MEASURE OF A SONG
If you think about it, there are quite a number of tunes that talk about length, width, height, breadth, depth and so on
There are shorts songs, and there are long songs.
Some of the best tunes are short and go straight to the point, while the longer ones are more self-indulgent.
But what about those which pertain to things like measurements — length, width, height, breadth, depth, and so on. If you think about it, there are quite a lot.
The first song that came to mind was Randy Newman’s “Short People,” a single released in the pre-politically correct, nonsnowflake days of 1978.
Not nearly as provocative was The Moffatts’ “If Life Is So Short.” And then there was 20 Fingers’ “Short Short Man,” a song that never fell short of controversy.
On the opposite end, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame once had a “Tall Cool One” and a hit to boot that featured Led Zep samples.
Norwegian band Fra Lippo Lippi sang about how “Even Tall Trees Bend.” Modern rap popster Childish Gambino told us to “Stand Tall,” while the British post-punk band XTC stood “Ten Feet Tall.”
A tune that covered the most ground was Aztec Camera’s “Deep and Wide and Tall,” hitting three birds with one song. Good job, Roddy Frame.
Creed depicted someone excited to give a warm welcome “With Arms Wide Open,” and The Commodores pictured a man eager to prove his love with a “Wide Open” state of mind.
Katy Perry recalled being hurt and frustrated that kept her “Wide Awake,” and Tom Petty once dared to venture into “The Great Wide Open.”
Madonna fell in love “Deeper and Deeper.” Singer Binocular went off the “Deep” end, just like former Take That singer Gary Barlow’s “I
Fall So Deep.”
But, as far as romantic levels went, nothing came close to Cliff Richard’s “Ocean Deep.” Beware though, or you might find yourself “In Too Deep” like Genesis.
Big Country described life “In a Big Country,” AC/DC depicted swaggering attitude in “Big Balls,” and Aerosmith flexed its doubleentendre “Big Ten Inch Record.”
Peter Gabriel sang about hitting the “Big Time” and John Mayer imagined achieving something “Bigger Than My Body.”
Joni Mitchell saw environmental decay after getting off a “Big Yellow Taxi.” Billy Joel parodied the lifestyle of a “Big Shot.” And Fleetwood Mac looked out for “Big Love,” not just for friends and family, but for everyone.
The long and short of it is, regardless of its size or shape, music is the true measure of what life is all about. It speaks volumes and it’s larger than life.