It amazes me how a song can evoke such deep feeling in the heart of a listener.

The fact that a combination of myriad sounds could mingle together to create different emotions. One kind of combination and tempo could bring a smile whereas another makes you want to contemplate life. As I write this, I'm listening to a song called 'Astronaut' by David Mead.

David is moving to Nashville where he is furthering his music career and this song is his musical love letter to NYC on the night before he leaves. The Astronaut bit is a metaphor for his leaving NYC (Such a different place and for the sake of metaphor, a different planet) to go to a new home. He litters the song with graphic imagery that almost makes the city seem to be a person. A friend that will no longer remember him after he has gone. Such a beautiful song would be lost on anyone who doesn't appreciate good art.

Astronaut
by: David Mead

So I'm hitting the town tonight, cinder blocks for feet
Shuffling through all the gazes I know better than to meet
Finally I've found a home I finally have to leave

Another permanent place I'd always hoped I'd make it to
I'm not the first of the astronauts to reach First Avenue
A suburban flyer trying to break some city rules

CHORUS:

'Cause I'm leaving the ground tonight
I'm over your ceiling
'Cause down in your twinkling lights
Life is but a dream
And though you may pretend
This is how it ends
Gone again
Gone again

VERSE:

So baby open your canyons up and sweep me right along
Won't you give me your cold embrace, I'll give you one more song
Then you'll tell me a lie and say you'll miss me when I'm gone

CHORUS:

'Cause I'm leaving the ground tonight
I'm over your ceiling
'Cause down in your twinkling lights
Life is but a dream
And though you may pretend
This is how it ends

VERSE:

Couldn't tell you for sure the view is better from above
I'm not the first of the astronauts to leave the place I love

The song has a mournful feel to it as an echoing guitar acts as the only support for David Mead's voice. I can almost picture in my mind how the music video would look. If I use my imagination I can become David Mead. I can almost feel the cold leather of my car seat as the camera shows my profile. Staring pensively through the windshield of my car, I sing the opening line or two of the song.

You can see the city street lights beyond my profile as I drive. The methodical glare of pale light hits the windows in perfectly timed intervals as the sleeping city slips behind me.

After the first verse finishes, the scene cuts to a NYC bus stop where I am sitting on the bench facing the camera. I am comfortably leaning forward with my wrists resting on my thighs and my hands clasped as if in prayer. A homeless person can be seen pushing a grocery cart of his belongings slowly along the sidewalk behind me as I sing the chorus.

The next shot is over my left shoulder as I walk down the streets of the city with my hands in my pockets with steam coming from my mouth and nostrils because of the cold air. The camera follows behind me as the second verse draws to a close.

I stop and look up at the stars. The camera starts ascending as the final chorus plays. It rises up into the air as it points to the bit of sidewalk I am standing on. It steadily goes heavenward as it slowly travels above NYC, and then New York and then the United States and then the Earth on into space. The last note resounds as the camera pans towards the sun as the screen fades to black.

I'm sure if I talked to David Mead and his label they would jump at the offer. Or maybe I'm the only one jumping for the offer. Well, it is a pleasant fiction anyway.