I Know There's An Answer

Over the past couple of days a song has been playing inside my head and it won’t go away. No, it is not the Mahna-Mahna song even though I just wrote it, you just read it, and now it is in your head never to leave. Seriously, the song that has been rattling around my brain is one I had always heard but never paid attention to until this past weekend.

After really listening to it, the song got me thinking about how people treat other people.

There are numerous occasions that we find ourselves in situations of offering advice and “knowing” what’s right for someone. Whether they are blinded by love or hate or illness or just don’t want to be messed with yet, we know that we can help. I stand before you Guilty as charged. So what does this have to do with the song inside my head?

The song is “I Know There’s an Answer” by the Beach Boys from their classic album Pet Sounds. The song as described by Brian Wilson is about “the self-centeredness of people and how the singer tells them ‘...the way that they live could be better.’”
As I heard the song, not just listened to it, I paid attention to what was being sung and I really heard the words. I heard it for what it was: a warning.

The song serves as a warning to all of us; all of us that care but are not aware that what we offer is an answer that, unfortunately, is not the answer others need. This then leaves us in a unique situation of either having those people cut us off (because we are not helping) or we cut them off (because they don’t want our help). So what do we do? What does anyone do?

We stop and think about how sad life would be if people were constantly cutting each other off because no one wanted to hear or listen what the other was saying or would it be so sad? Imagine living in a world where no one would say “in my opinion” or “listen to what I am saying” or the dreaded twosome of “well back in my day” and “if you ask me.” Now that wouldn’t be so bad? And again, what does this have to do with the song?

As I wrote, I see this as a warning. A warning that you can take with you now and unfortunately, for others it may be too late. Especially, after the recent holiday gatherings, I know that there were many people that had discussions that started with the “if you ask me” header. I know that many people are going home angry, upset, sad, or deeper in the depression they started the holidays with.

Here is the take away: Think about what you are going to say and who you are going to say it to. The next time someone you truly care for tells you that they suffer from depression or just don’t want to be messed with, take it as a warning and keep your trap shut, no matter how you much you love that person. Especially if you think what you are going to say is the right thing.

Here is the song


Here are the lyrics:

I know so many people who think they can do it alone
They isolate their heads and stay in their safety zones
Now what can you tell them
And what can you say that won't make them defensive

I know there's an answer
I know now but I have to find it by myself

They come on like they're peaceful
But inside they're so uptight
They trip through their day
And waste all their thoughts at night

Now how can I come on
And tell them the way that they live could be better
I know there's an answer
I know now but I have to find it by myself

Now how can I come on
And tell them the way that they live could be better
I know there's an answer
I know now but I have to find it by myself


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