"Heaven or hell, I'm goin' there with the GrooGrux King."
The elegy is one of the oldest and most widely accessible forms in all of poetry. What's an elegy, you ask? Simply put, an elegy is a poem of loss and remembrance -- and one that typically begins with a mood of lamentation before shifting toward one of consolation.
(In other words, it's an "I miss you" poem -- usually addressed to a deceased loved one -- which starts off sad and ends up hopeful).
The Dave Matthews Band's "Why I Am" is a fantastic contemporary example of precisely such a poem. In it, the band is waxing philosophical on old times and dedicating their verse to their recently departed saxophone player, the late, great LeRoi Moore:
Like any good elegy, "Why I Am" starts off by looking backwards and recalling a bunch of memories both happy and sad from yesteryear. To that end, it's no surprise that we encounter a whole bunch of verbs that are presented in the past tense: Dave sings about where he "grew" from and where he "was," then he recalls some of the crazy adventures (and mind-altering escapades) that brought him to this particular place and time.
As he retraces his nostalgic sojourns on the chemical frontier, Matthews talks about a "ghost" and makes repeated references to a mysterious "GrooGrux King."
"King of men? It makes no sense."You're not kidding, Dave. But speaking of "makes no sense" -- just *what*, exactly, is a "GrooGrux King" anyhow?
According to DMB drummer Carter Beauford, "GrooGrux" was the band's made-up word to describe the overall vibe and energy of their sound. And since their late, great, saxophonist LeRoi Moore was at the epicenter of the "GrooGrux" vibe -- it seemed only natural to honor him with the title of "GrooGrux King."
"You're the Banana King, Charlieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
Anyhow --
As the elegy unfolds, Dave recalls the good times he's shared with the newly-dubbed GrooGrux King, and proceeds to inform his listeners that even though the King's passing "makes no sense," he remains convinced that he'll see the big guy once more when all is said and done. Here, take a look:
"And when my story ends it's gonna' end with himNo longer is Dave simply mourning the loss of his storied bandmate. Instead? We gradually observe his shift towards a mindset of quietude and comfort. This is where the elegy really shines, as he stays true to the elegiac form by moving from lamentation to consolation, ultimately ending his refrain with the repeated chorus of:
Heaven or hell, I'm goin' there with the GrooGrux King"
"Don't cry baby, don't cry."Say -- that's kinda' nice.
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