Michigan
Written by Tommy Shaw, Will Evankovich
This is not a song about Michigan. This is a song reflecting on how things have changed and life is so different than when Tommy used to live in Michigan, when he wrote classics like Boat on the River. Let's break it down verse by verse.
Pencil and paper, worn out eraser, information must get through
Chasing the tiger, a jungle of fire, burn out the bliss that we once knew
Any creative writing, such as songwriting, involves writers block, revisions, and changes. Reporters trying to get a story out for the next edition, have always had this as a daily struggle. Now more than ever, with the internet, people expect information instantly. Rather than running away from our problems (being chased by a tiger) we are running toward problems ("chasing the tiger"), and have metaphorically set our world on fire, which is consuming so many things in life that used to make it so good.
Fables and theories, the old and the weary, paving the way to a time gone by
Noble intentions, a prophet's ascension, hail to the king of the media
The world used to be defined by what have in a modern age become regarded as myths or fables. Even the theories that dominated scientific thought for ages are in some cases unraveling. There was a sense of optimism in the past, especially during the industrial revolution in the 19th century and again after World War II, when it seemed almost anything was possible. That optimism seems to be waning. Many people have arisen as modern day prophets who have led people astray, and it could be that the prophet spoken of us a metaphor for the media, but it could also be a reference to the rise of Donald Trump to the presidency in 2016 and again in 2024. Many of responded to his tweets on X (formerly Twitter) as if they were words of prophecy. He has certainly used the media (and his criticism of the "mainstream media") to his advantage.
The revolution's here, a shot was never fired. No one shed a tear, 'cause nobody noticed
Now the time has come to gather up your guns and set them all aside and let your foolish pride be done
Unlike what many think of as revolutions, where an armed insurrection overthrows the government, we are in a revolution perhaps bigger than the industrial revolution of the 19th century. With advances in technology, the emergence of social media, the advent of on-line shopping, 24x7 access to streaming media, and so many other changes, we can't deny that the world is changing incredibly fast. Instead of taking arms to lead a revolution or resist a revolution, we need to set our guns aside and stop thinking we have all the answers, instead just listening to each other and breaking down the divisions that threaten to unravel our society.
Born of illusion, world of confusion, a child will lead us to the light
Much of what we see now in the media is illusion, whether it be CGI in movies and television, AI-generated pictures and video, or simple fabricated news, the lines between truth and fiction are blurring for many. The world is no longer certain, and with the postmodernism taking hold in our society, relativism, a philosophical view that often posits that here is no absolute truth, is eroding the ability to even communicate meaningfully. It may take someone not even born yet to rise up and start a new revolution back to some sort of sanity.
All around the world, the wheels are turning. Can we carry the weight of what we're learning?
The rate of scientific advancement may be outpacing our ability to adapt as people and societies. We have access to so much information through the internet, but can we handle it? The rise of social media has driven our culture into tribalism, with political biases only one example of how the algorithms feed us more of the the same to reinforce our beliefs and shelter us from opposing views. In some cases it goes so far as to embolden people with prejudices and violent tendencies to take action where they might not have under other circumstances.
Do we dare take a look into the mirror, as the truth of our fate keeps getting clearer?
We should look at ourselves to see that we are part of the problem, because it is becoming quite evident that we are rushing toward a future that needs to change.
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