On their 1999 album Surrender, The Chemical Brothers featured a song entitled “Let Forever Be,” which I played regularly when it first dropped. All these years later, the song still pops into my mind from time to time. Lyrics include:
And how does it feel like
To wake up in the sun?
And how does it feel like
To shine on everyone?
And how does it feel like
To let forever be?
And how does it feel like
To spend a little lifetime sitting in the gutter?
I’m going to take a little interpretive liberty by suggesting that use of the word “feel” on the track relates to emotion, physical sensation, and thought—though only the latter term is an inaccurate usage of the word. Still, I’m aware that in common parlance “feel” is often misused.
Allow me to expand on this point. Suppose someone asks, “How does it feel to wake up in the sun?” I suspect the individual could be inquiring about whether or not I feel (emotion) joy, feel (physical sensation) warm, or “feel” as though it’s a worthwhile use of my time doing so.
I can feel emotion and physical sensations, though I can’t “feel” whether or not waking up in the sun is a constructive use of my time. For the latter, I can express thoughts or beliefs about the matter, and so “feel” isn’t a proper term in this regard.
Minor linguistic quibble aside, I appreciate how in each verse of The Chemical Brothers’ song the listener is presented with inquiry about a subjectively positive or seemingly hopeful option. Yet, the final line of each verse references a subjectively negative or apparently hopeless alternative. For instance:
And how does it feel like
To make it happening?
And how does it feel like
To breathe with everything?
And how does it feel like
To let forever be?
And how does it feel like
To spend a little lifetime sitting in the gutter?
In essence, this is a realistic conceptualization of life—the ebb and flow or positive, negative, and neutral aspects of existence. In one instance, things may be “happening” for you while you feel joy. In another moment, you may be spending time in the “gutter” and feeling sorrow.
I like how “Let Forever Be” doesn’t establish a false perspective of life, as so many other electronic dance music (EDM) tracks of that era did. When dancing to the track back in the day, I celebrated life in all its imperfection. Now, I feel content when accepting the function of life.
How about you, dear reader, do you also unconditionally accept that life has ups, downs, and calm moments during which little at all occurs? If you tend to disturb yourself about the natural flux of these inherent states of life, how does it feel like to know your irrational beliefs about what simply is lead your unpleasant outcome?
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As the world’s original EDM-influenced REBT psychotherapist—promoting content related to EDM, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
Chemical Brothers, The. (2009, March 11). The Chemical Brothers – Let Forever Be [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/s5FyfQDO5g0?si=cljAvVZJsjasPSXe
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, May 18). Irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/irrational-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2022, December 14). The is-ought problem. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-is-ought-problem
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance
Hollings, D. (2022, July 11). Unconditional acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Surrender (The Chemical Brothers album). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrender_(The_Chemical_Brothers_album)
Wikipedia. (n.d.). The Chemical Brothers. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chemical_Brothers
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