Putting It Together

 I enjoyed talking about Chip On My Shoulder so much that song discussions are going to be more common, so today I wanted to dive in and cover a song that has many versions. Putting It Together from Act Two of Sunday In The Park With George, a powerful show about love, art, and creativity. This song inspires me that I find myself listening to the many different versions of this show and each one has a way to set it out while keeping the fundamentals the same. Whether it is the song from the show or a cover, this song is about making art at it's core and I will be covering that today. The version I am focusing on is the version from the revival in recent memory which I highly recommend. 

This song greets the audience in act two as we jump ahead in time, to a different George but who is still an artist. He is at an art event showing off his latest piece. The number begins with the thoughts of those attending on the piece as well as the arts itself as a subject. Mirroring both truth and opinion yet still coming back to the same sentiment which is " Art isn't easy". As George makes his appearance, played by the same actor as George from Act One but is a different person with which the show explains the reason for later, everyone greets him. He takes over and talks about the art from his perspective, echoing the phrase from before. George explains the tricky balancing act of making what one wants to make, dealing with others thoughts and opinions, making money, and navigating everything all at once.

" The art of making art, is putting it together" escapes George's lips and the song comes together to show all the behind the scenes behind every piece we see in a museum. From critics opinions, to how to navigate and make connections to socializing. From wants and desires balanced with what is needed to progress and advance in this world. Dealing with trends, the changing art climate and much more. The song from this point until the end is George navigating and rolling with the punches as he tries his best to navigate the environment, make connections and more. George will pause to share his thoughts and feelings often with the audience, the song ending with him putting everything together, every piece both social and as an artist. 

This song may be about art in a museum but still speaks true to creatives everywhere, the message f wanting to make art while balancing others opinions both professional or from friends and families rings true for many art forms. And that is where the covers come in, some of them cover making art in the music industry and balancing those trends and feelings, echoing the same message at its core even if the wording is different. This song proves to be a great inspiration showing that art is not always glamorous and takes a lot of work, but having someone else say it echoes a familiar feeling and makes the song relatable. Whether it be writing, painting, music or another form of art the message and feeling of this song rings true. 

There are so many versions of this song, and I highly recommend the 2017 version from the revival but there are also a ton of well made covers of this song by popular musicians. This song reminds us every great piece of art faces criticism, it faces challenges and that making art requires putting it together. By showing the behind the scenes this song shows the cast on the same level as the audiences a fellow creative that the listener could see through their eyes, being a fictional situation grounded in reality, truly making this song a great piece of art. Bit by bit and piece by piece, from the amazing melody and performances, to the fantastic and relatable lyrics this song is definitely worth a listen.