silent mike’s pick of the week: Jack Johnson- Banana Pancakes
While people tend to think of Jack Johnson as basic, and you wouldn’t be wrong in doing so, you have to give the dude credit for his sheer mastery of the craft of making basic-ass songs. Chances are Banana Pancakes isn’t going to make you think too hard about your place in this world or come to some sort of life changing emotional revelation, but listening to it makes you feel good. I’ve heard a lot of people say that the most beautiful songs come from joy and hope despite abject misery, which is understandable because that’s a really pure form of happiness when you actively decide against negativity and misery and finally feel joy. But there’s something to be said for cherishing the feeling without the contrast. When we think of ourselves we tend to think of a timeline of our living situations and overall emotional health. Songs that portray happiness despite misery tend to reflect that, and that’s why it resonates with us. It feels as though the artist has experienced emotions or physical situations of a similar intensity and is now working toward peace of mind despite that, and it makes us feel understood. Songs that are happy just because they are don’t try to make you reflect on yourself, because that isn’t the point. The point is there’s one moment, you’re living in it, and Jack Johnson is playing a deceptively simple guitar riff that makes it feel like summer just might last forever.
