Pop culture watch: Avril Lavigne

Am usually behind the curve on pop culture so what else is new, right? Nonetheless, I try to see what is there.

I've only recently come across Lavigne's music. And as usual, I went to the web to get lyrics behind the angsty sound of Avril's voice.

Here are the words to "Complicated":

Uh huh, life's like this
Uh huh, uh huh, that's the way it is
Cause life's like this
Uh huh, uh huh that's the way it is

Chill out whatcha yelling' for?
Lay back it's all been done before
And if you could only let it be
you will see
I like you the way you are
When we're drivin' in your car
and you're talking to me one on one but you've become

Somebody else round everyone else
You're watching your back like you can't relax
You're tryin' to be cool you look like a fool to me
Tell me

Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
And you fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty
and promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no no

You come over unannounced
dressed up like you're somethin' else
where you are and where it's at you see
you're making me
laugh out when you strike your pose
take off all your preppy clothes
you know you're not fooling anyone
when you've become

Somebody else round everyone else
Watching your back, like you can't relax
Trying to be cool you look like a fool to me
Tell me

Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
and You fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into
honesty
promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no no

Chill out whatcha yelling for?
Lay back, it's all been done before
And if you could only let it be
You will see

Somebody else round everyone else
You're watching your back, like you can't relax
You're trying to be cool, you look like a fool to me
Tell me

Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
and You fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into
honesty
promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no

Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like your somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
You fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty
promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no no

And check out the lyrics to "I am with you":

I'm Standing on a bridge
I'm waitin in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now
Theres nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but theres no sound

Isn't anyone tryin to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Wont you take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you

im looking for a place
searching for a face
is anybody here i know
cause nothings going right
and everythigns a mess
and no one likes to be alone

Isn't anyone tryin to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Wont you take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you

oh why is everything so confusing
maybe I'm just out of my mind
yea yea yea

It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Wont you take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you

Take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you
I'm with you

Take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm with you...

What do you think?

Seems to me that the songs are striking a cord with listeners because they tap into the most basic need of human beings: authenticity and acceptance.

In "Complicated" the phrase that haunts me is, Life's like this you and You fall and you crawl and you break and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it.

In "I am with you" there is the longing for someone, anyone to be with to face life with, Isn't anyone tryin to find me? Won't somebody come take me home It's a damn cold night Trying to figure out this life Wont you take me by the hand take me somewhere new I dont know who you are but I... I'm with you.

Where can we find such authenticity and acceptance?

Avril, a teen music sensation, is putting voice to the heart's longing of her generation but also I suspect if a middle aged guy like me can find resonance in her words, her music is reaching beyond her own demographic.

May I be completely non-PC and un-hip and say that the best place to look for that authenticity and acceptance is Jesus?

"Logic" says that if God knows everything about us, then what is there to talk about?

But the funny thing is that that "logic" simply doesn't apply in relationships. When we know someone who knows us and accepts us, we can tell that person everything. And indeed, we can have that kind of relationship with God because of what Jesus has done for us.

In the recent film "Passion of Christ", there are several moments where we see the power of Jesus' acceptance. There is the flashback when Monica Bellucci's Mary faces the stones of her accusers and Jesus stops them with his words and accepts her with his presence. There are the sequences of Jesus interacting wordlessly with Simon of Cyrene who helps Jesus carry the Cross. Lastly, there is the moments when Jesus speaks with the criminal on the other cross who sees that Jesus is no ordinary man and professes his faith.

All three showed their true selves to Jesus and received acceptance. That feeling has to be one of the most powerful experiences we can have in life.

If you find yourself moved by Lavigne's lyrics, look to God and find a church where Jesus is taken seriously.

That last part is really important.

When we take Jesus seriously, we recognize our flawed humanity and the need for forgiveness and acceptance by God. And it is these kinds of people who can at least try to be authentic for you and accept you and point the way to Jesus. Because those without Jesus are likely to leave you thinking of Avril's lyrics: I see the way you're acting like your somebody else gets me frustrated... You're tryin' to be cool you look like a fool to me...