Soul of the Song

Soul of the Song is a poetic journey that skillfully melds genres from country music to rock and folk, while exploring universal themes of love, identity, nostalgia, and social consciousness. Edmond A. Bruneau’s collection reads like an album liner note meets literary anthology, offering both introspection and entertainment. Stylistically, Bruneau excels in the use of metaphor, allusion, and musicality. In How Did I Find You? he uses cosmic imagery— “It’s astronomical. Beam me up”—to convey romantic euphoria, blending science fiction with intense emotion. His use of intertextuality shines in Joni, where references to Joni Mitchell’s music evoke a sense of generational longing and artistic admiration, grounding personal reflection in cultural memory. Themes of love as duality surface repeatedly. In She’s My Demon, She’s My Saint, Bruneau portrays love as both torment and salvation, employing paradoxical language (“blessing and curse,” “angel raising hell”) to capture its nuance. Similarly, Where There’s a Will, there’s a Way cleverly incorporates idioms like “needle in the haystack” to illustrate the persistence required in relationships.  

The collection also features captivating social commentary. Rule of Law uses stark imagery— “turmoil, chaos and quicksand”—to underline the fact that justice can be fragile. Meanwhile, Run to the Rainbow champions unity and peace, echoing 1960s idealism through an exploration of concepts like the “Brotherhood of man.” Bruneau’s nostalgia is noteworthy, and it ripples through many of the poetic utterances in this book. In Thirsty University, college life is humorously romanticized through beer-centric escapades, while Sunflower 69 reimagines the 1960s not as a replica, but as a contemporary homage, fusing psychedelic echoes with modern production. Soul of the Song is more than a lyric book—it’s a meditation on life through melody, rich with emotional currents and stylistic flair. Bruneau proves that poetry, when fused with song, can be both deeply personal and universally resonant. Edmond A. Bruneau is a lyricist whose compositions are as entertaining as they are delightful and thought-provoking.