Looking for Inspiration

So here I am thinking about life. And thinking sometimes works better with music playing. So I put on my gigantic headphones and positioned myself in front of my computer to 'youtube' music. Sometimes I watch clips, or just listen to them while I'm doing something else. I put in the names of bands and artists I just recently discovered, or re-discover the ones I already know. This weekend I decided to search for the following...

So, back when I used to watch MTV, in the days when MTV actually played music videos, I saw this video of Björk (probably about almost 10 years ago). I couldn't remember the song title, but I had images stuck in my head. Pictures of landscapes; wide, beautiful, and breathtaking imagery. One scene I specifically remember is a winding river, the camera is moving over it quickly exposing different angles--either close ups or aerial shots. I think what stuck with me wasn't only the magnificence I saw, reminding me of earth's beauty, but also the way the camera exposed the scenery. I found some information on the video on Wikipedia. Here is what it says: "The video for "Jóga" is a departure from her other videos as it focuses primarily on different Icelandic terrains with Björk's presence only in the beginning and towards the end. With the aid of computer animation, earthquakes begin to separate and shift the chunks of land along fault lines. The video ends with a computerized image of an island floating inside Björk's chest."

The video was directed by Michel Gondry. I didn't even realize Gondry did so many music videos, but he truly is one of the best one of his kind. And I can't decide what touches me more, the song itself (lyrics, voice, performance), or the video (imagery, scenery, cinematography)--probably a combination of every single detail. Here is an excerpt of the lyrics:

All these accidents,
That happen,
Follow the dot,
Coincidence,
Makes sense,
Only with you,
You don't have to speak,
I feel.

Emotional landscapes,
They puzzle me,
Then the riddle gets solved,
And you push me up to this

State of emergency,
How beautiful to be,
State of emergency,
Is where I want to be.

All that no-one sees,
You see,
What's inside of me,
Every nerve that hurts,
You heal,
Deep inside of me, oo-oohh,
You don't have to speak,
I feel.


I 'youtubed', 'googled', and 'wikipediad' this amazing piece of art, and if anyone is interested, watch the video, as well as a breathtaking live performance of the song. I am glad I re-discovered this song and video. Art should always be kept alive, and from time to time we need to resurrect our memory to truly find inspiration. Thank you Björk and Gondry for this collaboration making it one of a kind...