I Am The Walrus

It was a rainy cold day, and the sky had a liquid grey quality that seemed to wash out the rest of the world as was it made out of thin watercolor paper. The radio was on in the car, and the 1967 Beatles 'song by John Lennon, " I Am The Walrus " started playing. I turned it up, and pretty soon my son and I were surrounded by one of my most favorite songs of the iconic Band. I let the fantastical lyrics and sounds wash over me. What an amazing song, refreshingly weird still 55 years later. To me, the fascination with this most unique poem has always been more with the space it creates in my head, rather than the elusive and psychedelic relics. As I was listening to the song's building crescendo and hypnotic melody, it felt like the greyness of the day faded and bright colors were added as the song grew, both in rhythm and meaning. As opaque as the song is in parts, it feels so personal and concrete the way John Lennon sings it with such conviction and certainty. I think it is one of the best songs he ever wrote, together with " Imagine". If I ever needed to convince an alien visitor of our at least marginally interesting species, I would invite them to listen to John Lennon's " I Am The Walrus ", followed by " Imagine ". The calisthenics required for " I Am The Walrus ", are a nice way to open up your mind to the serene beauty of  " Imagine ". Both allude to a world of possibility, one conceptually and creatively, the other ideologically. Both songs testify to a highly perceptive, bold and intelligent mind. The day seemed more hopeful after the daring whimsy of " I Am The Walrus", and each time I hear " Imagine ", I am both inspired and amazed at how much the world needs to hear that song, everywhere, to perhaps shame us into getting along better as a species.