Third Eye Blind and a Sociological State of Mind

When looking at Third Eye Blind's song "Crystal Baller" with a sociological state of mind, one can dissect it and find that it contains a symbolic interactionist perspective, along with providing enough references in the lyrics to address the four main components of culture: symbols, values, language, and norms. Additionally, the song contains examples of material and non-material culture that are prevalent in today's society.

As stated above, the song falls into the symbolic interactionism category of the three major perspectives. Kendall (2006) defines this particular sociological perspective as "the sum of the interactions of individuals and groups" (20). It focuses on particular interactions between individuals and groups and examines more closely the symbols used in those interactions. When looking at this song, the interaction is between the singer and his girlfriend, although it seems that she was going to be his wife at some point but plans fell through because of him. Nonetheless, the song is about these two people and what the singer wants to do is resolve things and ask the woman to marry him. He feels the need to explain to the girl that everything will be better in the near future; she needs to give him an opportunity so he can show her how he's changed and how much better the future will be for both of them.

Men and women can have completely different attitudes about certain aspects of relationships, especially marriage. The lyrics "I want to be your diamond ring/The one I never gave you and the promise that it brings/Let me be your Crystal Baller" shed light on the issue that was tearing this couple apart (many couples go through this problem as well). It appears that he was never willing or too gun-shy to pull the trigger and finally propose to the girl which prompted her to leave until he figured out what he wanted in life. The song outlines the inner torment he feels at the prospect of losing her and he hopes to get a chance to show her how much she truly means to him: "Can we talk about tomorrow and the promise that it brings/I want to be your Crystal Baller, I want to show you everything."

The people described in this song do not represent a subculture because the pursuit of one's true love is an endeavor that just about every person goes through in life. Every relationship has its ups and downs, something that is also experienced by every couple in the world. If anyone ever tries to say that he/she is involved in a relationship with no problems whatsoever, he/she could perhaps be a hippie and represent the counterculture that thrives on peace, love, and harmony. That person could also just be downright crazy. Either one seems to fit appropriately.

This song just continues to impress a budding sociological investigator because it even addresses material and nonmaterial culture. For instance, the main character in the song makes a reference to giving his girlfriend/fiancée/potential ex-anything a diamond ring so she knows he is serious about the relationship, thus representing material culture. It is also important to note that the diamond ring is the main focus of the song because the singer is going to use it to get back in good favor with his girl, which also leads into the nonmaterial aspect of this song, love.

Love is a dominant force in society and it is the major theme of the song (and almost every song ever created). The singer is obviously heart-broken about his complication in his relationship, and he is unable to spend his time thinking about anything else but her: "I wonder where we're all going, I'm homesick for your primal knowing/I wonder why the wind keeps blowing you through my mind."

"All cultures have four common nonmaterial cultural components: symbols, language, values, and norms" (Kendall 2006:48). This Third Eye Blind song, from the album Out of the Vein, manages to cover all four components of culture. The main value that one can get out of this song revolves around love relationships and the companionship that goes along with it. "Crystal Baller" demonstrates that love is a dominant force in the world and people in relationships should not take each other for granted because it can all be lost in the blink of an eye.

The norm represented in the song deals with communication among couples and what needs to happen when a relationship reaches a certain level. It has become a norm in society for a man to ask a woman to marry him if their relationship reaches a particular level of love, trust, and comfort. It is a folkway norm in this sense, but these norms can certainly become mores when analyzing the potential consequences of not asking the person at all. Love is a tricky son of a gun.

There are different symbols used in the song to describe how the main character is feeling. The diamond ring, the wind, and even the word "fuck" represent the emotional state of the singer. By using language as strong as the "f-word", the person who is listening to the song realizes that this is a serious issue. In society, use of the cuss word symbolizes anger and frustration, and that is no different here.

The language of the song ties in slightly with the symbols because the vulgar language used in one line of the song, "In my mind that record still plays/Still wonder what the fuck it says, and hoping there is time", symbolizes a great deal of frustration at the singer's predicament.

This song was particularly effective to use when looking at it with a sociological mindset because it covered just about every basic aspect of sociology. It was labeled as a symbolic interactionist song because it went into detail about the interactions of people in love and the hardships they endure and the main symbol needed to seal a relationship forever (a diamond ring). It also represented aspects of material and non-material culture, along with the four main components of culture. There are many songs that are just as effective as this one; it only takes a keen eye to find the numerous examples. Mass media acts as a useful portal into seeing the different aspects of culture and sociology in general. "Crystal Baller" represents love and relationships, including the interactions among those in love (particularly the marital interaction between two people) and the ultimate symbol of everlasting love.

Bibliography

Kendall, Diana. 2006. Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials (5th edition). Belmont, CA: Thompson Higher Education.

Crystal Baller by Third Eye Blind

I close my eyes and I see a freak, I think it's me and I'm afraid to speak
I keep on going from week to weakness way out in a line.
I dream of lives we could have had before, but the heat is broke down open doorways.
Friends of yours will tell me more what happens in your mind

Can we try and take the high road though we don't know where it ends
I want to be your Crystal Baller
I want to show you how it ends

Macramé queens in the afternoon and I'm in tune or did I speak too soon
Punch drunk on somebody's joke, what happened to the time
A footnote in your dance of days, In my mind that record still plays
Still wonder what the fuck it says, and hoping there is time

Can we try and take the high road though we don't know where it ends
I want to be your Crystal Baller
I can show you how it ends

Can we talk about tomorrow and the promise that it brings
I want to be your Crystal Baller, I want to show you everything

I wonder what the whole things for, I wonder what the whole things for
In the moment you were screaming at me I would have been somebody else
And the patrons of the pub keep singing
Macramé queens in the afternoon and I'm in tune or did I speak too soon
Punch drunk on somebody's joke what happened to the time
I dream of lives we could have had before where the heat is broke down open doorways
Like waiting for a trick to score, It seems that way some times
I wonder where we're all going, I'm homesick for your primal knowing
I wonder why the wind keeps blowing you through my mind

Try and take the high road remember we were friends
I want to be your Crystal Baller
I want to be your diamond ring

The one I never gave you and the promise that it brings
Let me be your Crystal Baller
I will show you everything.
I'll be your Crystal Baller