The final concert

Some bands gets stuck with you at a young age. And they never let go. And of course you think it won’t end in a very very long time…

The music helps you through your darker times, enhances your brighter times…

…puts words onto what you feel deep inside, makes you think at details around you that you never reflected on before…

…and strengthens your already planted views of life.

It makes you angry, makes you cry…

…makes you sing out like a maniac with a hairbrush as a mic in front of your mirror (yeahyeah, you never get to old to do that!)…

…and dance around until the neighbours think your tapping is too disturbing.

Some bands just connect with you, speaks the same language as you. One of those bands for me is The Ark (visit The Ark World here).

And when a band meaning something like that to you say that it’s time for them to retire, you can’t help but feel a little lonely.

Something that is such a reminder of your youth… is disappearing, and you can’t help but wonder if that means that your youth is leaving with them? It’s like a close friend is slipping away from you.

So you go to your final concert ever on their last tour… and you try to absorb every little moment, every little tone that sparkles out of Ola Salo, every little movement (and trust me, there were LOADS).

And you just can’t help to cry your heart out when the entire crowd bursts out in song as one enormous chorus, following Ola’s every little direction in Calleth You, Cometh I.

And even though you are sad, you start to listen to the lyrics… and you start to think that yes… even though they are not coming back… maybe the music you’ve listened to for so many years will always be there. You can always go back and feel, and remember.

And maybe it will feel like they never left. You do have so many vivid memories.

And they have certainly created leaps of joy!

So you say so long, farewell, Auf Weidersehen, goodbye. Lift your hat. You wave back. And are grateful for the good times spent. And I hope we’ll see each other again someday.

But trust me… I will certainly miss you.

First impressions last. Here’s the video of It Takes A Fool To Remain Sane from 2000.

Whatever happened to the funky race?
A generation lost in pace,
-Wasn’t life supposed to be more than this?
In this kiss I’ll change your bore for my bliss
But let go of my hand and it will slip out
in the sand if you don’t give me the chance
to break down the walls of attitude,
I ask nothing of you
not even your gratitude

And if you think I’m corny
then it will not make me sorry
it’s your right to laugh at me
and in turn, that’s my opportunity
to feel brave
Because ridicule is no shame
it’s just a way to eclipse hate
it’s just a way to put my back staright
it’s just a way to remain sane

Every morning I would see her getting
off the bus the picture never drops
it’s like a multicoloured snapshot stuck in my brain
it kept me sane for a couple of years
as it drenched my fears
of becoming like the others
who become unhappy mothers
and fathers of unhappy kids
And why is that?
‘Cause they’ve forgotten how to play
or maybe they’re afraid to feel ashamed
to seem strange
to seem insane
to gain weight
to seem gay
– I tell you this:

That it takes a fool to remain sane
Oh It takes a fool to remain sane
Oh It takes a fool to remain sane
Oh In this world all covered up in shame
(-Oh, take it to the stage!)

So, take it to the stage in a multicoloured
jacket take it jackpot, crackpot,
strutting like a peacock
nailvarnish Arkansas
shimmy-shammy featherboah crackpot haircut
dye your hair in glowing red and blue,

-Do, Do, Do! What you wanna do, Don´t think twice,
do what you have to do,
Do, Do, Do, Do, let your heart decide
what you have to do that´s all there is to find
Cause it takes a fool to remain sane,
Oh It takes a fool to remain sane
Oh In this world all covered up in shame
Oh It takes a fool to remain sane,
Oh It takes a fool to remain sane
Oh It takes a fool to remain sane
Oh In this world all covered up in shame
-Oh, it takes a fool!..