One of my favorite voices in all the world of Reggae is that of Clinton Fearon. He has created so many amazing musical gems in his 40+ years of playing and singing. First with the Gladiators…
And later branching out on his own…
However, hard as it is to pick, my all-time favorite has gotta be Livin’ Is An Art.
Now ‘ear dis…
I love this song for so many reasons but I wanna focus on the surface structure – namely, the lyrics:
LIVIN’ IS AN ART – Think about it, everything we as humans do that we excel at, do masterfully or execute with perfection is eventually considered an art – (the art of war, the art of flight, the art of emceeing, the art of healthy eating…) Everything we do, if done well can be considered an art form. So, “livin’ is an art” becomes a metaphor for mastering or perfecting our personal journeys with the time we are given.
YOU’VE GOT YOUR CANVAS AND I’VE GOT MINE – Though we share this human experience, what separates us is the environment that greeted us when we were introduced to the world. Be it into a single parent household in an affluent community or the middle child of a large family in a rural farming community. I’m very aware of the luck that allowed me to be born into a family, geographic location and a time in history where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness was an actualization and not a hope for the future.
LIVIN’ IS AN ART
YOU’VE GOT YOUR EASEL AND I’VE GOT MINE – Whatever was laid before you as a framework for your life is different but the paths we take are our choices.
LIVIN’ IS AN ART
YOU’VE GOT YOUR BRUSH AND I’VE GOT MINE – The likes and dislikes that dictate the hobbies, careers, friendships and surroundings we create for ourselves are our own manifestations. Freedom of choice becomes the map and compass that guide us on our journey.
LIVIN’ IS AN ART
USING THE COLORS OF THE UNIVERSE – The web of life. We are all connected. All one. We take in from our surroundings and give back whether we know it or not. We are constantly influencing and being influenced by the life and composition of elements that make up the universe.
I’m sure you could break down the rest for yourself. The lyrics are very simple and easy to understand but at the same time potent and meaningful. There are certain songs that I can play that will inspire me and put me in a mood where I want to create and put work into my hopes and dreams. This is one of those songs. Thank you, Mr. Fearon. Your art puts a smile on the faces of my family.
LIVIN’ IS AN ART
HOW PERFECT COULD THIS BE
LIVIN’ IS AN ART
DO THE WORK AND YOU WILL SEE
LIVIN’ IS AN ART
CHECK THE POWER OF A SMILE
LIVING IS AN ART
WE’RE JAMMIN’ WITH THE RHYTHM WHAT’S YOUR STYLE
PAINTED PICTURES
HANGING ON THE WALL OF LIFE
IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER
WHICH IS THE PRETTIEST
EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THEIR OWN PICTURE BIG OR SMALL
EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN RISE OR FALL
