The lyric Patti Smith thinks about every day
Patti Smith continues to make waves in myriad pop culture and musical landscapes. Known for her iconic contributions as a singer, lyricist, artist and poet, Smith has collaborated with many creatives. Long after her explosion into the rock industry, she has continued to inspire forthcoming generations, leading her to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Her memoir, Just Kids, documents the triumphs and difficulties of moving to New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s on her own. She carved out a substantial path for herself but that is not without suffering in its many relentless forms. It was there that she met Robert Mapplethorpe. The two of them together, experienced a connection that could be described as nothing less than a soul-tie. From difficult beginnings, the creative destined her own path – one that began with paper and pen.
Smith claims to have written the memoir in light of Mapplethorpe’s request as opposed to some internal need for catharsis. The day before he passed on March 8th, 1989, he asked her to tell the world their story. The reader will find that it is one of struggle, artistic creation, heartbreak, and love. Smith has always been known to put the notion of “wearing your heart on your sleeve” into action. Uncommonly did she hide her truer emotions from her writing or from audience members. The book showcases a “love story” which “ends as an elegy” and serves as a testament to her emotional openness.
Rising to critical acclaim in the ’70s, Smith became known as the “punk poet laureate” as mentioned in her interview with Harvard Business Review. Her songs are street-slick, poetic, and haunting, and they complement her howling-like vocals, which unaffectedly address issues of religion all the way to interpersonal traumas and beyond. Tracks included iconic lyrics like, “Jesus died for someone’s sins, but not mine”, which appeared on Horses. Patti wasn’t interested in music the way she was writing, her songs were less-so lyrics and rather, sonnets to be sung.
In her interview with Shortlist, they broke down her “ultimate” playlist. Notably, she mentioned that her favourite lyric was by Jimi Hendrix, “Hurrah I awake from yesterday”. This comes from the song, ‘1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)’, released in 1968 on album Electric Ladyland. A relatively simple string of words, bears much more weight to icon, Patti Smith. Deepening the connection to its meaning she explains, “Every day I think of that line. It gives me hope, it also reinforces how wonderful it is to be alive, no matter how rough things are”.
The poet, who is closely familiar with struggle, paints us a picture of hope and dedication toward a better reality by noting that there is hope in being alive. Smith spent much of her beginnings in NYC finding shelter on park benches, in the subway, and by sleeping in graveyards. Sustenance was achieved via the kindness of strangers. Despite not quite seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, the now hugely famous writer found hope through her creative musings. This lyric reflects on the beauty that comes with struggle and how one’s low points may still allow steps toward a new beginning.
Smith’s bravery in moving toward a life not-yet lived and pursuing creation as the stepping stone toward a better reality reverberates throughout her works. All of us could do with the creative uptick that accompanies a more positive outlook. This lyric’s impact embodies gratitude for the simple fact that we awake in the morning and have the opportunity to make what we wish of each passing day.
