88.9 Hey Radio, Ledger, and Me

"Jennifer Carole Ledger (born 8 December 1989) is an English drummer and co-vocalist for the American Christian rock and hard rock band Skillet, and a solo alternative rock project: Ledger." That's the breakdown from Wikipedia. Today we're looking at her new song "Iconic". Today will be different.


I often break down the lyrics stanza by stanza. Today I'm going to give you some things to look for, and then the lyrics. See what you notice.

First things first, we need to look at the word icon, because she didn't name it "Iconic" for no reason. Here are the first two definitions from Google.

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a painting of Jesus Christ or another holy figure, typically in a traditional style on wood, venerated and used as an aid to devotion in the Byzantine and other Eastern Churches.

a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration.

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This song talks about the experience of being touched by charisma. I like charisma. I even have a top three favorite books on charisma: "Prophetic Charisma" by Len Oakes, "The Spellbinders" by Ann Willner, and "Charisma" by Charles Lindholm.

In the song Jen also uses the word archetype. This word is similar to icon. Let's look at the first three definitions for archetype.

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a very typical example of a certain person or thing.

an original that has been imitated.

a recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology.

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You can see how the two sets of definitions intertwine.

Charismatic individuals are like this; they are symbols, and archetypes, and icons. They occur in religion, business, politics, and music. The powerful ones are rare.

In this song Jen talks quite a lot about one specific part of the experience of being touched by a charismatic person, a change that occurs from within, simply by coming into contact with this unique charismatic person. Len Oakes phrases it as "charisma transforms people from within." Jen paints a picture around that feeling, around that experience. And references it directly with things like "metamorphosis." Here's the definition of metamorphosis.

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a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.

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For this to happen you need both the charismatic leader and the follower. A follower that is in a certain state, a state ready and open to being changed by the leader.

Ann Willner lays out the basic situation that is needed for a charismatic relationship to develop.

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(1) a crisis situation, (2) potential followers in distress, and (3) an aspirant leader with (4) a doctrine promising deliverance.

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This type of experience can be a powerful, potent, and positive thing. Charles Lindholm says it this way, "...charisma offers the strength and the imagination for achieving change." And, it goes further than that.

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The problem of the modern era is not the charismatic experience per se: "charisma," after all, means a gift of grace. In essence it has no substantive content beyond being an immediate ecstatic experience, providing a visceral, transcendent moment that is outside of and opposed to the alienation and isolation of the mundane world - a memory upon wich ordinary life can be constructed. The paradigm established by Weber and Durkheim, and restated by psychological theory, claims, in fact, that society is based upon a deeply evocative communion of self and other, a communion that offers not reason, but lived vitality.

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Who better than a rock star to talk about such things.

As you read the lyrics notice that icon means symbol, notice archetype, notice metamorphosis, notice Jen talking about the feeling of changing from within by connecting with someone without.

The official lyrics aren't online. I messaged Jen for them, but she didn't respond. You can't message Ledger on Facebook. So, I took the lyrics that someone wrote out under her Youtube video and made a few corrections. Here's the link to that: https://youtu.be/EcpAfOZlMnk

I found this Twitter post by Jen Ledger, which helped.

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Hahahaha.- i saw a few funny versions of this!!

“You came in a flash of light, and my soul went weightless. You’re the perfect archetype, raptured and captivated.” - but I saw a funnier version that said “my soul went bye byes”  which might have been better!!!

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And, here are the lyrics to "Iconic".

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You came in a flash of light
And my soul went weightless
You're the perfect archetype
Raptured and captivated.

Felt my heart begin to race
You take me to the place
That I've never known before
I hear the thunder roar
I hear the heavens call
I could never want it more

You are the spark, you set me on fire
You're so iconic, everything I wanted
You are my world, my legend, my star
You're so iconic, everybody wants it
You intoxicate me when you move
Look at the mess you make me
You are my world, my legend, my star
You're so iconic, everybody wants it

You came in a clash of bliss
It seems that fate has chained us
Embracing metamorphosis
As I give into your love

Oh, I hear you calling me
I can't help falling deep
Into your sweetness, your abyss
My heart begins to race
You take me to the place
I want it all and more of it

You are the spark, you set me on fire
You're so iconic, everything I wanted
You are my world, my legend, my star
You're so iconic, everybody wants it
You intoxicate me when you move
Look at the mess you make me
You are my world, my legend, my star
You're so iconic, everybody wants it

I hear the thunder roll
I hear the heavens call
I can never want it more

You intoxicate me when you move
Look at the mess you make me
Look at the mess you make me
So iconic, everybody wants it

You are the spark, you set me on fire
You're so iconic, everything I wanted
You are my world, my legend, my star
You're so iconic, everybody wants it
You intoxicate me when you move
Look at the mess you make me
You are my world, my legend, my star
You're so iconic, everybody wants it

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Were you able to notice some things?

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Read more of what Jeff deems worthy of attention at: http://www.JeffreyAlexanderMartin.com

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