The Earth Shaker
Tonight, Poseidon’s team song was shown to be “Shake It Out” by Florence and the Machine.
This was the song that I had chosen first out of the 3 songs. It was something I battled with back and forth for a long time, because I used this song in a big way during “Holiday Hulk.” I like to make things new.. exciting… I don’t like feeling like I’m short changing anyone or rehashing old stuff because I’ve got nothing left better to say…
I was on the elliptical one early-in-December morning, listening to it on repeat and trying to weigh how I felt about making this the team song for Poseidon like I had done the last several mornings when out of NOWHERE, a realization punched me square in the jaw, sent a wavelength to my heart, and all was clear:
“This song isn’t rehashed… IT’S PERFECT”
Once I realized I was trying to talk myself OUT of something that shouldn’t be talked out of, I was able to focus on WHY it was so perfect. It’s a statement. It’s a cry for help. It’s a warrior scream. It’s a proclamation that you’re not going to let ANYTHING, let alone the devil, jump on your back and stop you from dancing. Poseidon is known as the Earth Shaker, causer of Earthquakes when his temper flares. When that devil hops on your back and clutches on to your shoulders tightly… SHAKE IT OFF. You are POSEIDON. You are HULK. YOU SHAKE THE EARTH WHEN YOU’RE ANGRY!
This song, to me, is something that takes me to a place of elevation when I hear it. Everyone has something called “The Vagus Nerve” (which, if you’ve seen the movie “I Am” by Tom Shadyac, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, look for a post on the movie in the VERY near future… It was nothing short of a life changer for me for many reasons that many of you will be sure to relate to!). This nerve is the longest of the cranial nerves and wraps around and through your neck, thorax, and abominal organs. It is what is responsible for when you witness something touching and you get a sudden seize in your throat muscles, your arms tingle up, your stomach slightly tightens, your face gets tingly, and your eyes well up. It’s the feeling of elevation in your chest that all happens in a millisecond. That is the Vagus nerve. There are different levels of intensity in which the Vagus nerve is triggered, but we’ve all got it and barring a genetic anomaly it all works on us (some people are triggered differently than others).
For example, here is a video of a cat trying to resuscitate another cat unsuccessfully:
Odds are, your Vagus nerve went off.
That Vagus nerve, only in an inspirational sense, is what gets triggered in me every time I listen to “Shake It Out.” It signifies to me, like I hope it does to you, that I alone control how I feel because I alone am in charge of the power I give to OTHERS to “control” me. It’s a song that provides not a only a daily reminder, but sometimes an hourly reminder. A 10 minute reminder. A song that as Hulk we have the power to breathe in with our lungs and project out with our hearts.
So veteran Hulksters, be ready to experience this song in a whole new way. New Hulkamaniacs, get ready to live ;).
AhhhhhhOOOOOOOO!!!!
– Hulk
Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play
And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It’s always darkest before the dawn
And I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I’m always dragging that horse around
All of his questions, such a mournful sound
Tonight I’m gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues drawn
But it’s always darkest before the dawn
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I’m gonna cut it out and then restart
Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It’s always darkest before the dawn
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It’s a final mess but it’s left me so empty
It’s always darkest before the dawn
Oh woah, oh woah…
And I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t
So here’s to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I’m ready to suffer and I’m ready to hope
It’s a shot in the dark and right at my throat
Cause looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Well what the hell I’m gonna let it happen to me
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
iamhulk 