The song “Streets of Philadelphia” by Bruce Springsteen won the Academy Award for Best Original Song (for Philadelphia of course), and four Grammys. But that’s not why its one my favourites. For me the song is inextricably linked with Philadelphia (the movie) and the compelling story it told. At the time I had thought that the song had no independent existence without the movie because I felt that the strong feelings it conjured up in me had everything to do with the movie and not the song itself (I was young and naive). But with time I understood the bigger picture (or at least I think I have) and the song is powerful as a standalone piece – the lyrics poetry and the theme universal.
There’s something healing about the song, something hopeful and at the same time there is an element of pathos in it, bleakness descends upon you, leaving you vulnerable and raw, yet in the end you emerge somehow stronger. These are the kind of sentences you get from my feeble pen (and might I add limited vocabulary) when I try to explain the profound and far reaching impact music has on me (and everyone else).
eternal oxymoron 