One of my many strange compulsions is checking Youtube periodically to see which video is the most viewed of "all time". The number one spot is currently occupied by a music video: "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne, with almost 120 million views after being posted for about 14 months. Susan Boyle's performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" has 26 million views (on one version of the clip, there seem to be many posts) after a single week.
Will Susan Boyle's video climb to number one for all time after a few weeks or months? Seems likely.
Suppose Susan Boyle does pass Avril Lavigne. Would that signify anything?
Lavigne's video is a celebration of nastiness with a pretty face. The refrain is "Hey, Hey, You, You, I don't like your girlfriend". Avrile bullies and torments a pretty but "uncool" girl and finally steals her boyfriend.
Boyle's video is, as one judge declares, a wake up call for all of us. Her appearance is not cool and far from what we seem to hold as an ideal. Even though I knew ahead of time that she would sing superbly (I was late learning about the video), I was still stunned when she began to sing. I got goosebumps and came close to shedding tears. I felt exactly as though I had received a wake up call from God.
Our sick fascination with the type of characters and antics Lavigne portrays will most likely continue. I don't exempt myself from that club. I am all too aware of my own predilection for the dark side. However, perhaps Susan Boyle has been sent as a reminder of how foolish we are to long for the dark, when the light is so much better.
I hope we can all remember her as needed. Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Lord.
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2 comments:
Great post, Kent. I always enjoy the things you point out... and how you bring God into the center of that picture.
Do we as human beings judge a book by it's cover. Thats what happened with Susan Boyle Gods the only judge Were to love one another. May God bless you Susan as you go forward in your life. Great word Kent
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