Aerosmith, "Dream On," and an Orchestra

"Aerosmith-Dream On"

cnx6325, YouTube (August 24, 2008)
video, 4:51

"Orchestra Arranged and Conducted by Michael Kamen"

Aerosmith's no Nat "King" Cole. But then, Nat "King" Cole is no Aerosmith. I like the music of both: but your experience may vary.

This video is one of the more coherent performances of "Dream On," for which I'm grateful. Aerosmith is able to make himself understood, when he wants to. And, this time, he apparently wanted the audience to understand the words, as well as the feelings.

That "Orchestra arranged" is an accurate description, by the way. Aerosmith's backed up by what appears to be a full orchestra, or something close.

Sometimes, I'm just as glad to not hear the lyrics. In this case, not so much. A sample, from the start:

every time that I look in the mirror
all these lines on my face getting clearer
the past is gone
it went by like dusk to dawn
isn't that the way
everybody's got their dues in life to pay

yeah, I know nobody knows
where it comes and where it goes
I know it's everybody's sin
you got to lose to know how to win

half my life's in books' written pages
live and learn from fools and from sages
you know it's true
all the things come back to you
(elyrics.net, used w/o permission)

I'm not in full agreement with the theological implications of some of the thoughts expressed, but that's a topic for another blog: maybe A Catholic Citizen in America, someday.

Philosophically, what impressed me with "Dream On" in the early seventies (I think it came out in 1972 or 1973) - and still does - is the acceptance of personal continuity: The idea that what a person does has an effect on the person. That may be obvious, but the idea that actions have consequences hasn't been particularly popular in some circles, over the last few decades.

The music? I like it, but again - your experience may vary.