I, I always believed in futures[1]Most anyone who served a mission in the 2000s–at the height of Jimmy Eat World’s popularity–can recall all the chatter about how the band’s original bassist Mitch Porter left … Continue reading
I hope for better in November[2]November here is working on multiple registers: he could be referencing U.S. Election Day, when many punk rockers in 2004 were hoping to vote out George W. Bush and repudiate the illegal war in Iraq; … Continue reading
I try the same losing lucky numbers
It could be a cold night for a lifetime[3]But this is no mere Pollyanna-ish optimism on Jimmy Eat World’s part: they are keenly aware that their side could still very well lose the election–or that their faith is vain and … Continue reading
Hey now
You can’t keep saying endlessly
My darling
How long ’til this affects me?[4]The perennial quandary of engaging young voters: they don’t vote because they don’t think politics affect them; they only start voting once they start paying taxes, or pay for health … Continue reading
Say hello to good times[5]Nevertheless, we are still looking forward to the Millennial Day; to quote Neal A. Maxwell, “We know that Armageddon is coming, but so is Adam-ondi-Ahman!”
Trade up for the fast ride[6]The Lord will hasten his work in the latter days.
We close our eyes while the nickel and dime[7]Every time we allow wages to stagnate behind inflation–to be “nickle and dimed”–then we are as those who “Oppress the hireling in his wages” (Malachi 3:5), and the … Continue reading
Take the streets completely
I always could count on futures
That things will look up and they look up
Why is it so hard to find a balance
Between living decent and the cold and real?[8]Mammon is a jealous God: if you wish to live decently (not even wealthily, mind you), you will need money; but in order to earn enough money, you will forced into a great variety of morally ambiguous … Continue reading
Hey now
What is it you think you see?
My darling
Now’s the time to disagree[9]“Choose ye this day whom ye will serve”
Say hello to good times
Trade up for the fast ride
We close our eyes while the nickel and dime
Take the streets completely
Hey now, the past is told by those who win[10]For the longest time, I misheard this line as ”the past is told by those who live, my darling”—as a clever twist of that old saw “the past is told by those win”, rather than a mere … Continue reading
My darling, what matters is what hasn’t been[11]Your past sins and pains do not determine your future.
Hey now, we’re wide awake[12]2 Nephi 1:13-14 and were thinking
My darling, believe your voice can mean something[13]D&C 84:85; JST Genesis 14:26
Say hello to good times
Trade up for the fast ride
We close our eyes while the nickel and dime
Take the streets completely
We close our eyes while the nickel and dime
Take the streets completely[14]Remember to get out and vote this November, by the way.
References
| ↑1 | Most anyone who served a mission in the 2000s–at the height of Jimmy Eat World’s popularity–can recall all the chatter about how the band’s original bassist Mitch Porter left to serve a mission in Costa Rica sometime in the late-90s, shortly before they hit it big with “The Middle.” Whether that was a supremely unlucky break on Porter’s part, or a noble sacrifice before the Lord God, is largely a Rorschach test for your own attitudes towards the LDS Church generally.
In any case, Jimmy Eat World–hailing from the mini-Utah that is Mesa, Arizona–were well aware of the Mormon milieu from which they emerged, and would purportedly dedicate “Futures” (from their 2004 album of the same name) “to the Angel Moroni” in concerts. Whether you think they were being sarcastic, or just throwing a good-natured bone to their numerous hometown LDS fans, is also likely a Rorschach test–but given the fact that they also recorded a cover of “If You Were Born Today” by Low during this same era, I lean towards the latter. |
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| ↑2 | November here is working on multiple registers: he could be referencing U.S. Election Day, when many punk rockers in 2004 were hoping to vote out George W. Bush and repudiate the illegal war in Iraq; it could also be the proverbial November that represents the symbolic end of our lives–the “Latter-days,” when at last the Second Coming cleanses this wicked world and the Earth receives it paradisaical glory–for which the Angel Moroni they invoked in concert would actually be a more-than-apt invocation; it could also just be the literal November when the weather finally cools down in Arizona, which would be a great relief to Sun Valley residents generally, and to Jim Adkins especially, who stubbornly wears heat-absorbing Johnny-Cash-black all year round. |
| ↑3 | But this is no mere Pollyanna-ish optimism on Jimmy Eat World’s part: they are keenly aware that their side could still very well lose the election–or that their faith is vain and Christ’s return is not imminent at all–or even that these are the last days, but if (per the Book of Abraham) each day is a thousand years unto God, then we are potentially still many millennia away from the redemption of the world. We of course hope not, but must still brace ourselves regardless. “A man must needs hope,” wrote Moroni himself in Ether 12:6–but of course, he wrote that after watching the final destruction of his people, and passing a lifetime of cold nights alone. Yes, he still became an angel, but I imagine that was cold comfort to him on those lonely nights of his mortal probation–as it is for us, too. |
| ↑4 | The perennial quandary of engaging young voters: they don’t vote because they don’t think politics affect them; they only start voting once they start paying taxes, or pay for health care, or see the pollution in their skies, or see their friends arrested, or beaten, or shipped off to war–but of course once they finally reach the age where they realize that politics keenly affects them, they are no longer young voters, and there’s a whole other generation of young voters that need to be convinced.
But of course older adults are often no better; “all politics are local politics” goes the old saw, and far too many older voters do not care how many people suffer abominably somewhere else, just so long as their own backyards are immaculate. Often times that misery needs to spill into their own backyards for them to finally take an interest in it. However, just as Alma 32:14 reads, “because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?”, so to is it better to be our brother’s keeper before it affects us personally, not after. In this, the scriptures are unequivocal. |
| ↑5 | Nevertheless, we are still looking forward to the Millennial Day; to quote Neal A. Maxwell, “We know that Armageddon is coming, but so is Adam-ondi-Ahman!” |
| ↑6 | The Lord will hasten his work in the latter days. |
| ↑7 | Every time we allow wages to stagnate behind inflation–to be “nickle and dimed”–then we are as those who “Oppress the hireling in his wages” (Malachi 3:5), and the Lord will come as a swift witness against us.
Happy Labor Day weekend, btw. |
| ↑8 | Mammon is a jealous God: if you wish to live decently (not even wealthily, mind you), you will need money; but in order to earn enough money, you will forced into a great variety of morally ambiguous or even straight-up reprehensible fields of labor to survive. It takes real faith to find a balance between living decently and not compromising yourself with the sins of the world. |
| ↑9 | “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve” |
| ↑10 | For the longest time, I misheard this line as ”the past is told by those who live, my darling”—as a clever twist of that old saw “the past is told by those win”, rather than a mere reiteration of the same. Some days I still feel like that should be the lyric. |
| ↑11 | Your past sins and pains do not determine your future. |
| ↑12 | 2 Nephi 1:13-14 |
| ↑13 | D&C 84:85; JST Genesis 14:26 |
| ↑14 | Remember to get out and vote this November, by the way. |