Song And Song Comparison

Over the course of thousands of years, human behavior remained consistent. There are striking parallels between the past and the present that are beautifully preserved in the words of poems, songs, and other writings. Even though the terminology and language may be different, the message remains true. An example of such a pairing is the 2nd century poem from Basavanna, “Before the grey reaches the cheek” and the 20th century song by Billy Joel, “Piano Man.” At first, the poem and the song seem like they don’t correspond with each other, but at a closer glimpse, the similarities are astonishing. “Before the grey reaches the cheek” is about living life before one becomes old and decrepit, while “Piano Man,” tells a story of people who have wasted their lives away and sit in a bar alone. The moral lesson the poem and song share teaches people that life should be lived to the fullest, so when the end comes, one can look back at it all and appreciate his or her life with zero regrets. Firstly, “Before the grey reaches the cheek” and “Piano Man” teaches people to live while they’re young . Although both writers communicate the concept …show more content…
It’s important for people to understand that time is short and limited. Like sand, it’s impossible to hold for a long time without it slipping through the holes of someone’s fingers and leaves him or her wondering where it all went. Because time is so slippery, it’s important to live for the greater things now, than to regret missing all the amazing opportunities of a lifetime later. Basavanna and Billy Joel knew how significant that lesson is and displayed it in their art, even if it was exhibited differently. The same lesson has been taught repeatedly over thousands of years, and it’s probably one of more important ones at that too. So live life now, because in the near future, that chance may not exist