About The About

Maybe this quote's meaning is too esoteric. Here is an explainer.

The quote is taken from a moderately successful Selena Gomez song. Yes, I chose a quote from a pop song to represent what this blog is about.

Pretty weird. What could this have to do with "Memories of Zion"?

Hear the song:

Okay so a pop song. Clearly a break up song. Selena Gomez is tired of her alcoholic boyfriend.

So what?

Is this supposed to be profound? What does it have to do with Zion?

Kygo and Selena Gomez released a music video some time after:

In the music video, boyfriend and girlfriend are on motorcycle and get into a horrible accident. Girlfriend dies, boyfriend is in a coma. Girlfriend's spirit cares about boyfriend and is trying to wake him up from the coma.

The lyrics of the song are the same. But due to the video, they take on a whole new meaning. "But I know I won't be home. And you'll be on your own" because she died. Her boyfriend is alcoholic? Because he's very sad that the love of his life died.

Zion is the poetic name for the Jewish homeland. That's a very clinical statement but the most standard meaning of Zion. But it can mean something else when looked at a different way, when you add some context. There is also a very deep sadness to the story of the Jewish people. But there is also hope and beauty to it. Hope for a better future. This is tied to the meaning of Zion.

The hook of the song doesn't make any sense if the song is a break up song:

The Bowery, whiskey neat. Grateful, I'm so grateful.

That's her boyfriend's memories of their time together. The Bowery is a hotel in NYC, and they sipped whisky on the top floor. That is his most cherished memory with her. But like all memories, it is all crumbled up, imperfect. Hence why it's hard to hear it in the song.

Zion is the most cherished memory of the Jewish people. It too is crumbled up, imperfect.

With the memories of his girlfriend the boyfriend wakes up. He survives due to the memories of his girlfriend, and he is grateful.

Just like how the Jewish people survived through their memories. Memories is what sustained the Jewish people for two thousand years.

And really the analogies go deeper. Abstract concepts in Judaism are often characterized as brides or lovers.

So that's how I came to decide a Selena Gomez song best represents this blog.