Empty Glass: Issa's Sunday Service #133

Original promo video

Empty Glass
Why was I born today
Life is useless like Ecclesiastes say
I never had a chance
But opportunity's now in my hands

I stand with my guitar
All I need's a mirror
Then I'm a star
I'm so sick of dud TV
Next time you switch on
You might see me...oh.what a thrill for you

I've been there and gone there
I've lived there and bummed there
I've spinned there, I gave there
I drank there and I slaved there

I've had enough of the way things been done
Every man on a razors edge
Someone has used us to kill with the same gun
Killing each other by driving a wedge

My life's a mess I wait for you to pass
I stand here at the bar, I hold an empty glass


Why was I born today
Life is useless like Ecclesiastes say
I didn't get a chance
Opportunity's in my hand

I stand with my guitar
All I need's a mirror
Then I'm a star
I'm so sick of dud TV
Next time you switch on
You might see me...

I've been there and gone there
I've lived there and bummed there
I've spinned there, I gave there
I drank there and I slaved there

I've had enough of the way things have been done
Every man on a razor's edge
Someone has used us to shoot with the same gun
We where killing each other by driving a wedge

My life's a mess I wait for you to pass
I stand here at the bar, I hold an empty glass

Don't worry smile and dance
You just can work life out
Don't let down moods entrance you
Take the wine and shout

My life's a mess I wait for you to pass
I stand here at the bar, I hold an empty glass


Where to begin with this pure gem of rock, ambition, and spiritual questing?  Pete Townshend has always been at the forefront of the quest, as literary a rock writer as, say, Lou Reed, with a little wider focus and less pretense.  In "Empty Glass" there is a lot to chew over.

First, there is the Bible - the allusion to the always upbeat Ecclesiastes.  It's the Good News translation that specifically gives us "Life is useless" - many of the others, including the King James provides the more standard "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."  In any case, point well taken.

Then, there is the slightly more subtle "every man on a razor's edge," an allusion to the Katha Upanishad, possibly by way of Somerset Maugham's popular novel, The Razor's Edge:

Get up! Wake up! Seek the guidance of an
Illumined teacher and realize the Self.
Sharp like a razor's edge is the path,
The sages say, difficult to traverse.
                       Katha Upanishad – 1.3.14

Townshend was at on time (and perhaps still is) a disciple of Meher Baba.  In many religions, including Christianity, the idea of making oneself an empty vessel to receive teaching/enlightenment is familiar.  Townshend also struggled with alcoholism and that is alluded to in the image.  The line "Take the wine and shout," however, might also be seen as part of the spiritual ecstatic approach, Omar Khayyam being a well-known proponent of this approach to living and dying.

The irony of "vanity of vanities" and "all I need's a mirror and I'm a star" certainly isn't lost on Townshend.  Watch how he preens and alters the timbre of his vocal while singing the lines in the video above.  It's a lot to jam into one simple pop song; come to think of it, it's not so simple after all, a real litrock classic

------------

useless me

useless weeds...

the cuckoo's opinion

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don

PS.Get 2 free issues. Get 2 more free issues

Lillie poem archive

Send a single haiku for the Wednesday Haiku feature. Here's how.

Go to the LitRock web site for a list of all 133 songs