Originality can take many forms. It’s more of a spectrum.
How original really is everything?
Let’s go back to 1993, me and elementary school (damn! 30 years ago!).
Here’s a friend, Diego, who comes to me with his Walkman (yeah. that was a thing) and tells me, “Do you know this song? It’s incredible!“
I had no idea.
This was the first time I heard this long intro with the guitars, the tum-tum with the ton and “On a dark desert highway…“
It. Blew. My. Mind.
This was THE song.
The name? Had no idea.
Was it something original for me? You bet.
I couldn’t stop humming it (had no idea of what they said since I was learning only French as second language and English came few years later).
Got home and in my HUGE excitement I told my aunt: “I bet you don’t know this GREAT song I just discovered!“
Aunt: What song?
Me: Don’t know the name. They play it on this radio station. [Yup. No Spotify either back then]
After hours scanning for the song, it played.
Me: Aunt! Here it is! Come! Listen!
Aunt: [Hears the song] Oh… (disappointment showing up) This song? That’s not new. That’s Hotel California. From back in the S E V E N T I E S. (Pulling a vinyl of the actual album)
It wasn’t really a new, original thing. It was simply original to me.
Did it stop being original? No.
Did it take the magic away? 30 years later, I still remember this vividly.
The effect of its originality at that very moment was what changed my mind and set me on a defined course (but that’s a story for another time).
Have you ever felt this way, of finding something original?
LMK