endlesssound:

“As I look over this beautiful land I can’t help but realize that I am alone.

Why am I able to waste my energy to notice life being so beautiful?

Maybe partying will help.

What of the people who don’t have what I got?

Are they the victims of my leisure?

To fail is to be a victim, to be a victim of my choice.

Maybe partying will help.”

- The Minutemen, ‘Maybe Partying Will Help’

In the span of two minutes, The Minutemen pack an explosion of thought and musicality into such a small burst. The song alternates between an outwardly mutant funk rhythm on bass that is pushed forward by skittering drums and skronking guitar lines that contrast against a calmer, more introspective motif. The success of this song is rooted in the contemplative nature of the lyrics of guitar player/singer D.Boon.

“As I look over this beautiful land I can’t help but realize that I am alone.”

This opening line seems to encapsulate the inner life of the dark side of the American dream. That in a land full of individuals it can be hard to find others to relate to. This isolation is only magnified by the vast expanses that fill our nation. This relates to the fact that most Americans are in pursuit of their own dreams, and in the pursuit of them it becomes very easy to ignore the beauty of life that surrounds us. To deal with this existential crisis, we are sarcastically told,

“Maybe partying will help.”

The humor in this mock answer is one that is all too common. It is a part of a mentality that favors constant stimulus, constant pleasure in order to survive and not have to deal with the harsh realities of the world. Partying can take on many different forms, and when done to excess over a prolonged period of time, can lead to mental and physical ruin. The idea of partying, as used in the song, connotes an endless time of pleasure and fulfillment. Such a thing is not possible, nor sustainable.This searching leads the narrator to ponder,

What of the people who don’t have what I got?

Are they the victims of my leisure?

There is a maturity in these questions that are often lost in modern times. The relentless pace of modern American life leaves little time for introspection of the self or the consequences of our consumerism on the rest of the world. These lines also demonstrate the interconnected nature of our world. People and Nations are not islands unto themselves. Both are part of a living whole in the world that constantly effect one another.

“To fail is to be a victim, to be a victim of my choice.”

Is there such a thing as failure if one learns and grows from past attempts? We have the choice to not fail if we decide to persevere. This is a choice as are all of our actions as consumers and as people with one another. If all else fails,

“Maybe partying will help.”