#runningout

What do you call a musician with rabbits running out of his bum?

The concept of time is something that many people have to deal with. For me, it's something that I constantly fear running out of. Due dates, times of the day, and at the moment, a hurricane, all play a major role in this fear of a ticking clock. Strangely enough, however, it's something that I enjoy listening to, especially while working on schoolwork. In a way, it helps me to lock in and focus on my assignment. It occurs often in songs I like, and I'd like to discuss it.

To start, we have "In The Hall of The Mountain King," a classical piece written by Edvard Grieg. The song's pacing begins slow, with few instruments, but eventually picks up its tempo, and throws in more and more instruments, to the point where it both sounds like it's clashing together and still fits so well. It's a perfect metaphor as to what happens if you idle around when the clock is ticking: Eventually it will all build up and end with one massive explosion of sound.

Of course, the most common fear of running out of time is that the consequences of it. The most common trope is the unavoidable grip of death: the fact that one day, you will pass away, be it from natural or unnatural causes. For example, the rap song "Tha Crossroads" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, has someone mourning the loss of some of his friends passing on. It sets a tone of melancholy, as the singer seems distraught over the loss of his closest friends. Several references to the afterlife are made, and he even mentions that he'll meet them soon, acknowledging that death is inevitable. Overall, a calm. dynamic theme, to reflect on the lives of fallen friends.

"The Fuse," written by Bruce Springsteen, is another example of death's effect on a person. Often in the song, a reference to a fuse burning is made, as the singer talks about his life with another woman. A slow and tranquil tone, reflecting on the inevitable passage of time. In the end, however, those memories created as time marches on, are precious to the writer, something to hang onto as the clock ticks down.

Some people fear death, plain and simple. When your own life is on the line, the most common thing people do is panic. We discussed other people's time running out, so what happens when your own life is on the clock? "It's Pizza Time!", written by Mr. Sauceman, is a great example of this idea. It uses a combination of rock guitars and electronic beats, to create a theme that induces panic. They work well together, paired with samples of church bells and clocks ticking to cause stress: to remind the listener that they need to hurry up. Then at the end, it first speeds up, to play the initial theme spread across the song, but slows down, with only a few beats and clock ticks playing, as a signal that you have run out of time, and death's embrace is approaching. A perfect example of fantaisa, where stress is the primary theme at play.

Much like the previous song, I also frequently listen to "Distasteful Anchovi (JC-RE-EDIT)," by ClacsyJitto. Much like "It's Pizza Time!" it shares similarities, between the genres, and its samples of clocks ticking. However, the main difference is its tone; rather than driving fear, it's instead designed to give the listener a sense of courage. Death's beckon still awaits them at the end, but rather than panic and stress out, they're told that they have the confidence to do it.

Despite death being a major consequence of running out of time, there are still other punishments for the clock running out. "Running Out of Time", a jazz song written by Doc Jazz, is more slow-paced, with calming instruments, as if it's a love song. Its lyrics talk about a guy accidentally wasting time, and apologizing to his lover for such. A slow-paced rhythm, in an attempt to make his lover forgive him, as he's faced the consequence of letting the clock strike zero.

Time is one of the most important things in life, and running out of it is never good. Your friends, family, and even your own life, are all on some form of time limit, be it natural or unnatural, and even outside of it, there's always another ticking clock out there dictating your life. You can't avoid it, so the best thing to do is learn to live with it. Cherish every moment you have, and make sure that you get your work done. For when your clock strikes zero, you'll have lived a fulfilled and memorable life, with memories to cherish.

(Link to a playlist with all the songs discussed: