I rewatched Garden State last night.
It’s interesting to rewatch a movie you loved so much 20 years after you recall loving it.
Sometimes I find I have changed so much that I don’t understand why I loved the movie as much as I did in the first place (don’t hate me for this… Zoolander).
And then there are others that resonate even more than they did when I was in my 20s.
Garden State is one of those movies. It explores and unearths the complexities of being alive. The more life I live, the more I get the wisdom Zach Braff was laying down for us in this movie.
So, it’s fitting that the movie ends (don’t worry this is not a spoiler) with a song that penetrates my soul.
For those readers that are half way through their lives, you know when a song comes on that you haven’t heard for a decade or two, and when you hear that first note, it just clears your entire mind out and brings you right back to the moment you first heard that song? The song has a way of bypassing your thinking mind and ferreting its way to some deep place that I can only assume is your soul. Hit me up if you’ve had this experience and let me know the song(s). This can’t just be a Me thing, right?
Anyway, Frou Frou’s Let Go at the end of Garden State is one of those songs for me. I heard it last night for the first time in at least 15 years and it has just taken over my consciousness ever since.
But what I loved about it 15-20 years ago is not what I love about it today. Back then, I was a beat guy. As a drummer I was always moved by the feeling of beats and notes, and largely ignored lyrics. Now, I pay attention to lyrics, and oh boy does Frou Frou drop some wisdom on us in the chorus of this song.
So without further delay, here are those lyrics. I hope it resonates with you today as it has with me. I hope it helps you loosen your grip on whatever you are white-knuckle grasping right now, and opens you up to experiencing the life that today has to offer.
So let go, so let go, hmm, jump in
Oh, well, whatcha waiting for? It's alright
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
So let go, yeah let go, just get in
Oh, it's so amazing here, it's alright
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
For the full experience (including notes and beats) I highly recommend listening to the song:
🙏🏼 ❤️
~ Eric