Regina Spektor - Laughing With

Regina Spektor - Laughing With

I find that many of Regina Spektor’s songs have an authenticity and ingenuity unparalleled by most other solo artists. Many of her songs carry a message about her beliefs, sung from the heart, and with creative flair. ‘Laughing with’ is no exception to this and this song, in particular, for me ‘struck a chord’ (yes, pun intended!).

I came across this song shortly after I changed my career and consequently my direction in life. As with all great songs that hold meaning to you, it is as much about when you hear them as it is the quality of the song.

I come from a background of absolute truths, that is, mathematics. Built on proof, mathematics cannot be argued with, there is no debate and there is just one point of view. Through this lens is how I saw the world. Surely, it’s the only way the world makes sense? This fed through all my conceptions of thought and into my beliefs. It is belief that this song speaks about; specifically, belief in God. I do not believe in God: there isn’t any scientific proof of His existence and why should I believe in something without proof? Well, this song has not changed my beliefs or my belief in God for that matter, but it has given me an appreciation for how other people’s beliefs can differ from my own and why many people do believe in God.

In this song she observes that no one laughs at God in times of crisis, ‘in a war’, ‘in a hospital’ when they’re ‘freezing or poor’, but on the contrary, one can laugh at God ‘at a cocktail party’ and God can be funny when you’re ‘told he’ll give you money if you pray the right way’. These statements are all true and govern a completely different perspective on God depending on the person’s circumstances. It got me thinking, perhaps there is an emotive drive into determining belief despite belief being a fixed perception. Every person who believes in God must’ve, at some point, decided to believe or become conscious of their belief. I wonder what they were feeling at the time, or had been feeling shortly prior to this? If I was starving would I change my beliefs? Moreover, if I had spent a large part of my youth starving what would my beliefs be now?

So, this song means a lot to me, as I eluded to earlier, because the time in my life that I encountered it. In my new career that is much closer aligned with my current outlook I am much less concerned with being ‘right’ and trying to convince others of what is right. As a teacher, I require greater levels of empathy and appreciation for why other people think the way they do. This song has helped me develop empathy and a greater understanding as to what factors can contribute another person’s belief.