A good idea can serve as the basis for a whole story, and this idea is the one that guides the writing in Scenes from a Well Worn Path (Side Three). Jeremy’s music creates songs based on observations which slowly come to reveal more general meanings, using examples from literature, mathematics and economic thought to expand the narratives beyond their immediate topics. Although the short compositions stay focused on a clear course, the hidden references provide extra depth for listeners who are willing to look at them more closely.
The fact that ‘Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren’ is able to link historical ideas with current issues shows the collection’s strength. Since it takes its title from John Maynard Keynes’s 1930 essay, the song looks at the prospect of future abundance and the conditions which enabled those benefits to be obtained. The opening quote from Macbeth by Shakespeare adds another dimension, implying a society in which distorted expectations have come to be regarded as reality. Instead of viewing these references as merely ornamental, the piece incorporates them into its main argument and thus gives the narrative a basis that goes beyond its direct observations.
In other words, ‘The Letter’ makes use of Schrödinger’s cat and the falling-tree problem in order to examine the uncertainty attached to an unopened envelope. The two references offer a conceptual basis for thinking about something the contents or importance of which are unknown. ‘I Don’t Know’ employs a comparable kind of structure, treating love as a mathematical proof which fails to arrive at a definite solution. Even though the topics are different, both songs show how an odd premise can influence a narrative and lead it to a significant conclusion.
The short lengths of the tracks in the collection help to keep the ideas focused, the songs lasting about three to three-and-a-half minutes. Although each track can be enjoyed on its own, the constant concern with uncertainty, contradiction and observation gives the album a sense of continuity. The allusions to well-known works of literature and intellectual thought also offer scope for renewed appreciation, enabling listeners to notice links which they might have failed to see at first. Scenes from a Well Worn Path (Side Three) gives satisfaction by showing the connection between storytelling and ideas, illustrating how familiar topics can acquire new meaning when viewed from an unexpected angle.
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