselves or others.  All you have to do is turn on Facebook to see anger spewed all over the place.  Yeah, there's a lotta messed up shit happening in the world, but even within all of that, I feel that we can't forget what genuine goodness is either, because if we lose that, what's the point?!

Sometimes it is good to have a solid reminder of the simplicity of beautiful humanity, that of which can pull us through a spiral of chaos to give us a glimpse into the depths of hope and what that all means.

Screenshots from the video

I'm glad I found this song.  It really holds something of a timeless message of unity that is rooted in the truth of real harmony.  I don't know any of the words, but for some reason, I don't even find that necessary.  I definitely don't have a clue as to which of these people are actually in Arcade Fire.  I couldn't pick them out if my life depended on it, but the band almost becomes irrelevant here though because it's the symmetry of togetherness that is the real star of the video.  It's just fantastic!  Something special for sure!  

Arcade Fire, whoever they are, knocked this one out to say the least!  This is like the video we didn't know we needed until they dropped it on us.  I know that in the years ahead, I will always look at this with a kind reverence found within the truth of goodness.