Larry Hochman Recommends

Tears Dry On Their Own

At the end of a workout at the gym I was watching the music video loop on the closed circuit TV. That’s often fun, with the mix of neat oldies, cutting edge new stuff and a few obscure songs I’m thinking were throw in’s from the music company.

Right after “Roxanne” from The Police came a song I hadn’t heard before. It was called “Tears Dry On Their Own.” The melody and beat were sampled from “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye. The voice was that of a powerful, commanding, assertive yet vulnerable woman. She had access to her own emotions but chose to exercise control over them. It was strong, and nothing like any other pop/soul voice I heard in a long time.

I took a look at the end of the video to see who it was. It was Amy Winehouse.

Hmmmm…

The only things I knew about Amy Winehouse were the little snippets of stories on the Internet. Drug abuse, being booed offstage, lots of public antics. It was the classic “bus accident” story. It’s terrible, and you can’t help but look. “Thank God it’s someone else and not me.”

There are lots of reactions people have to the Amy Winehouse story. Pity, judgment and jealousy are the most common ones I’ve witnessed. I don’t know much about her, and I’m not particularly interested in finding out.

But that voice. It reminds me of Rickie Lee Jones, my favorite female singer. In her early years she battled alcoholism, then became that haunting voice and that haunting beautiful music.

Amy Winehouse has soul. And demons, which are human frailties. Some take delight in putting her down. In a perverse way it’s comforting not to have to face the genius of others. We get to believe the earth is flat. We tell ourselves that those who strive, fail. Don’t you dare step over the line!

If you’ve never heard it, take a listen to Tears Dry On Their Own. She accessed bravery, beauty and self-love. Not holding herself back doesn’t make her less.

Sneering at and celebrating her downfall holds us back from the same glory she’s touched - and may touch again. By the time you read this she may have pulled herself together. Or she still may be struggling. Or she may have surrendered and died.

Love her. Send her your best. GIVE her - and yourself - your best.

Your Friend,
Larry
http://NoMoreHoldingBack.com

Technorati Tags: Amy Winehouse, larry hochman, no more holding back, Pop Music