233. Foo Fighters "This Is A Call"

This was one of the first songs Dave Grohl wrote after his Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain was found dead. The months following Cobain's suicide were very difficult for Grohl, not just because he had lost a dear friend, but because he lost his musical direction and inspiration. Thanks to a great deal of encouragement from his friends, he found his musical voice and set to work on his solo project that would become Foo Fighters. Grohl, who was the drummer in Nirvana, wrote this song on his own, played every instrument on it, and did the vocals. Released as the first Foo Fighters single, the song was an emphatic statement by Grohl and proof that he could carry a musical project on his own. This was no small feat considering he was doing the work - lyrics, vocals, guitar - that Cobain had once handled for him. According to Dave Grohl, the verses are nonsense, which is something he did intentionally because he had too much to express. His other motivation for writing gobbledygook verses ("fingernails are pretty, fingernails are good...") was to keep listeners from misinterpreting them, since he knew his words would be scrutinized in context with the death of Cobain. This song became an anthem for Foo Fighters and remained in their setlist throughout their career. Paul Brannigan's 2011 biography of Dave Grohl is titled after the song. Grohl married Jennifer Youngblood in the summer of 1994, and it was on their honeymoon when Dave wrote this song. He says much of it was composed in a bathroom while they were staying in Dublin. Released to radio stations in June 1995, this was the first Foo Fighters single, although in America it wasn't available for purchase. This technicality kept it off the Billboard Hot 100, but it did make #35 on Billboard's Airplay chart and #5 in the UK.

visiting is pretty
visiting is good
seems that all they ever wanted was a brother
this can be a secret
we can keep it good
even all the ever wanting had a problem

this is a call to all my
past resignations
this is a call to all

fingernails are pretty
fingernails are good
seems that all they ever wanted was a marking

them balloons are pretty big
and say they should
ever fall to ground
call the magic marker

this is a call to all my
past resignations
this is a call to all
this is a call to all my
past resignatoins
it's been too long

minicyn is pretty
minicyn is good
seems that all the cysts and mollusks tend to barter

ritalin is easy
ritalin is good
even all the ones that watered down the daughter

Grohl says that while the verses mean nothing, the chorus means everything, as he is saying goodbye to his past with the line, "This is a call to all my past resignations." Said Grohl: "It's just sort of like a little wave goodbye to all the people I ever played music with, people I've been friends with, all my relationships, my family" Jesus in this morning's bible passage points to the call of following him and waving goodbye to all of our past resignations. We find this mornings bible passage in Luke chapter 5:1-11

This is an unexpected day of change.  When Jesus and his crowd turn up on the beach there may have been nothing to warn Simon that a paradigm shift was about to take place. Perhaps he saw the crowd as little more than a distraction – an festival of inconvenience dancing toward him while all he could think of was his aching back and bringing to completion the morning task. After a fruitless all-nighter Simon a could be forgiven begrudging the need to wash these useless nets. He is tired and ready to sleep. He will need renewed strength to throw them all again tomorrow. So it must have seemed strange when Jesus climbed aboard. The request to anchor ‘a little way from the shore’ may have seemed even stranger.

But something in Simon is humble, inquisitive, and open enough to obey. A few moments later and he has prime seating before the most desired of teachers. Jesus is in his boat! While the crowd is held back by the water, Simon is so close he could reach out an touch the master. It is quite a turn of events – from a luckless night to a box seat. It is enough to make a tired man laugh.

We are told nothing of the content of Jesus’ talk. But it would seem that Simon – perhaps feeling he had little choice – listened through to the end. But it was another thing altogether when Jesus asked to be taken fishing. By now the nets are clean and dry. They are ready for later when the fish will – hopefully – be out again. But that is not now. Jesus may know how to turn a phrase, but he does not know the timing of fish. Simon half protests but then gives up. Perhaps he is simply too tired to pursue the argument. Something tells Simon that this is worth the risk. The boat is mobilised and the nets lowered, filled, and all too soon there are two boats at risk of sinking under the catch of the day. It looks like a feast tonight! Every now and again a moment of clarity comes. For Simon it is now.

But it is not immediately apparent that this will mean the leaving of a livelihood. Indeed Simon’s initial response is to send Jesus away. Simon is now only conscious of the gap between himself and Jesus. It looks like an insurmountable chasm. Simon has touched the holiness of God and it has made him aware of his unworthiness: ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ I suspect that Jesus understands. Fear can make a person reject another. And so, without denying Simon’s insight, Jesus responds with an invitation to come even closer: ‘…from now on you will be catching people.’ Jesus is speaking Simon’s language! And so Simon and his companions leave everything.

Well, not quite. In a consumer society it is all to easy to hear this story as a turning away – highlighting empty boats and fish left for others to sell. Make no mistake – there is a radical abandonment here. But to leave it there would not do justice to the care taken by our storyteller. They did not simply leave everything. They ‘left everything and followed him.’ It is a completely different concept. Simon, James and John found a better alternative. They have not turned from as much as they have turned to.  It is not loss but gain.  Yes, there is a rationality here. These friends have found a better path – and taken it. "This indeed "is a call to leave all my past resignations" All I've ever left before is nothing compaired to this moment. "Come and Follow Me"