Analysis

"Don't Blink"

 

Music has always been something that almost anyone can resort to when our emotions get the best of us. I have always been a fan of music and songs that have a deep meaning and message behind the lyrics. Although that is the purpose of most songs of any genre, I feel that country music expresses it the best. In my opinion the songs that really get me thinking and relating my life to, are the ones that come with inspiration, the ones that anyone can relate to no matter how they live their life. One of the songs that best portrays this is “Don’t Blink,” by Kenney Chesney.

Just the title alone seems to get the point across. There are several points being made in this song, but they all lead up to one major point, life moves fast, so don’t take a day for granted. The song is coming from a man’s (102 years old) point of view. A news reporter asks him “what’s your secret to life?” The remainder of the song goes on to give examples of the way that time can get the best of us.

Every time the chorus rolls around in the song it begins with the phrase “Don’t blink.” Life moves faster than people realize and you never know when you might miss something. Anything can happen in the blink of an eye. This song high lights important life events, ones that at the moment are great and are later the memories you’re going to look back on without even realizing it. Priorities are extremely different depending on someone’s age, and seem to change the older you get. Kids don’t often take time to appreciate an abundance of things that happen to them because they don’t realize that later on in life they’ll look back and realize life moves fast. In one part of the chorus he sings, “Don’t blink, just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap, then you wake up and you’re twenty five.” Where did the nineteen years between those go? Well that’s his point exactly. Slow down and appreciate every day. Later in the song he sings, “Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think, so don’t blink.”

Life moving too fast is not the only point this song focuses on, another strong point I gather from listening to it is don’t take one day for granted.  Every day is a gift. Although some people may not think that same way, this songs meaning and examples seem to lead me to that conclusion. Often times our days start to turn into routines. By the time you know it day after day you’ll just be walking yourself through this routine without any thought. But it’s the little things in between your daily routines that people don’t seem to acknowledge. For example, spending time with your family, enjoying conversations with your friends, just having the people and things you love surrounding you. Those are the things that need to be put first. In the song he says, “Best start putting first things first.” Priorities need to be set. Take chances, and have no regrets. He goes on to say “Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand, you can’t flip it over and start again.” This implies that do what you want to do, spend time with the people who have the most impact on your life and just live life to the fullest. “Take every breath God gives you for what it’s worth,” this line in the song really speaks to me personally. Everyone has a purpose in life, different from everyone else of course. There is a reason you woke up today so make the day worth it.

This song has one main focus and that is, “Don’t blink.” Capture every moment even if you don’t think it will be worth it. Because 30 or 50 years down the road if you didn’t capture that moment, you’re going to be wishing you had. Don’t take a day for granted and never do anything or miss an opportunity that you will regret. Live life to the fullest and always remember to slow down and “smell the roses.”


MLA Citation:
Chesney Kenney. "Don't Blink." Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates. BNA. 2007. CD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f0p5KqdU9U