Howdy,
I won’t try to explain or defend my “familiarity” with a Katy Perry song (thought about spelling her name Katie as a disguise, but didn’t know if that’d look overly-spiritual or out-of-touch and I’m not really going for either or being disingenuous) other than saying that I like to “roll ‘em” on the radio sometimes when I’m driving alone, scanning the stations to see what I’ll hear, to listen to what’s being sung.
When I did that in June on my way to Pinecrest lake, I heard Imagine Dragons’ “Believer”: “Don’t you tell me what you think that I could be / I’m the one at the sail, I’m the master of my sea, oh ooh / The master of my sea, oh ooh.”
Oh (ooh), yeah. We’ve moved beyond the self-importance self-reliance of even William Ernest Henley’s Invictus:
“I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
… I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.”
Imagine Dragons sing not of being captain (O Captain! My Captain!) of one’s own ship. I at the helm. No, the singing cry is “I’m the master of my sea.” I’m the master of my sea. Is that crazy or what?!
Without even time for the weak-eyed “whatever gods may be,” we think we are not only in charge in the elements but OF the elements. Master of the sea? Master of MY sea? Come on.
That’s the I of the Tiger, which brings me to Kat-I Perry and her song “Roar.”
What first caught my attention (beyond the catchy beat, okay I admit that—crap comes covered as candy) was the line: “I went from zero, to my own hero.” My own hero. My. Own. Hero. Kinda sad in a way. Not my bad: it’s I’m bad!
“I got up …
I got the eye of the tiger …
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion.”
I.
I. I.
I. I. I.
I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I.
I got up.
I got the I of the tiger.
‘Cause I am a champion.
I a lion, only better, louder.
I appoint I.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:6-8).
It’s the I of the Tiger that needs to be devoured. That I doesn’t sail away from me easily. Not when I am the master of my sea. An idiot drowning. Oh ooh.
—Billy
Reading. Writing. Living.
P.S. If you’re bothered by all the I’s, it’s not all that different from the many-times-repeated “Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh / Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh / Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh” in “Roar.” When it comes to count, “I” is a word. 222 words. Our society and world, our nature and self, puts priority on I. A twisted lyric in our song.
Word Count: 184,801 / On Pace: 183,150 / Year’s Goal: 200,000
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