This morning my wife, Ann, and I were drinking coffee in the kitchen when a lesser-known track by Smokey Robinson came on the radio. We got to talking about his voice, and I'm so glad to have a way, through Aesthetic Realism, to ask about why we're moved by a singer.
What is it about Smokey Robinson that affects people? Personally, I love Smokey Robinson's voice. It's silky-smooth; but isn't it also rough, edgy in a good way? If it was just smooth it would be nauseating, and if it were only rough it would be oppressive.
 |
| Smokey Robinson & the Miracles |
I think Smokey Robinson is a terrific singer. When he sings you feel he really means the words he's singing. At his best - which is a lot of the time - he is passionate, caressing, critical, yearning, forthright. When I hear "The Tracks of My Tears," for instance, I'm struck by how he conveys big emotion eloquently. (And here's a shout-out to the wonderful Miracles!) He puts together the opposites not only of rough and smooth, but also thought and emotion. That's how I want to be in my life! How often do we shuttle from being coldly calculating to having emotion that's sloppy and maybe self-centered? Like this song, we can have feeling and thought work together when, Aesthetic Realism explains, our purpose is like an artist's: to respect and be fair to the world.
2. Coffee
As I'm writing this I'm amazed to realize that the reason I like coffee is related to why I think Smokey Robinson is so good!
 |
| My cup of coffee! |
Coffee with milk, which is the way I like it, is warm, soothing, but also a bit critical, with a flavor that stimulates. Like Smokey Robinson's voice, it has an edge. And there's more to say about both Smokey Robinson and coffee.
No comments:
Post a Comment