‘Titanium’ – David Guetta (featuring Sia)

Gill writes:

There’s a theory called ‘Frequency illusion’ – also known as the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon – that we touch upon in Unconscious Bias training. It’s a theory that explains why after noticing something for the first time, there’s a tendency to notice it more often. For example, you may have bought a new car and suddenly it seems like everyone is driving cars like yours, or, like in the case of this song, the same song or word/s keep cropping up in conversation, on the radio or just in strangely random ways.

‘Titanium’ appeared on my playlist in September, and then I added it to our ‘Piano to Oslo’ journey playlist when we drove from Dorset to Oslo and back in October – transporting a family heirloom (the piano) to our nephew who lives in Oslo.

This last weekend, we watched ‘The Swimmers’ – a film about the true story of two sisters, Yusra and Sara Mardini, fleeing Syria who are also talented swimmers (no spoilers – you can find it on Netflix) and guess what – this song appeared more than once on the soundtrack. If ever a song was more appropriate to the narrative of ‘The Swimmers’ then it’s this one.

As you can imagine the journey across Europe to Germany (where Yusra and Sara sought asylum) is harrowing, frightening and anger-inducing. It’s also one full of hope – where the sisters are surrounded and protected by love, an armour of love just like titanium.

You shoot me down, but I won’t fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down, but I won’t fall
I am titanium

I don’t know how much you know about titanium – apologies to the geologists, chemists and engineers amongst you. It’s a natural metal with low corrosive properties which was discovered by Rev William Gregor, an English vicar and amateur mineralogist, in Cornwall in 1791. It’s one of the strongest metals, it’s pretty lightweight, heat-resistant and doesn’t react with body tissues (so it’s great for prosthetics). It really is an impressive, natural metal.

I have to admit that I’m not a big listener of ‘house’ or ‘urban-dance’ music, so this song is a little outside of the usual genres I listen. I’m thankful, therefore, for random ‘chosen for you’ playlists that expand my musical horizon. I’m also grateful for those who choose and write soundtracks for films that marry the imagery of a song with a film so perfectly. In this case, the notion that there are things that can try to destroy you but having an inner strength enveloped by an exterior of love can help to deflect or ricochet. No matter what, you can’t hurt me. I refuse to be destroyed.

I’m bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away

Titanium does have a weakness, however – oxygen is titanium’s ‘kryptonite.’ The song may not allude to such a weakness, but I find this strangely reassuring. Oxygen is crucial to human survival, and so this reminds me of our organic, vulnerable, human state. We aren’t invincible. We can fall. We are hurt. We will die. But that doesn’t need to worry us because there is something bigger than us; we are part of something bigger than us.

Lots of us in the Learning Network in the Methodist Church gathered together on Zoom this week and we heard some very powerful words from Carolyn Merry, Director of ‘Place for Hope.’ She concluded with the thought that whether you are alive or whether you are dead, whatever circumstance you might find yourself in, God is always in there with us. 

We can be shot down; people can take their aim at us; we might be cut down; sticks and stones may break our bones – but all that doesn’t need to matter because God is with us. Catholic Trappist monk, James Finley says ‘If we are absolutely grounded in the absolute love of God that protects us from nothing even as it sustains us in all things, then we can face all things with courage and tenderness and touch the hurting places in others and in ourselves with love.” In other words, God does not prevent us from life’s experiences of pain, suffering and trauma. Instead, God’s love sustains us through the most difficult times when we might be hurting excruciatingly.

We have nothing to lose, so fire away. God is with us. Emmanuel.

You can find out more about David Guetta at https://davidguetta.com/