Lyrical Philosophy Top Ten: Everybody Needs Forgiveness (#6)

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Although I didn't particularly care for philosophy class in college (because we had to dissect every line of Plato, Descartes, etc. ), I like finding lyrics that have deep meaning. That's why I'm looking at my favorite lines from songs that are "words of wisdom." Here's the next line on the list...probably the most obscure line. #6: Everybody Needs Forgiveness, Even Those Who Don't Deserve Ah, Webb Wilder, the "last of the full-grown men." He's a cult figure, at best, but those of us who do love him really love his terrific blend of rock, country, and blues. He has a lot of humor in songs ("Human Cannonball," about a man who "took a gig with the circus" to be shot out of a cannon, observing, "when I go, at least I know I'll go with a bang"). And there's this song, "The Rest (Will Take Care Of Itself)." When I've seen Wilder in recent years he's prefaced performing this song by saying that "people have gotten married and buried to this song." That's quite understandable, because it covers a wide range of topics, including love ("put love above everything else and the rest will take care of itself") and shallow people ("I was living in a world where people pawned their souls for the smallest change"). In the middle of the song is this great line, which presents truth on a religious and secular level. If you wish to look at it from a religious standpoint, it's obvious that we do need God's forgiveness, despite the fact that we aren't truly deserving of it. The next line reiterates that: "everybody needs salvation, even if they don't believe a word." On a personal level, it says we've all made mistakes, so we shouldn't be so quick to hold a grudge when someone else goofs and it lands on us. That's one of the things I really love about my boss: he'll get quite upset when something goes awry, but it's very fleeting. As I said yesterday, he has a sign on his desk that says we don't make mistakes, we have lessons. Sometimes the lessons are painful, but if someone confesses their wrong and asks your forgiveness, give it. A grudge is a heavy weight to carry around. Everybody Needs Forgiveness, Even Those Who Don't Deserve From "The Rest (Will Take Care of Itself)" Written by R.S. Fields Recorded by Webb Wilder From DooDad, 1991 It'll hold up to the light: