Reaper Lyrics

[Rocker22 at AOL.COM]

Buck posted this to an AOL folder today.

R.


Guess I gotta jump in here,

'Reaper' is specifically about two concepts:

1) A powerful enough romantic LOVE can transcend physical death and endure in
the hereafter.
2) Death is inevitable whenever it happens to us, and we should know that and
face it without fearing it, having some confidence in the universality of the
human spirit, but having no proof until we actually die.

I wrote this tune at a time in my life when I was thinking about dying early
(in my twenties.) So I'm thinkin', (First Verse) 'I'm dead', now what? So I
sing this song to my Love (kiss for Sandy here) sayin' 'looks like it's all
over for us, but I'm on the other side now, and that's not the only way it
can be'. Turns out that if the love is strong enough, spiritual things are
possible that wouldn't make it to CNN or the Congressional Record. There _is_
a way to be reunited on another plane of consciousness.

(We can be like they are) could be my fave line in the tune. Implies that
there are entities that are doin' stuff WAY different than you and me here on
earth, Rusty.

(Second Verse) the one that's caused all the trouble all these years:
Valentine as metaphor for mortal love/stuff, done now. Romeo and Juliet I
used as an _example_ of a couple who had the faith to take their love
elsewhere when (in their case) they weren't permitted the freedom to love
here and now. What I meant was, THEY'RE in eternity, 'cause they had the
Faith to believe in the possibility.  It frankly never occured to me that the
suicide aspect of their story would be plugged in (like images in a rock
video?) to people's take on 'Reaper' making it an advert for suicide. The
forty thousand number was pulled from the air as a guess about how many
people died every day world wide, not how many people committed suicide.

(Third Verse) The idea here is that a critical mass of emotional and mental
intensity is necessary to create this event. What if the remaining partner
just can't stand being alone? What if by dint of sheer will lovers can
reunite again after death? In my vision, the 'permission' of the event has to
come from the 'other' side, the afterlife. The event transpires when there is
enought faith and belief to make it happen. Not really so different than any
other afterlife belief system.

It never bothered me that 'Reaper' was embraced as a horror icon ('Halloween'
and 'The Stand') or allegedly enjoyed by Gary Gilmor ('Executioner's Song').
It WOULD bother me to know 'Reaper' gave someone an excuse to commit suicide.
I never have come anywhere close to REALLY wanting to commit suicide. I'm
gonna live until I die. On the other hand when I go, I don't want 'Amazing
Grace' as the musical centerpiece at my funeral. I want 'Don't Fear The
Reaper'.

Buck Dharma