lucinda williams “What If?”
from: “west” 2007
“I shudder to think
What it would mean
If the president wore pink
Or if a prostitute was queen?
What would happen then?
How would the world change
If thick became thin
And the world was rearranged?
If the rains brought down the moon
And daylight was feared
And the sun rose too soon
And then just disappeared?
If dogs became kings
And the pope chewed gum
And hobos had wings
And God was a bum?
If houses became trees
And flowers turned to stone
And there were no families
And people lived alone?
Buildings started laughing
And windows cried
And feet started clapping
And out came inside
If mountains fell in slivers
And the sky began to bleed
And blood filled up the rivers
And prisoners were freed?
If the stars fell apart
And the ocean dried up
And the world was one big heart
And decided to stop?
If children grew up happier
And they could run with the wolves
And they never felt trapped
Or hungry or unloved?
If cats walked on water
And birds had bank accounts
And we loved one another
In equal amounts?
”
There are few “morality tale” songs that isolate human ironies well, and Lucinda Williams does so by not being afraid to risk being preachy. Using brash surrealistic juxtapositions and questions, dichotomies are uncovered to display her suggestions for transforming human interactions. She has the perfect languid Louisiana voice using words that hang wearily from her intonations.. IShe builds a kind of dreamscape that appeals to the merits of change by becoming more careful about how we chose to frame how we look at a problem.
“One road leads home and a thousand roads lead into the wilderness.” -C.S. Lewis