Do you know any songs with Transcendentalist view or ideas?

Question

Basically, they valued non-conformity, an appreciation of nature, free thinking over logic, and the importance of self reliance. The reference can be obscure, as long as I can support it with multiple quotes. I can figure that out though, so any suggestions would be helpful.

Answer 1

Yes there are lots of such songs - both by spiritual people and even mainstream artists - like alan parsons pink floyd ELO - so many - what kind of songs and artists are you looking for and what do you mean by 'trancendental' - would that be in the 'eastern' sense?

You may like songs like 'some other time' 'days are numbers' 'don't answer me' - those are by alan parsons - here are the lyrics:

Don't Answer Me

(Eric Woolfson - Lead Vocal)

If you believe in the power magic,
I can change your mind
And if you need to believe in someone,
Turn and look behind
When we were living in a dream world,
Clouds got in the way
We gave it up in a moment of madness
And threw it all away

Don't answer me, don't break the silence
Don't let me win
Don't answer me, stay on your island
Don't let me in

Run away and hide from everyone
Can you change the things we've said and done?

If you believe in the power of magic,
It's all a fantasy
So if you need to believe in someone,
Just pretend it's me
It ain't enough that we meet as strangers
I can't set you free
So will you turn your back forever on what you mean to me?

Don't answer me, don't break the silence
Don't let me win
Don't answer me, stay on your island
Don't let me in

Run away and hide from everyone
Can you change the things we've said and done?

---------

Silence and I

(Lead vocal - Eric Woolfson)

If I cried out loud
over sorrows I've Known
And the secrets I've heard
It would ease my mind
Someone sharing the load
But I won't breathe a word

We're two of a kind
Silence and I
We need a chance to talk things over
Two of a kind
Silence and I
We'll find a way to work it out

While the children laughed
I was always afraid
of the Smile of the clown
So I close my eyes
Till I can't see the light
And I hide from the sound

We're two of a kind
Silence and I
We need a chance to talk things over
Two of a kind
Silence and I
We'll find a way to work it out

I can hear the cry
Of the leaf on a tree
As it Falls to the ground
I can hear the call
of an Echoing voice
And there's no one around

We're two of a kind
Silence and I
We need a chance to talk things over
Two of a kind
Silence and I
We'll find a way to work it out

-------

Old and Wise

(Lead vocal - Colin Bluntstone)

As far as my eyes can see
There are Shadows approaching me
And to those I left behind
I wanted you to Know
You've always shared my deepest thoughts
You follow where I go

And oh when I'm old and wise
Bitter words mean little to me
Autumn Winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they asked me if I knew you
I'd smile and say you were a friend of mine
And the sadness would be Lifted from my eyes
Oh when I'm old and wise

As far as my Eyes can see
There are shadows surrounding me
And to those I leave behind
I want you all to know
You've always Shared my darkest hours
I'll miss you when I go

And oh, when I'm old and wise
Heavy words that tossed and blew me
Like Autumn winds that will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they ask you if you knew me
Remember that You were a frined of mine
As the final curtain falls before my eyes
Oh when I'm Old and wise

As far as my eyes can see

------

Some Other Time


Lead Vocal: Peter Straker

In a matter of a moment
Lost till the end of time
It's the evening of another day
And the end of mine

Now the starlight which has found me
Lost for a million years
Tries to linger as it fills my eyes
Till it disappears

Could it be that somebody else is
Looking into my mind

Some other place
Somewhere
Some other time

Some other place
Somewhere
Some other time

Like a mirror held before me
Large as the sky is wide
And the image is reflected
Back to the other side

Could it be that somebody else is
Looking into my mind

Some other place
Somewhere
Some other time

Some other place
Somewhere
Some other time

------

The Voice


Lead Vocal: Steve Harley

It's almost a feeling you can touch in the air
You look all around you but nobody's there
It's been a long time now since you've been aware
That someone is watching you (he's gonna get you)

Sooner or later when your big chances come
You'll look for the catches but there will be none
Remember before you grab the money and run
That someone is watching you (he's gonna get you)

Before you run and hide
He's gonna get you
You got no choice
Because you can't escape the voice

Jumping at shadows that come up from behind
Scared of the darkness that's there in your mind
You're frightened to move because of what you might find
That someone is watching you (he's gonna get you)

Before you run and hide
He's gonna get you
You got no choice
Because you can't escape the voice

-----

There are many such songs like this by alan parsons project.

http://roadkill.com/APP/lyrics

Then there is pink floyd - maybe not trancendental but very 'thoughfull' nontheless - here are some:

"High Hopes"

Beyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young
In a world of magnets and miracles
Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary
The ringing of the division bell had begun

Along the Long Road and on down the Causeway
Do they still meet there by the Cut

There was a ragged band that followed in our footsteps
Running before time took our dreams away
Leaving the myriad small creatures trying to tie us to the ground
To a life consumed by slow decay

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
With friends surrounded
The nights of wonder

Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us
To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side
Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again
Dragged by the force of some inner tide

At a higher altitude with flag unfurled
We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world

Encumbered forever by desire and ambition
There's a hunger still unsatisfied
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road we've been so many times

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river

Forever and ever

-----


"Wearing The Inside Out"

From morning to night I stayed out of sight
Didn't recognize I'd become
No more than alive I'd barely survive
In a word...overrun

Won't hear a sound
From my mouth
I've spent too long
On the inside out
My skin is cold
To the human touch
This bleeding heart's
Not beating much

I murmured a vow of silence and now
I don't even hear when I think aloud
Extinguished by light I turn on the night
Wear its darkness with an empty smile

I'm creeping back to life
My nervous system all awry
I'm wearing the inside out

Look at him now
He's paler somehow
But he's coming round
He's starting to choke
It's been so long since he spoke
Well he can have the words right from my mouth

And with these words I can see
Clear through the clouds that covered me
Just give it time then speak my name
Now we can hear ourselves again

I'm holding out
For the day
When all the clouds
Have blown away
I'm with you now
Can speak your name
Now we can hear
Ourselves again

-------

"Fearless"

You say the hill's too steep to climb,
Climb it!
You say you'd like to see me try,
Climb it!
You pick the place and I'll choose the time
And I'll climb
The hill in my own way
just wait a while, for the right day
And as I rise above the treeline and the clouds
I look down hear the sound of the things you said today
Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling
Merciless, the magistrate turns 'round, frowning
and who's the fool who wears the crown
Go down in your own way
And everyday is the right day
And as you rise above the fearlines in the frown
You look down
Hear the sound of the faces in the crowd

--------

"On The Turning Away"

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
"Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away"
It's a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting it's shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we're all alone
In the dream of the proud
On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerised as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night
No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?

http://www.azlyrics.com/p/pinkfloyd.html

-------

I hope that you can find these songs - they are very good - as are all the music these groups have produced.

don

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Do you know any songs with Transcendentalist view or ideas?
Basically, they valued non-conformity, an appreciation of nature, free thinking over logic, and the importance of self reliance. The reference can be obscure, as long as I can support it with multiple quotes. I can figure that out though, so any suggestions would be helpful.

Answer 3

I think the recording artist Melanie from the 60's and 70's is one, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Jim Morrison ( The Doors), Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake and Palmer(Brain Salad Surgery CD) Judy Collins, Tom Waites, Frank Zappa, (mothers of invention) you can look all these up on the net and there are tons more. There were some of them that belonged to the Transcendental Meditation Groups.

Answer 4

I actually think this song was sung in a movie that had a wedding with Transcendentalists. (little women)

"Tis the gift to be simple, tis the gift to be free, tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, and when we return in the place just right it will be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained, to bend and to bow we will not be the same, to turn and turn will be our delight and by turning turning we'll come out right."

Answer 5

I would love to hear the answers to this question. I'm thinking about Tori Amos. Alot of her songs deal with non-conformity and free thinking over logic. Try her song God or Silent all these years or Strange Little Girls. She has so many to choose from.

Answer 6

I would say "Raise A Little Hell", by Trooper is one song.
CyberNara

Answer 7

I am pretty sure the Backstreet boys share the same view

Answer 8

listen to anything by john lennon