talktalk

Talk talk

by Bob on June 8, 2007

There was a band in the 1960s, The Music Machine, which had a nice hit song called "Talk Talk" in 1966 on their debut album, "(Turn On) The Music Machine". We used to play it in bands and at gigs because it was kind of a catchy tune and people liked it in the audience. We musicians had to know what people liked, what made them dance, what made them romantic, and what made them get up out of their seats. It's a more significant challenge in a smaller venue, like being in a microscopic world. But I digress.

I was reading the publication "Vision: 2007 Vocation Guide" which is a recruiting and informational magazine for religious vocations, including monasticism. One article near the mast-head on p.7, about a 2005 documentary film ("Into Great Silence") on the French silent monastic order, the Carthusians, is enttitled:

"Talking is overrated"

That really had me thinking.

Even about an old Eminem song which almost said the same thing, in essence. Or the song "Nobody Told Me" by John Lennon and the lyrics which were playing in my mind's natural iPOD: "Everybody's talking and no one says a word".

If we imagine that talking is overrated, what about the seemingly mixed-blessing embellishments or extensions of natural interpersonal talking and conversation: instant messaging, email, cell phones, and the like.

Also it reminded me of the BBC Radio 4 programme, "Something Understood", which had a half hour on the profound difference between Silence versus Quiet ... let alone a rock concert in the mix.

Silence is almost impossible to achieve. Quiet, yes. At a rock concert, no. But that's okay. We like the Stones.

What does it mean in modern times when people talk a lot but don't seem to say anything ?

(of course the paradox of whether the previous sentence/question itself says anything ... we beg to ignore that for now ...)

Elvis sang about that and the 1968 song was sampled and re-issued in the early 21st century in 2002 by the Dutch musician and DJ, Junkie XL, and was a big hit again, even more so than the original: "A Little Less Conversation". But we all know what Elvis meant. And why it was a hit again, decades later. It was pertinent, besides being musically brilliant.

Sometimes we just chatter away, not saying very much as a response to our being simply nervous about something. Other times, we just don't have anything to say and simply make or force conversation. Like a some cocktail parties. Sometimes our conversation is full of meaning and succinct and a life's mission is accomplished.

I wonder if we, today, even worry about too much talk. Perhaps as Elvis sang, a little less conversation, a little more action, please. Or no action and no talk, just be for a while. We have to remember how to do that in order to fully live. And not get ulcers.