Every morning there are mountains to climb

Is this the secrete origin of Grimes' "Realiti"

Grimes was recently broadcast arguing we wouldn’t have supply chains without the patriarchy, as part of some wider pro-patriarchy commentary in a recent interview. I think one offensive part of this argument is that she wants us to believe she has very strong feelings about supply chains. I’m probably too much of a low-information idiot when it comes to how a ‘traditional family structure’ relates to ‘trucking and trains and boats and stuff’ but if there’s one thing I know it’s vibes-based suspicions about the creative inspiration for a popular song, and how to attach that suspicion to a social media peg.

That’s why this week I want to talk about Grimes’ classic “Realiti,” particularly its famous “every morning there are mountains to climb” melody. Listen here if you’re not familiar!

Now let’s listen to Sarah Mclachlan’s classic “Plenty,” and pay particular attention to the melodic flourish somewhere around 1:51.

Some consider these types of observations similar to explaining a joke and therefore bad, but #1 there’s no way to tell if this was the true inspiration for this song, or if it was, that it wasn’t some subconscious adoption of a melodic tic and #2 if anything it gives me greater respect for Grimes’ talents, which is especially impressive considering what’s going on in her life otherwise. I think people underestimate how much music is built upon other music, and how difficult it is to transform that similarity into something that works independently from its inspiration. To hear a piece of the world that seems otherwise innocuous, to know that it deserves elaboration and greater attention, revisiting, enthusiasm…that’s art baby.

If you haven’t heard Sarah Mclachlan’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, it’s one of those albums everyone who considers themselves a ‘music person’ should hear, it is itself inspired by the band Talk Talk (because, as I mentioned, everything is inspired by something), and Brad Nelson’s 2017 piece on the album is a must-read.