If you were a song writer, how would you feel about the lyrics of one of your songs illustrating an entire wall above a public toilet?

A secondary question: Is it sexist, in a unisex bathroom, to make that artwork much more visible to male patrons than to female patrons?

This past weekend my wife and I celebrated our anniversary by spending a couple of days in one of Ottawa’s most creative neighbourhoods: the Glebe.  We went for coffee at the Wild Oat, a wonderful bakery/cafe that serves up gluten-free options for my celiac-suffering honey bunch. I had indulged in a couple of coffees already that day so nature called. I went into the washroom, stood in front of the commode, and saw this:

It was a nice long pee so I could read through it twice. Frankly, I thought it was awesome. So much so that I went back to our table, grabbed my phone, and returned to the washroom just so I could take these pictures. You’re welcome.

I was amused by it all but also thankful for the creative types who even think of something like this. Why not have inspiration above a public toilet? Why not share your creativity in a space we so often view as completely utilitarian? The lyrics were uplifting but the impulse to put them there in that washroom of the Wild Oat was even more  so to me. And I’m sure no sexism was intended.

I had to look up these lyrics to find out the author: Nick Barber, an English musician who goes by the stage name of Doof. I have no idea if Nick knows that his song lyrics are in that public toilet, but I have a funny feeling that he would have no problem with it at all… though he might like some credit for it on that wall!

Below are the lyrics to his song “Angel Heart”; below that, a link to a recording of the song. Here’s to all you creatives out there who are unafraid to make art, share art, be art in even the strangest of places! To me, you are all Angel Hearts.

Angel heart
Is this another ending or a start?
Is there any way that they could be apart?
In the end
We come full circle again

Gentle soul
You know each daily trouble takes it’s toll
But every silver lining hides a seam of gold
In the end
We come full circle again

Angel heart
Never be afraid to face the dark
If you are you’ll never let the healing start
In the end
We come full circle again

Gentle soul
Never be afraid to face the goal
Don’t you know the light you see is your own soul?
In the end
We come full circle again

Special One
Set your ship to sail into the sun
And when you finally get there you’ll have just begun
In the end
We come full circle again

https://nickbarber.bandcamp.com/track/angelheart