In February 2020, I read and loved N.D. Wilson's Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl:Wide-Eyed Wonder in God's Spoken World. This genre-defying book combines humor, storytelling, philosophy, commentary on visual art, and more, to wrestle with questions like "Why would a good God allow suffering?" and "How do we know what's really true?" It's quirky yet profound, captivating my heart and mind with observations on the minutiae of his surroundings:
- The ants pouring out when he lifts a rock to mow the lawn.
- The man who elbows him in the head playing basketball.
- The functions of intestines.
- The quest of his toddler to touch a butterfly.
Many times during Covid, I thought back to some of the book's vivid imagery and creative perspectives. It strengthened me to laugh, to trust, to bring fresh eyes to my stale surroundings. I wanted more people to experience the joy I had in reading it, but name-dropping it didn't have much effect.
Earlier this year, I sent some favorite passages from it to a friend, Jeff, whose apartment building was quarantined for several weeks. I thought it might be a fun diversion, but he replied with something like, "I'm so confused. What is this about? Is it random word generated prose?" Hang in there, I urged. The writing isn't always linear, but it slowly builds a line of thinking that's worth the fight. "I think I need to hear this as a song," Jeff concluded. On their own, these brilliant paragraphs weren't quite communicating like I'd hoped.
That sparked an idea. I'd recently begun experimenting with songwriting and thought this book could be a great fit. I tried to turn one part into a song, but it kept expanding as I spotted more connections between ideas and images. Finally, I split it into multiple songs to let the story unfold at a leisurely pace.
Some of my favorite albums are those that tell a story. Has a lyric, concept, or musical element from one song ever surprised and delighted you by re-emerging in a later song? I love that. Maybe I could tell this story via songs, and maybe listeners wouldn't feel as stressed about the connection from one song to the next as they would if reading a book. That's what drove this "Songs from the Tilt-a-Whirl" project. So far I've written seven songs, inspired by the first 20% of the book. How many more to come? No idea. Whether or not they all find an external audience like you, I've really enjoyed this way to engage more deeply with Wilson's work. But you'll have a chance to hear at least the next few in the weeks to come.
Here is song #1, based on the book's opening pages.
I am a traveler
Not on the road like *Kerouac
I am a traveler
More like the flea on a dog’s back
I am a traveler
Couldn’t stop this journey if I tried
I’m with the Carnival
It’s where I’ve played and I’ve grown up
I’m with the Carnival
Where I’ve slept and I’ve thrown up
I’m with the Carnival
Death will get me into the gnarly rides
We all spin around
As we orbit 67,000 miles an hour
We all spin around
In this hurricane of stars
We all spin around
I cling to the lawn fearing I might fly
What is this tilt-a-whirl?
Full of bugs and full of spheres
What is this tilt-a-whirl?
A pockmarked ball pulls the oceans near
What is this tilt-a-whirl?
Wilder than pulp fiction could describe
*Jack Kerouac is an American author whose 1957 novel On the Road is based on his travels with friends across the United States.
Whenever possible, I spliced together Wilson's original language, and I haven't added any of my own meaning. The opening line, "I am a traveler," is not inspired by my time overseas. It's the book's opening sentence, discussing a kind of travel experienced by all humans. This song also explains the book's title. If you find it confusing, don't be shy to write me. :)
Like my other songs, it's condensed and missing a ton of the book's great phrasing and content. But I hope it hints at the flavor of this chapter, maybe even enough that you'll want to read the original. (Because we all know the book is better.)
So far, my songs have not persuaded Jeff to read the book... but he did say they helped him value its content. He graciously collaborated on this one, providing vocals (I'm on backup), guitar, and the video. Thanks Jeff!
