Richard Corliss of Time Magzine once wrote: "Mourning is usually a song of celebration in a minor key." He was referring to Michael Jackson's death and actually described the world's reaction as being the opposite of this, more like a "jubilant revival meeting." Well, I like the "song of celebration in a minor key" idea because, as he said, in most cases it's true. Mourning someone's loss is a way of expressing how much they meant to us, which is really a way of celebrating their life and the time we spent with them. I'm in this frame of mind right now, so I've moved on from "Le Gibet" and am now ruminating over India.Arie's "Good Mourning."
This song is so fitting for what I need at this moment. Both through the orchestration and the lyrics, "Good Mourning" acknowledges the pain of loss as well as the optimism that healing and growth will surely ensue. The alternation between major and minor chords expertly captures the "loss is sorrowful, but redemptive" message of the song. This theme is also manifest in some of her wording, particularly when she says:
It's crazy how much I miss a simple good morning kiss.
It's crazy how much I've missed. Now it's time for me to live.
Here she connects the sentiments by initiating the lines with the same words, then places them in opposition with a simple inflection of the tense. This wordplay brilliantly captures the conflicting emotions permeating throughout the song.
"Good Mourning's" overall mood suggests the state one feels immediately after a catharsis: although the feeling is raw, there's assurance that the worst is over and that healing will now begin. Such a wonderful balm to soothe my ears as I pick up the pieces from my recent family loss.
Good mourning indeed.
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