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One of my favorite things about Jack Johnson and his music, is his view and philosophy of life. He seems to really be this calm, cool and collected person, who doesn’t let things bother him. He seems to live in the moment. He seems to have this almost Zen Buddhist view of things. An example I can give is If I Could from In Between Dreams, obviously he is upset and sad about his friend dying, but instead of making an angry song, he created a Buddhist type song, where he suggests that as one life goes out, one comes in. Or one can obviously conclude Jack is a well read person, a person who is aware of the scary world of politics. He seems to be aware of what’s going on in Iraq and how depressing and sad one can get when thinking about global warming and all that. He obviously cares deeply about issues and activism, yet somehow he doesn’t let it get to him, or doesn’t let it get him down, or get him sad. And considering all that’s going on, its rather remarkable.
Can anyone provide specific lyrical examples from his albums, where he speaks about being calm? Living in the moment and appreciating life and living it to the fullest? Not getting angry and upset and remaining collected? Any interviews where he speaks about his philosophy on life?
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One of my most favorite Jack songs seems to fall in line with what you’re talking about, “Gone”.
My favorite line from the song is “leave your footprints and we’ll shame them with our words”
That song really made me stop and look at my life, and how strangled I was by my things, and how much time and effort I was wasting by accumulating these things, and then upkeeping them (putting them away, keeping them clean, always being busy doing something with them).
It’s so easy to get caught up in consumerism, or anger, or greed, or hate, or any of the other traps that are all around us.
I think it’s important to just take a step back and breathe.
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I agree the Buddhist beliefs are there, but Buddhism is actually a very intense, depressing religion. Jack falls more along the lines of Daoism. If you don’t know what that is, Wikipedia is your new friend.
Buddhist focuses on the negative aspects of life. One of the key aspects of traditional Buddhism is ‘life is suffering.’ This does not really seem like Jack Johnson to me, but then again it’s just my opinion.
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Hey there- I’m not sure of the song, but in one of the new ones, Jack says something like: “what’s life all about if not learning to let go” That one line really hit home for me. It’s like, ok we’re all human and sometimes we hold on to the bad as well as the good, but we are all in a state of learning...we try, if we fall off the bike of life, we get back on and learn to let go....
-about politics and knowing about the world, another new song states that “shock and awefull” thing to thing that we have to choose pushing for peace, supporting the troops
more truth from the master- why can’t we have both? why can’t we support them by bringing them home? I love how he turned the “shock and awe” comment from the top right back at them.
keep hope alive- namaste- j
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the song “Gone” is so packed with lines that make you stop and think. “what about those shoes you’re in today, they’ll do no good on the bridges you burnt along the way”.
so many people are so caught up with their material things that they don’t realize the damage they are doing to get them. and when they have to turn around and face the “damage and ruin”, all of the sudden the things they spent their life collecting won’t help them at all. it’s a simple lifestyle of love that brings true happiness.
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I was recently introduced to Jack Johnson by a friend I met not too long ago either. When I first met this guy, I noticed something was different about him, he seemed to always be happy, no matter what life brings. In one of our first conversations I brought up the purpose of this life as I had a fairly large paper to write on what Plato calls “the good life” and how as humans are meant to live while on Earth. Adam immediately told me about Jack Johnson, namely his song from the Curious George film, Upside Down. He told me how it had made him realize that life isn’t always as bad as we all too easily make it out to be. Upside Down tells how amazing life can really be when we choose to focus on the positive rather than the negative.
As has been said by others above, Johnson’s music truly encourages one to take a bad situation and turning the whole thing upside down by learning from the situation instead of letting it get him down. A few of my favorite lines are that there is “no time to waste” and “sharing the love we find with everyone.” Our time on Earth really isn’t that long and everytime we let ourselves down with negative thoughts and discontentedness, we just let time fly by in anger, frustration, and depression. Once one has discovered this opportunity to turn life upside down, it is simply inevitable that he go out and share his new found happiness with everyone else who seems to let life get the better of his thoughts.
Over the past few months I have been keen to take notice of the kinds of thoughts that arise in my mind. I do my best not to let my mistakes and misfortunes let me down. Instead, I attempt to think of the good that may come from the bad situations. Of course, as I am human, I do fail and find myself getting upset with life and wishing I were somewhere else. I will tell you one thing I learned, however, that has really given me a more positive outlook on life, especially all those past mistakes and regrets that have built up over time. I realized that I really was placed where I was for a reason, for it is what made me who I am. I can’t hide the fact that I have had some rought times with my family, especially my parents, but the more I think about it, the better I feel, for without them and all those times they corrected my foolish behavior, I would have no sense of good whatsoever. There are some out there who never received the education and understanding I have obtained. When I regret my existence and/or positioning on Earth and in time, I am taking everything for granted and don’t give a single thought for those who don’t have anything. Compared to children in third world countries and even the poor living within my own country, I live like a king.
I am of the opinion that the theories and practices of the modern world have caused the current age to become even more greedy, selfish, and stubborn to accept their flaws. Life ought not be taken too lightly, for each and every thought, word, and moment in time shapes and forms who we really are. The most essential acknowledgment all humans ought to reach is that we are creatures of free will and we can choose to live the good life through the sincere appreciation of life and willingness to learn from life. There can be no greater happiness than that which comes from the acceptance of the changes and opportunities that time is constantly conveying throughout this short and meaningful life. The music of Jack Johnson has truly opened my mind or perhaps turned all my old feelings upside down into a deeper understanding and acceptance of life.
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It’s the best way to go...."Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”
To see how JackJohnsonmusic and Monty Pithon have something in common:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
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My favotite Jack lines about being real are ‘bling, bling, those are only removable things’, ‘I’ve got a symbol in my driveway’, and ‘Everybody thinks that everybody knows every thing about themselves but their all worried about everybody else.’ He’s keeping it real. I had the chance to have Jack play in my classroom 6 years ago. He was as real as he seems in his interviews and when he’s on stage. Very humble, shy, and funny! He told the greatest stories and made up songs about the kids names. I don’t see how he hasn’t let ‘the business’ get into his head. It’s almost as if he’s in control over his own destiny in a way by not letting the big corporations in on his own business. I sure hope he doesn’t pull a Milie Cyrus and dissapoint his fans by posing nude with a silk sheet. JK. He did say in an interview that he’s putting on some pounds as he gets older and that he has ear hairs. Now that’s down to Earth!
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Haha wow, he played in your classroom?
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reef,
I use to play ‘Brushfire Faitytales’ in my class because it was so kid friendly. I teach the 3rd grade. One of my kids asked if there was an email address on the album. He ended up emailng Jack. So...I get a phone call one morning around 7 am. It was Jack. He simply asked “Is today a good day to visit your class?” Uhhh, any day would be a good day. He showed up and played, told super stories that had the kids glued to him, signed autographs and drew some waves and palm trees, made up songs about the kids names, posed for pictures. We were in Heaven for 1 hour and 45 minutes. As I was walking Jack to his car, he said he was traveling to LA to do some recordeings with Ben Harper. I had never heard of Ben, so I grabbed ‘Live From Mars’ that day and have been hooked ever since. Like I said, Jack is as laid back as he seems. A true gentleman! Since then, I have run into him at several shows and he still calls me Mr. Roop.
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That’s a great story! Not at all surprising to hear that Jack is as humble as he seems...there’s no doubt in my mind! It’s kind of neat that a student contacted him...and it’s kind of neat that you played Brushfire Fairytales in/for your class. It’s a great reflection of how big things come in humble ways...like Jack himself...and the rest of us when we give in to the humble heart. That is what I love most about Jack’s thoughts/music. As a whole, I love how he puts himself out there displaying humbleness, and simultaneously shaming other types of “behaviors” that deny humbleness. He sings to the humble side of the heart!
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Munchies - Apr 21, 2008 04:58am
My favorite line from the song is “leave your footprints and we’ll shame them with our words”
That song really made me stop and look at my life, and how strangled I was by my things, and how much time and effort I was wasting by accumulating these things, and then upkeeping them (putting them away, keeping them clean, always being busy doing something with them).
That’s funny! Only in the way that I can relate to that moment of understanding with “things”. I too had that happen at the same time that I was trying to “get on top of things” in my life. I was trying so hard to organize my life; my feelings that were not at peace; the house in all it’s components; stuff, and dealing with several family relationships, that were long overdue...like generations...genetics in a new light! It’s like Jack (thoughts/music) was the push to the switch for the light that illuminated something I was on to, but didn’t yet fully understand. As I’m writing, I’m recalling...a line, “The harder that you try baby the further you fall...even with all the money in the whole wide world.” During that “moment” I gave up in a sense...I surrendered, to what...well, less control...trading it for faith in something else...the stuff/thing route was clearly not the answer...for precisely the reasons you’ve mentioned above...I’ve used nearly the same description of things...I sometimes tell people I can’t do something because I’m too busy playing with all my things!
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Jack’s “view of life” has really helped me out a lot. My favorite thing about his music is that I’ll listen to it a hundred times, then come back to it in the future and still find new insight and meaning to the lyrics. I could go on forever on how his songs touch my life but there are two in particular that I always seem to come back to:
The first is “Drink the water”:
“It’s just one of those
Bad days look outside and
Be careful what you ride
You just might find
That you’re out of time
To swim ashore
If I drift long enough
I’ll be home”
I was listening to this song once when I was really stressed out at school and it made me feel so comforted to know that life comes at you like waves, but sometimes you jus got to ride it out until you drift back to the shore.
The second song that hit me hard is “Its all understood”
To me this song is about examining your life and your own beliefs and not just taking things at face value (just because someone told you). To me its about a higher order that exists, despite are lack of understanding.
Throughout the song he says:
“It’s all relative
Even if you don’t understand
Well it’s all understood
Especially when you don’t understand
And it’s all just because
Even if we don’t understand
Then lets all just believe”
He explains at the end of the song that just because he “questions” it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t believe. He believes.
I guess it gets back to Plato and living the examined life. Thats what Jack’s all about.
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This is a great topic. Isn’t it amazing how we all feel these things and the fact that Jack can amplify these feeling with music. Anyone who knows me knows that I listen to Jack. Some of them have said I need to get over my crush. I tell them that it is not a crush (no offense Jack), I really just love the music. I tell them to listen, it really does mean something. Every song I can relate to my life, and it makes me smile. Really, I smile most of the time, it is a lot easier.
Okay this morning I did get mad at my husband b/c he forgot to start my coffee, pretty petty. And I yell at my kids occasionally, but not over spilled milk. I am not perfect, no buts about it.
One of my favorite songs from STTS is What You Thought You Need
We could park the van and walk to town
Buy the cheapest bottle of wine that we could find
And talk about the road behind
How getting lost is not always a waste of time
I love the thought of leaving things behind. All the things that make life hard, and some of the things we think makes life easier.
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nogali -
Totally agree. Anyone who knows me knows that I love Jack’s music. My boyfriend of 6 years jokes that I have a huge crush on him too, and again, no offence to Jack  ,I listen to him genuinely for his music. In a sense, I’m in love with his music, not him, because I don’t know him really at all.
All I know is that his music has helped me get through some terribly tough times in my life. I got his first 2 CDs from my aunt while in Toronto for surgery as a ‘Get Well’ gift. The rest is history. Nothing is more precious than the gift of music. I had the pleasure of going to the Gorge to see his show with the same aunt - I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
I volunteered for the Gorge because I thought it would be a great opportunity for me - I’ve worked with Take Pride Winnipeg before, teaching environmental awareness in elementary schools and I thought this would be a great way to kick off the school year. I was right.
Even though I met Jack, I didn’t even think of telling him what his music means to me, because that wasn’t the reason I was there. But I was okay with that. I’m sure that he knows that his music touches people in ways he never thought possible. I didn’t feel the need to tell him that.
I love the entire All At Once song, this is my favorite part:
There’s a world we’ve never seen
There’s still hope between the dreams
The weight of it all could blow away with a breeze
But if your waiting on the wind
Don’t forget to breathe
‘Cause as the darkness gets deeper
We’re sinkin’ as we reach for love
I love how it can mean so many different things - for me, it’s helped me keep sight on what’s important, helped me persevere.
Peace&Love;~Kim
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“We’ll leave our footprints and shame them with our words”...Someone translate this for me, having alittle difficulties fully interpreting it.
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