forgetting the words

I’ve been on a Patti Smith kick lately, which led me to her performance at the 2016 Nobel Prize Ceremony to honor Bob Dylan.

Part of the way through “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” Patti blanks on the words. But instead of trying to cover, she stops the song and apologizes.

“I’m sorry. I’m so nervous,” she says, a confession met with sweeping applause.

As always, I’m in sheer awe of Patti’s unrelenting honesty and vulnerability.

We’re so quick to forget our icons are human beings, capable of making mistakes and forgetting the words. We all get nervous. None of us are perfect.

If you’re looking for someone who’s doing it right, look no further than Patti Smith.