You talking about me?

You're So Vain - Carly Simon

It is thought that Carly Simon wrote this song for Mick Jagger. Did he think that and start the rumour or was it the media? Carly Simon is smart, she never used names and allowed people to think what they wanted. People will do that, whether you disprove them or not. In fact a decade after the songs release in 1972 Carly stated for the record that the song was not about Mick at all. Then in 1989 Warren Beatty went on record claiming that he was the subject for the song. It has also been speculated that Carly's husband at the time James Taylor was the inspiration for the song. We can guess but until I hear it from Carly Simon herself - we will never really know.

It is funny how we can hear a song or see a movie and think that it could have been written or sung for us. For me, there are way to many songs to go into since I feel like I can relate to so many, but "literally" there is one stand out - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Throughout the novel I saw striking parallels between Jane's experiences and my own, even how she coped and responded to challenges. Uncanny is the word that often came to mind. But I would be just as vain as the character that Carly Simon sings about if I thought that it was really about me. I mean besides the fact that it was written in 1847, more than a century before I was even born. Often popularity and success is due to the fact that the general population can relate in some way. We identify ourselves with it. Consider you favourite shows and movies, why do you like them so much.

Just because it is out there for the public to see does not mean it is about you. The ability to relate to a song, a book, a poem, a television show, movie or character we find in any form of media is a good thing I believe. If we are going through a particularly difficult situation, how that character handles it can give us some ideas on how we can cope ourselves. If a character behaves as we feel we do, we can hold our heads up a little higher feeling that we are "normal". We have been vindicated in some way. There is a sense of comfort that comes when we feel like we are not alone in our views and thinking. The popularity of the majority of movies comes from the sense that the public can relate. Would a plethora of teenage boys have posted the lion-manned Farrah Fawcett to their bedroom walls and ceilings if they were unable to fantasize and therefore relate to her on some level. Or at least wish they could? lol! It's not a bad thing unless it consumes you. 

There is a movie that when I watched it, I was completely blown away by the lead character. He looked like my brother, he had many of the mannerisms that I remembered of my brother, and even his voice and intonations. It was eerie at first, but then I began to feel some real comfort in watching the movie. The actor is Patrick Fugit (as shown below) the movie is Almost Famous. Ron had been gone from the earthly world 16 years before he release of this movie in 2000 and when the kids and I went to rent the movie, it was an impulse. We had never heard of the movie and there was nothing on the cover that would draw me to it. I can guarantee that if I was the picture below I would have been captivated from the start. The funny thing about this connection was that it wasn't just me. Not having met their Uncle, my kids recognized a resemblance between the actor and pictures of Ron. I don't think there is much of a chance that Cameron Crowe the writer and director of the movie was familiar with my brother. Regardless, I can still relate and it is comforting even though I am not so vain to think that it is about him.

Patrick Fugit - Almost Famous

Have you seen the movie, The Breakfast Club? There is enough diversity in the characters that there is probably someone sitting in detention that we can relate to at least on some level. But when I consider this topic one line from that movie jumps out at me. They are sitting on the floor in the library and the question of whether they would be friends on the Monday when they return to school is brought up. Claire honestly declares that it was unlikely because they were so different and Brian sobbingly tells Claire how full of herself that she is. She is shocked to hear this boy that she believes is beneath her and not entirely worthy of her attention, confront her so bluntly. She must consider if she is indeed so vain? 

I write. It's not always about you. Sometimes it is about me...and what is wrong with that? I write about my thoughts, my musings, my opinions, my interpretation. We are meant to be different - embrace it and don't try to change me! I'll do that on my own if I feel the need.