THE SONG
Can Music Save the World?
Finding magic in all the smallest things
In the 1989 classic Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the time-bending Rufus explains to Bill S. Preston Esq and Ted “Theodore” Logan how the music of their band — Wyld Stallyns — will one day save the world:
Rufus: You see, eventually your music will help put an end to war and poverty. It will align the planets and bring them into universal harmony, allowing meaningful contact with all forms of life, from extraterrestrial beings to common household pets. And… it’s excellent for dancing.
— https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096928/characters/nm0137506
Pay no attention to the fact that neither character has much musical skill or even raw talent at that point in the flick. As Rufus, himself, says later in the film: “They get better!”
Regardless of how you feel about the Bill and Ted trilogy, it asks an interesting question: Can music save the world? Is there a hidden power in words and notes that can reach humanity at a level beyond human understanding?
A couple of days ago I heard Ed Sheeran’s “Celestial” from 2022. (I am not sure how it fell into my Deezer feed between Mammoth WVH and my newfound obsession The Struts, but … oh wait. Yeah, that actually tracks.) The…
