Flo Gallop - 21
Well, if you’re “young” and “dumb” and “livin’”, you might be interested in the latest track by Flo Gallop, ‘21’. I have to be honest, right from the get-go, that my life at 21 (ten years ago now) was very different than this somewhat Hollywood-built idea of ‘21’ that we have from Flo. I was playing in the pubs and having my share of excess, broke most of the time but…no, you know what, my life was actually at least somewhat similar to this song’s sentiments. I didn’t bother with designer this and that and I didn’t party too hardy, but I did what I wanted, ended up not being able to afford rent, and was out and about playing music wherever I could.
I think one has to gloss over the details, in some cases, with this track and focus on the broader strokes of this painting of pubescence; a true time of growth and discovery of the so-called “real world”. In the broader strokes of this rather colourful painting, you’ll find the core of this youthfully-charged track: excess, broken boundaries and living life upfront and as full as one can, at every moment because one is never sure when the party will end and one never wants it to.
This is a very telling tale of the way we have developed to create this stage of ultimate rebellion and restlessness, once out of the house and unleashed on the world. This features a lot in the college and university scene but it can happen regardless and continue beyond…and there are those to which this sort of phase of party-dom doesn’t apply at all.
All that unnecessary detail delving aside, ‘21’ is a song for those who are in the thick of the party and want to ride the next wave…or for those who are yearning to look back and reminisce about all the torrid and titillating times they had.
