Pim Stones: We Have It All

All my life I've been heading for hell

But never had I thought I'd drag you down as well

I just couldn't resist what he was trying to sell

There's glory ahead but our love will be forgotten

…

Our hearts we have sold for diamonds and gold

But hey, baby, take a look, we have it all

And haven't you heard, hearts turn to dirt

Along with the rest of your body, It's all claimed by the earth

We Have It All: Lyricism

Whereas God is a conversational character of “The Last One I Made,” the Devil is a force affecting the character in “We Have It All.” The lyrics tell a story of a lover who has sold his soul, damnation hiding in diamonds, gold, and fine print. He describes being “hypnotized” and “calling out for the last time.” So too, does the character of my painting. He is being “claimed by the earth.” His body lies amongst thistle weeds, their purple flower symbolic of pain or pride. In Biblical reference, the thorns of the flowers accompany the man’s transition to Hell.

Nine colored miniature layers of sin demarcate Dante’s Divine Comedy alongside the Fall. The character’s body spans levels two, three, and four of the circles of Hell: the second level of Hell and its mountainside is representative of the supremacy of lustful sin; the third shows a violent storm, as the sin of overindulgence wreaks havoc on the soul; and the fourth shimmers gold, mimicking greed and extravagance. Pim Stones sings as a lover who longs for forgiveness, as he is the reason that she will join him among flames. At least “we have it all,” and “diamonds are forever,” he sings. The framing edifice of a temple crumbles, supported by Doric columns. This past glory bought with souls such as his own looms behind him, a testament of impermanence.

A snake bursts through his chest, biting into his human heart. This “fruit” and serpent add further religious meaning to the painting; perhaps this character is an embodiment of an Eveless

Adam, who recounts the devil told him they “would see all [their] dreams and plans unfold” after making an oath by cutting their thumbs and “putting a feather in [their] hands.”

“Our hearts we have sold” indicates not only a loss of life, but also humanity. Stones describes that the devil’s eyes were cold as his hands. The sky, therefore, is a cool blue behind him, and gold only highlights the jewelry and the snake’s eye. Even the gold shows hints of tarnish, inspired by James 5, verses 2-3: “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

We Have It All: Chromesthetics

This song of Pim’s integrates many layers of sound. This song is an amalgamation of sound with the constancy of percussion and vocalization blending in and out of the texture in layers. They build up to the lyrics “diamonds and gold,” where the most layers are audibly detected. These layers are important to the theme I attributed to the song represented by Dante’s levels of Hell. In both paintings and the song, layers take on a new meaning.

His Scottish heritage is reflected in the lilting “ya da da da” which serves as an additional vocal accompaniment. This sound stands out amongst the piano keys and percussion as light blue strokes on the Chromesthetic canvas. All layers are stripped when the artist calls out, “Hear me!” in the middle of the song, emphasizing the lyrics and the loneliness of the character. Not even music is his companion in Hell. At the end, however, these vocals fade out and weave between other sounds in the clouds of white against the magenta and purple background.