The economic situation and the way modern life actually is offer ideal conditions for Scenes from a Well Worn Path (Side Three). Instead of making direct political statements, Music by Jeremy looks at the contradictions involved in progress, prosperity and personal satisfaction. The songs prompt listeners to doubt the assumptions they usually accept, conveying their observations via carefully built narratives rather than giving lengthy explanations. Because of this the album has a reflective quality and at the same time keeps its social issues within reach.
“The Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren” is the best example of this forward-looking viewpoint; the title is taken from John Maynard Keynes’s 1930 essay in which he looked at the possibility that future generations might have more free time as economic problems were solved. The song looks at the gap between that expected future and the actual situation in which abundance has been taken by a few rather than shared by all. The idea of a distorted reality is introduced by an opening quote from the witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and this underlines the conflict between what people are promised and what they really experience.
Personal values beyond economic considerations also come into focus, with “No Price on Earth” finding significance in an ordinary day and suggesting that peace cannot always be bought or replaced by material achievement. This view provides an interesting contrast to the concerns expressed in ‘Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren’. Although the one article deals with the distribution of wealth, the other focuses on a kind of contentment that does not depend on it. Taken together, they prompt listeners to consider the connection between prosperity and true well-being.
Controlled pacing enhances the songwriting, with all tracks running approximately three to three-and-a-half minutes. The original base is provided by the acoustic guitar and the vocals, whereas the drums, the bass and some mild MIDI effects are used to enrich the arrangements. There is no indication in the available material that the creators are trying to push the listeners towards a specific political viewpoint; on the contrary, the songs present various situations which call for further reflection. Thus, Scenes from a Well Worn Path (Side Three) gives social commentary by means of observation and derives its strength from considerations of economic fairness, personal priorities and the meaning of a well-lived life.
SONGS ON ALBUM
1. No Price on Earth
2. I Don’t Know
3. Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren
4. How Much is Enough
5. Market Square
6. The Letter
