Let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise. ~ Psalm 95:2
As I head to church today for the Christmas Eve service, I am filled with the anticipation of joy found in the celebration of the birth of The Prince Of Peace. The songs, the candlelight and the eternal message of hope is a perfect cap to each year and makes me reflect upon the greatest gift ever given to mankind. And also in remembrance that the greatest gifts we give each other is ourselves.
The Christmas Eve service is when Christmas becomes real for me and when the spirit of the season finally starts to rise in my heart. It is my “kickoff” to the holiday, usually followed by a Christmas Eve dinner with family and friends and then the celebration of Christmas morning. Oh yes, and one more thing: the annual viewing of Jimmy Stewart in “It’s A Wonderful Life” with my daughter, which typically occurs in the late hours after the dinner party and everyone else has retired for the night. Sometimes my wife and son will join in, but they usually fall asleep shortly after the gymnasium floor opens and the pool party begins.
And in the spirit of that classic movie, I wanted to write a “Christmas card” of thanks to those of you who follow this blog, as well as those who have just passed through and sampled a post or two. Since I don’t have all your addresses and I can’t send a real card, this will have to do!
God has blessed me with a passion for both music and writing, so this blog has truly been a labor of love for me this year and has fulfilled a long desire of mine to find a way to “mission” for Christ
I am looking forward to writing more posts for you in the coming year and hope to continue to spread God’s message as reflected in these classic tunes. And if there are any particular songs that you believe deserve the UTRS treatment, please feel free to comment and let me know. I’ll be glad to take your requests!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all from UTRS!
P.S. Here’s a brief snippet of “It’s A Wonderful Life” to get you in the Christmas spirit, too!
And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. ~ Luke 2:7
Welcome to my Christmas song I’d like to thank you for the year So I’m sending you this Christmas card To say it’s nice to have you here I’d like to sing about all the things Your eyes and mind can see So hop aboard the turntable Oh step into Christmas with me
Yup, that’s right and we’ve all heard this story a million times. There was no friendly greeter hanging outside the inn on that December night, nobody with a welcoming wave. Just a door slammed tight and nowhere to turn for Mary, Joseph and their new baby boy.
As my pastor, the Reverend Bryant Wright often says; Jesus was welcomed to this earth with a “No Entry” sign and laid to rest in a tomb with a “No Exit” sign. How’s that for a bit of Christmas cheer?
Step into Christmas Let’s join together We can watch the snow fall forever and ever Eat, drink and be merry Come along with me Step into Christmas The admission’s free
There was no offer of food or drink on this first Christmas Day and certainly no free rooms. And though some translations of the verses describing the scene in Bethlehem seemed quite comfy; the soft swaddling clothes and the quaint little manger, the truth was far harsher. More likely, it was a dirty feeding trough and a smelly shed with a dirt floor and holes in the walls big enough for a cat to jump through.
Take care in all you do next year And keep smiling through the days If we can help to entertain you Oh we will find the ways So merry Christmas one and all There’s no place I’d rather be Than asking you if you’d oblige Stepping into Christmas with me
But the good news is that the gift-giving began soon afterwards and rolls merrily on every year since. The wise men who came following the star were smart enough to come bearing earthly gifts fitting for a King. Little did they know that the real gift was coming to them from the heavenly realm. And this gift was freely given not only to those wise men, but to all mankind smart enough to seek Him.
Step into Christmas Let’s join together We can watch the snow fall forever and ever Eat, drink and be merry Come along with me Step into Christmas The admission’s free Oh oh oh La la la la
Elton John, while surely not a highly religious man (check out my earlier post A Pauper To A Pawn) has demonstrated a strong reverence for God and Jesus nonetheless. Many of his early songs have significant spiritual references – though in fairness we must recognize the lyrical genius of Bernie Taupin in this regard – and at the end of his most successful year to date as a recording artist, he decided to produce a musical Christmas card for his fans.
Welcome to my Christmas song I’d like to thank you for the year So I’m sending you this Christmas card To say it’s nice to have you here I’d like to sing about all the things Your eyes and mind can see So hop aboard the turntable Oh step into Christmas with me
“Step Into Christmas” was released in late November of 1973, on the heels of his albums, Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player (“Crocodile Rock”, “Daniel” and “Teacher, I Need You”) in January and then the landmark Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in October. And like the proverbial “cherry on top”, it quickly rose to #1 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart.
Step into Christmas Let’s join together We can watch the snow fall forever and ever Eat, drink and be merry Come along with me Step into Christmas The admission’s free
A few interesting notes about “Step Into Christmas”:
It was written and recorded in just a few short hours on a Sunday morning in London’s Trident Studios.
The song appeared as a standalone single, on the Elton John’s ChristmasParty lp and as a bonus track on the 1995 re-issue of Caribou and two different vocal versions of the song exist.
Elton and Bernie were big fans of legendary producer Phil Spector’ girl groups of the early 60’s and his famed “Wall Of Sound” recording technique. “Step Into Christmas” was intentionally produced by Gus Dudgeon – at Elton and Bernie’s request – to imitate that sound. Castanets included!
I’ve always loved the slow and stirring Christmas songs like the Eagles “Please Come Home For Christmas” and Bing’s “White Christmas”, but, like Elton and Bernie, I’m a big fan of the “girl group” Christmas stuff too.
So, take a minute out of the busy days leading up to the big day and step into this uplifting Christmas card message from Elton, Dee, Davey and Nigel to help get you into the true Christmas spirit!
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. – Luke 2:10
The snow’s coming down I’m watching it fall Watching the people around Baby please come home
There are no memories of Christmas quite like those of your childhood. And it’s not just the gifts you receive, but the warm love of friends and family which seems to magnify in intensity as the celebration of the birth of Christ approaches. Yes, it’s relationships, not gifts, that are the true “reason for the season”.
The churchbells in town They’re ringing a song What a happy sound Baby please come home
And yet for many, it’s the lack of those relationships that can make Christmas a time of great sadness. The loss of a loved one, separation from family due to distance apart – or worst of all – a relationship gone bad at the worst possible time.
They’re singing deck the halls
But it’s not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here
All the fun we had last year
The desire to keep relationships intact through the holidays is so strong, in fact, that January is regularly called “Divorce Month” in legal circles. The thought of being alone during the holidays is so depressing that even those who are desperate to sever ties will hold out -ever hopefully -until January.
Pretty lights on the tree I’m watching ’em shine You should be here with me Baby please come home
So, it’s easy to understand how the subject of being alone and separated from loved ones gets so much attention in secular Christmas songs. As a teenager of the 70’s, I grew up with the Eagles haunting “Bells will be ringing…the sad, sad news” singing in my ears every year. Their soulful rendition of the 1950 classic “Please Come Home For Christmas”, written by famed blues pianist Charles Brown, was a mournful reminder of the unique longing that comes with love lost at Christmastime.
If there was a way I’d hold back these tears But it’s Christmas day Baby please come home
But there was another song, reaching a bit further back into my childhood Christmas memories, that first evoked this stirring emotion in my soul. The year was 1963 and I was just a youngster riding in my parent’s car when I first heard it. Darlene Love was a perennial background singer that finally saw her chance to shine…and shine she did. The legendary 60’s girl group producer, Phil Spector (Ronettes, The Crystals, Bob B. Soxx, The Beatles, Ramones) had originally intended the song for the Ronettes, but after having both audition the piece, he declared Darlene’s version the more emotive of the two.
“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” became the quintessential “missing you at Christmas” song for me and set the bar for all those I heard afterwards. No sad Christmas song I ever heard – before or after – made you feel like this; not Elvis’ “Blue Christmas”, Mariah’s “All I Want For Christmas” or even Loretta’s “Christmas Without Daddy”. Right from the the opening, it just grabs you with that simple, lonesome plea, “Baby, please come home.”.
A few interesting tidbits about Darlene and the song:
In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” as #1 on it’s Greatest Rock And Roll Christmas Songs list.
Darlene has performed the song live on David Letterman’s final show before Christmas every year since 1986. (She wasn’t able to perform in 2007, so Dave showed a rerun of her 2006 performance.)
During the original recording session, Phil Spector thought the song was so good that they should make a non-Christmas version for airplay at any time of year. He had Darlene record “Johnny (Baby Please Come Home)” which was finally released in 1977 as the B side to Darlene’s single “Lord, If You’re A Woman”.
Darlene didn’t really get credit she deserved for her biggest hit “He’s A Rebel” (it went to #1 on the charts); it was released as being performed by The Crystals. (Phil Spector’s manipulations again, I’d suppose.)
So, as you enjoy the Christmas and New Year’s holidays this year, please be mindful of the fact that, for some, this can truly be the coldest time of year. But as Darlene said at a recent show in San Francisco: “A barricade is nothing but something you have to get over. Once you get over it, the joy on the other side is very fulfilling.”
Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:31
Well if I could walk on water And if I could find some way to prove If I could walk on water would you believe in me My love is so true
Trust, faith, belief…and the ever present Doubting Thomas. We all know how hard it is to maintain these traits given the nature of the human condition. The big problem, I believe, lies in the marked difference between what we see everyday in life versus what we want – or don’t want – to believe.
Well I’m no angel, now, I’ll admit I made a few bad moves I should regret I hurt you once or so you said Just one more chance is all you get
Yes it’s the constant failings, both our fellow man’s and our own, that shake our faith. None of us are angels, that’s for sure. I get challenged on my faith by others at times. This is because most of them define faith as “belief without proof”. Or as a senseless belief in something – or someone – despite the existing evidence. When actually, quite the opposite is true.
Didn’t mean to do you wrong again Worse things have been done by better men Baby, baby, don’t, don’t treat me this way I know, yes, I’ve got to pay now, I’m still paying
I’ll admit it’s hard, very hard, to keep your faith at times. After all, if what we see and experience on a daily basis from those around us (and even ourselves) is reality, it can seem almost ludicrous to maintain certain beliefs in the face of it all. And so it is these things that we “see” that rule our feelings and emotions. But as my grandpa once told me: “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.”.
Well if I could walk on water And if I could find some way to prove If I could walk on water would you believe in me, my love is true
And the truth is that haters are going to hate and doubters are going to doubt. Walking on water, multiplying fish, raising the dead or splitting the sea…it won’t matter to some. They just don’t want to believe.
All along, I told you lies To err is human, forgive is divine Don’t be a fool, don’t settle the score Cause I can’t take it no more, I can’t take it
Eddie Money – born Edward Mahoney – is surely a keen study in keeping the faith. Eddie was born to a large Irish Catholic family in Brooklyn, New York, laced with Irish cops – his grandfather, dad and brother were all NYPD. In the late 60’s, Eddie was following the family path towards a career as a police officer himself – he was actually a NYPD cadet – while honing his chops as a local area rocker.
His love of music reigned supreme however, and soon Eddie wound up splitting for Berkley, California. He cut his teeth on the local club circuit until legendary promoter Bill Graham, took notice. He wound up getting a deal with Columbia Records and the rest was history. His breakout debut Eddie Money spawned two Top 40 hits in 1977; “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets To Paradise” along with the his Top 1oo cover of the Smokey Robinson penned “You Really Got A Hold On Me”.
Well, if I could walk on water (if I could) Is that what I’m gonna have to do If I could walk on water would be you believe in me, my love is so true
Eddie’s meteoric rise to success continued through the early 80’s with MTV fueled hits like “Shakin” and “Think I’m In Love”, but the hits started to dry up as drug addiction problems began to take hold of his life. He went four years without a charting single, but his record label, Columbia, remained faithful and helped to get him back on track. In 1986, Eddie resurfaced on a duet with the legendary Ronnie Spector on “Take Me Home Tonight” and triumphed once again with “Walk On Water” in 1988.
Do I have to walk, walk, walk on water for you Hey baby, baby, there’s a little time, let’s spend it together We’ll get over what we left behind, there’s our future together Yeah, well let’s stay together
A few interesting notes about Eddie:
The Ronettes biggest hit “Be My Baby” is featured as part of the background to “Take Me Home Tonight”
Eddie’s last charting single was “I’ll Get By” which reached #21 in 1992
Eddie and his song “Two Tickets To Paradise” were featured in a GEICO insurance commercial
And isn’t it ironic, especially at this time of year, when it seems that the whole world is taking time to celebrate the birth of Christ – as we have for over 2,000 years – that people still find it hard to keep their faith?
So, when the world seems hell bent on beating you down and your faith starts to slide, just remember that there is always a reason to believe.
Children are the heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. – Psalms 127:3
When your summer days come tumbling down And you find yourself alone Then you can come back and be with me Just close your eyes and I’ll be there
I’ve always believed that the greatest blessings that God gives us in this world are the human relationships we share. Family, neighbors, freinds, colleagues and yes, our social media families, too. But among these, our children have to be the absolute greatest of all.
Listen to the sound Of this old heart beating for you Yes I’d miss you But I never want to hold you down You might say I’m here for you
And it’s funny how these blessings and the feelings we have for our children can be so distinctively different depending upon gender. Mother/daughter, Father/son and vice versa, they’re all filled with love, yet somehow unique.
Not to downplay any others, but it seems as if the relationship between a dad and his baby girl (and yes, she’ll always be his baby girl, even when she’s 40) will always be special. Mama Bear will always be protective of all their cubs, but not in the same way fathers can be for their daughters.
When the winter comes to your new home And snowflakes are falling down Then you can come back and be with me Just close your eyes and I’ll be there
A father knows that his relationship with and the way he treats his wife will serve as the standard for how his daughter will set expectations for the men in her life. The Bible says husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the Church and that’s probably a good guideline to follow. And, rest assured that Dad will be keeping a keen eye on any young man in her life and will expect no lesser standard from him.
In the spring, protective arms surrounding you In the fall, we let you go your way Happiness I know will always find you And when it does, I hope that it will stay
In all seasons fathers seek to protect their daughters, while still taking pride in their growth and independence as young women and watching them develop in the pathways provided by their mothers. We hope only for their safety and happiness in their lives beyond us, while still secretly wishing they could stay with us forever.
Yes I miss you But I never want to hold you down You might say I’m here for you Yes I miss you But I never want to hold you down You might say I’m here for you I’ll always be here for you
“Here For You” was released on Neil Young’s 27th studio LP Prairie Wind in 2005. It was written for his daughter, Amber Jean, who was 21 years old and in her final year at college. Prairie Wind marked yet another distinctive twist in Neil’s constantly shifting musical stylings, following the 60’s soul-infused Are You Passionate? in 2002 and the rock opera-esq Greendale in 2003.
And just like a father’s reminiscence, Prairie Wind appeared to harken back to his writings on the Harvest and Harvest Moon albums. It came at a time in Neil’s life when he was feeling a bit of his own mortality, coming closely on the heels of the death of his father and an operation for a minor brain aneurysm in the spring of 2005.
The whole album has a lustrous and bittersweet country rock tone, and “Here For You” is surely no exception.
So, to all the Dads out there with daughters, you’ll definitely relate – either now or down the road. And just let them know, no matter what, we’ll always be here…just for them.
This post is dedicated to my daughter, Amanda (who is quite a gifted and creative writer herself).
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Sometimes in our lives We all have pain, we all have sorrow But if we are wise We know that there’s always tomorrow
Yes, we all have our problems. But the good news of Jesus is that there will always be at least one “someone to lean on”. And though true friends can be hard to find, sometimes help can come from people and places you would not normally expect.
Lean on me when you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on For it won’t be long ‘Til I’m gonna need somebody to lean on
John Lennon once said Instant Karma was gonna get you, but it can just as easily help you. It’s a two-way street. Maybe I’ve lived a charmed life, but I honestly can’t recall a single time in my life when I really needed help and couldn’t find it.
The “snow-jam” last winter in Atlanta was a testimony to folks reaching out to help others in any way they could. I-75 was a literal parking lot, with cars stranded and stuck in all lanes, rapidly running out of gas (and heat) in sub-zero temps for hours and hours. I was at home watching the news and saw where people that lived nearby were hiking out from their homes, sometimes walking miles, bringing blankets, water and food to those stuck in their cars.
Please, swallow your pride If I have things you need to borrow For no one can fill those of your needs That you won’t let show
But it doesn’t take a natural disaster to bring the best out in our fellow man. I’ve found that if you’ll just be humble enough to ask, more times than not you’ll find people willing and even eager to lend a helping hand. And that can be tough for some of us – especially men – to do.
In this month of Thanksgiving, we all should take time out to be thankful for those we lean on for support. The greatest blessings God has bestowed on us are the human relationships in our lives.
You just call on me, brother, when you need a hand We all need somebody to lean on I just might have a problem that you’ll understand We all need somebody to lean on
Bill Withers knows firsthand what it is like to be in need. Bill was born in the rural coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, the youngest of 13 children. Bill’s father died when he was only 13 years old and at age 18, he enlisted in the Navy. It was during his nine year Navy service that Bill truly began to develop his singing and songwriting style.
After leaving the Navy, Bill took a job on the assembly line at Douglas Aircraft and was so unsure of his future in music that he refused to quit his job even as his first hit single “Ain’t No Sunshine” was hitting the charts.
If there is a load You have to bear that you can’t carry I’m right up the road, I’ll share your load If you just call me
“Lean On Me” was Bill’s biggest hit, going to #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Soul Singles charts in 1972. It was the first single off his breakthrough LP Still Bill and was ranked #205 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. It is one of only nine songs in rock history to reach #1 on the charts for two different artists; Club Nouveau also hit the top spot with their funky hip hop dance version in 1987.
Bill’s inspiration for “Lean On Me” came after he had moved to Los Angeles to further pursue his music career. He was living in a seedy, West LA apartment and thinking of how different it was and how the different the people were, too.
In a 2004 interview with Carl Wiser of Songfacts, Bill said, “(I know) it sounds idealized if you are from an environment where it’s (helping others out) not ordinarily practical to do that. But I’m from an environment where it was practical to do that.”
As an example, Bill recalled an incident from earlier days: “When I was in the Navy, I must have been about 18, 19 years old, and I was stationed in Pensacola, Florida. It was some holiday, I had this car that I was able to buy and I was driving from Pensacola, Florida up to West Virginia. As is the case with young people with cheap cars, the tires weren’t that great, so one of my tire blew out on this rural Alabama road. This guy comes walking over the hill that looked like he was right out of the movie Deliverance. Did you see that movie?”
“He says to me, ‘Oh, you had a blowout.’ Well, I didn’t have a spare tire. This guy goes walking back across the hill, and I’m not too comfortable here because I know where I am. He comes back walking with a tire, and he actually helps me put the tire on the car. My circumstance, this was not an idealized concept, this was real to me.”
“Still Bill” is still around, doing some writing and producing; mostly working with new artists to help them get a start. So, let’s all take a few minutes while we’re giving thanks this week to reflect on the simple human kindnesses that abound out there. And know that there’s always somebody out there that needs somebody to lean on.
By your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries. – Ezekiel 28:4
When the lights go down in the California town People are in for the evening I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar My heart beatin’ time with my breathin’ Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold
In 1978, I was an up and coming college student struggling to get by on my part time gig at a local steak house and trying to figure out what I was ultimately going to do with myself. I had given up on my fantasy of becoming a part of the Turner Broadcasting team working Atlanta Braves games (via an Electrical Engineering degree – not for me, thank you) and had settled into a more manageable course of study in Mass Communications and Journalism at Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta.
Sports and music were my two favorite hobbies, but I was not good enough at either of them (drums and baseball) to even remotely imagine making money in those endeavors, so I was slowly coming to the realization that I needed to figure out a career path.
Well my buddy Jim Bass he’s a-workin’ pumpin gas And he makes two fifty for an hour He’s got rythm in his hands as he’s tappin’ on the cans Sings rock and roll in the shower Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold
I was making exactly $2.50 an hour at that steak house and with winter break approaching, I saw an opportunity to pump up my barely visible checking account balance. I say “saw” literally, because as I was sitting at a red light one day, I glanced over at the shopping center on my left to see a new record store that had recently opened. Hey, I thought, maybe I could get an extra part time job over the break…and what better place for a music junkie to work than a record store?
I pulled up, parked in front and approached the guy who owned the place. His name was Al. I needed a job and he needed some extra help checking in merchandise. Sixteen years – and hundreds of new stores – later I was still there, trying to help Big Al turn music into gold.
Ah, the California girls are the greatest in the world Each one’s a song in the making Singin’ rock to me I can hear the melody The story is there for the takin’ Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold
John Stewart was a legendary singer-songwriter long before he teamed up with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham to turn a bit of music into “Gold”, his come-from-out-of-nowhere top 5 single in 1979. John started his career in folk music with The Cumberland Three and then became a member of the Kingston Trio, replacing founding member, Dave Guard, in 1961. The Kingston Trio continued to perform and record throughout the early 60″s, but as the British Invasion took hold, the folk music scene began to decline and John’s writing shifted to a pop tilt. His biggest claim to fame before hitting with “Gold” was composing The Monkee’s smash hit “Daydream Believer”.
John’s golden decision to team up with Buckingham and Nicks was obviously a terrific move as his album Bombs Away Dream Babies spawned three Top 40 hits including “Gold”, “Midnight Wind” and “Lost Her In The Sun”.
When the lights go down in the California town People are in for the evening I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar My heart beatin’ time with my breathin’ Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to my soul There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold
Yes, sometimes life and success are more about good timing than anything else. It was surely good timing that put me in front of the record store that day and launched my career path. The music industry itself went from being a lucrative business for label execs to becoming the ruler of pop culture in the 70’s and 80’s with the product rolling from vinyl to cassette to CD’s, and everybody demanding their MTV on cable.
Record sales benchmarks went from being measured in terms of gold records to platinum to multi platinum. For those artists entering the market during these boom times, the sky truly was the limit. For a time during the second British Invasion of the 80’s, it seemed that all you needed was a guitar and the right hair (see Flock Of Seagulls) to turn music into literal gold.
John’s timing was perfect too, coming into folk, pop, rock and on into Americana at just the right time with just the right songs.
So, turn down the lights and give this little nugget a listen. And get a glimpse of the way the record biz – back in the good old days – could turn a blob of black wax into pure gold.
You have seen many things, but you do not observe them; Your ears are open, but none hears. – Isaiah 42:20
It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day I was out choppin’ cotton, and my brother was balin’ hay And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat Mama hollered out the back door, y’all remember to wipe your feet! Then she said, “I got some news this mornin’ from Choctaw Ridge Today, Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge”
Is it just me, or does the world feel a good bit colder these days? And I don’t mean the time of year. It seems to me that, even though we’re all more “connected” than ever, we can all, at times, feel more alone and isolated than ever.
It happens all the time, not just in the communities we live in, but in our very own homes. At least it does in mine. There are many times when I’m sitting on the couch, watching TV and surfing online with my iPad, and I’ll look over to see that my son and wife are both busily flipping through screens on their phones. And then “ping”, I’ll get a message from my wife on Facebook. Can’t we just talk to each other any more?
And papa said to mama, as he passed around the blackeyed peas “Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits, please There’s five more acres in the lower forty I’ve got to plow” And mama said it was shame about Billy Joe, anyhow Seems like nothin’ ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge And now Billy Joe MacAllister’s jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Isn’t technology grand? And within these social “networks” we all belong to (I still have a bit of trouble with the concept of “social” and “network” being used together in the same phrase) there is perfect love, peace and harmony, right? Not exactly. Sometimes it can be a downright snarky place to hang out. Gives a whole new meaning to “chillin’ out online”, doesn’t it?
And brother said he recollected when he, and Tom, and Billie Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
And wasn’t I talkin’ to him after church last Sunday night?
“I’ll have another piece-a apple pie; you know, it don’t seem right
I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge
And now ya tell me Billie Joe’s jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge”
Yes, the world can be a cold and callous place. In the digital realm, even the death of folks around us can be trivialized, if not outright jeered at, in some of the more cruel cases. But what I think stings the most is simple indifference. You start to wonder how these people can just walk (or scroll) on by. Not just your own troubles and challenges, but those of others, as well. This is especially true for those with larger networks. Mine is pretty small, so I don’t often experience this side of it. But I know a lot of people do. And I’m as guilty of it as anyone.
And mama said to me, “Child, what’s happened to your appetite? I’ve been cookin’ all morning, and you haven’t touched a single bite That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today Said he’d be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin’ off the Tallahatchie Bridge”
Maybe we can’t classify Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode To Billie Joe” as classic rock, but it’s definitely a classic and has always been one of my favorites from 1967. Apparently Rolling Stone magazine thought so too, ranking it at #412 on their 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time list.
Bobbie was one of the first female country artists to write and produce her own material and the southern-goth toned “Ode” was certainly one of her best songs, spending over a month at #1 on Billboard’s Top 100.
A year has come and gone since we heard the news ’bout Billy Joe Brother married Becky Thompson; they bought a store in Tupelo There was a virus going round; papa caught it and died last spring And now mama doesn’t seem to want to do much of anything And me – I spend a lot of time pickin’ flowers up on Choctaw Ridge And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge
One gets so caught up in the story about poor Billie Joe, that it’s easy to completely pass over the real meaning behind the song; the nonchalant indifference of this rural family during dinner small talk to the suicide death itself. It just gets mixed right in there amongst the peas, the pie and another 40 acres of field to plow.
The most common question on everyone’s mind after hearing the song centered on what the narrator of the song and Billie Joe threw off the bridge, thereby proving Bobbie’s underlying premise.
A few interesting tidbits about the song include:
The Tallahatchie bridge collapsed in 1972 , just a few years after the song hit the airwaves. It was later rebuilt.
After the song became a hit, Rolling Stone magazine reported that the bridge was only 20 feet high over the water and plenty deep, so there was no way to commit suicide by jumping off. Of course, this drove hundreds to try it for themselves, driving the local cops crazy.
Speculation as to what object Billie Joe threw off the bridge included: an engagement ring, a draft card, a bottle of LSD, and an aborted baby.
The song remains as one of my all time faves; I love the simple spare arrangement with Bobbie’s raspy vocal, her guitar and just a few strings stirring in the Mississippi breeze on a hot summer day.
I think Henry David Thoreau sums it up with his quote: “Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?”
So, can we all just put down our phones for a minute, and try to be just a little less oblivious to the needs of others in and around our lives?
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. – Matthew 12:37
Smile an everlasting smile A smile could bring you near to me Don’t ever let me find you gone ‘Cause that would bring a tear to me
You know the feeling, right? It’s intense. And things like a glance or smile, or even just the smell on the shirt or jacket he/she left at your place can stir your heart mightily. Little things, but they can mean so much.
This world has lost it’s glory Let’s start a brand new story Now my love, right now there’ll be No other time and I can show you how, my love
You feel like you’re living in a world of your own, just the two of you. Others pass by, darting in and out, occasionally interrupting but only superficially. You pay them no mind.
Talk in everlasting words And dedicate them all to me And I will give you all my life I’m here if you should call to me
And then one day, IT happens. No, not that…it’s those words you just said. Hanging out there in the air. You can almost see them, as if captured in one of those comic strip “speech bubbles”, with the arrow coming out of your mouth. You’re frozen, unable to move or speak further.
Sometimes this can be a good thing, but more than often than not our mouths can get us in a lot of trouble. Sometimes a few carelessly spoken words hurt the ones we love more than anything else we can do. And once spoken, we can never get them back.
The Bible is full of warnings regarding the evils of the tongue and all the havoc it can wreak in our lives. To the point of our own condemnation. In the Book of James, it says that no human can tame the tongue and that it’s filled with evil. It cautions even those most pious, that to live with an unbridled tongue is to make their religion worthless.
It’s amazing how this tongue our Lord has blessed us with, can be such a force for good and happiness, yet can just as easily become a vessel of evil and heartache. Even so, many of us give very little thought to the impact that our words can have on others.
You think that I don’t even mean A single word I say It’s only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away
If the Beach Boys are America’s original “brother” band, then certainly the Bee Gees (the Brothers Gibb) are the U.K.’s (though some might argue they were Australian).
The Bee Gees had two very distinct periods of success: from 1967-1975 (pre-disco) and from 1975-forward (post-disco). Their 1975 single “Jive Talkin'” was definitely the turning point, if you ask me. Even though their success after the release of 1977’s Saturday Night Fever was far greater than their earlier works – SNF alone sold over 15 million albums – I’ve always thought their pre-disco period material was superior. (That being said, I must admit “How Deep Is Your Love” is a favorite of mine and will always hold special meaning for me.)
“Words” was released in 1968 and charted at #15 here in the U.S and at #9 in the U.K. Interestingly, most all of their pre-disco songs featured Robin’s clear vibrato on lead vocals and most of the post-disco songs had Barry’s soul-infused falsetto, but “Words” was the exception. Barry took the lead on “Words” and it was also the first time one of the brothers solo-ed on one of their songs.
“Words” always stood out to me – it had that familiar Bee Gees sound, but was missing the harmony vocals. And with that unique “compressed” piano (sounded like 10 pianos playing at once), it had a spare, lonely, haunting sound that definitely stood out among the other songs swirling Top 40 radio at that time.
Barry actually wrote the song after the brothers had a few too many arguments in the studio, and to point out how hurtful some of the things the brothers had said to one another were. I guess you could say it was kind of an inter-group “make-up” song.
A few interesting notes about the song include:
Like a lot of their songs, they wrote it for someone else; in this case Cliff Richards. He never got around to recording it, so they did.
Elvis Presley chose to perform it in many of his early 70’s concerts.
The song was not on one of their albums; it was written for a movie soundtrack, The Mini Affair.
It reached #1 on the charts in Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands and China.
The Bee Gees went on to sell over 220 million records worldwide, making them one of the best selling acts of all time. The Bee Gees were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and their citation says “Only Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees.”
When my son, Trey, was about 13, he and I were traveling on a camping trip and I had the Bee Gees live masterpiece, One Night Only, playing in the car. After listening quietly to a few songs (with Barry on lead vocals), Trey turned to me and asked “Dad, why does he sing like that?”. I looked at him and said, “Son, because he can!”.
Listen to the original studio version here:
Listen to Barry and the Bee Gees live on Ed Sullivan 1968 here:
It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed ~Romans 13:11
In the middle of the night I go walking in my sleep From the mountains of faith To a river so deep I must be looking for something Something sacred I lost But the river is wide And it’s too hard to cross
What are you searching for? Someone to love? A soul mate? A new career? A new place to live?
Or is your search much deeper than that? I know it is for me. It has taken me a long. long time to near the end of my search, but I’ve begun to at least see it now. Funny thing is that it has been right in front of me all along. My search is for meaning.
And even though I know the river is wide I walk down every evening and I stand on the shore And try to cross to the opposite side So I can finally find out what I’ve been looking for
For us “baby boomers” maybe it’s just in the way we are wired. So self absorbed, so critically oblivious and materially motivated. I can remember clearly, when I was in my early 30’s, my mother saying to me when I was home for a visit, “Son, you know we’re proud for you and all you have accomplished, but you really need to stop and smell the roses.”
I heard her, but I didn’t really hear her. It’s taken me a long time to take her advice. And when I look, I can see the same thing all around me, in almost everyone I know.
And I’ve been searching for something Taken out of my soul Something I would never lose Something somebody stole
And what was stolen can never be replaced. It can’t be repurchased. It can’t be replenished. And even if he wanted to, the thief who robbed me can’t give it back. That which was stolen is time. And like Jim Croce once sang, we can’t bottle it.
I don’t know why I go walking at night But now I’m tired and I don’t want to walk anymore I hope it doesn’t take the rest of my life Until I find what it is that I’ve been looking for
One of my favorite quotes is from Sister Mary Corita Kent: “Life is a succession of moments; to live each one is to succeed.”
Yes, the things we search for are right here in front of us, in each and every one of those moments.
I believe the greatest meaning and fulfillment we can find in life, is found within the human relationships we have and living fully in those moments we share with others.
In the middle of the night I go walking in my sleep Through the jungle of doubt To a river so deep I know I’m searching for something Something so undefined That it can only be seen By the eyes of the blind In the middle of the night
It’s ironic that Billy Joel, son of a Holocaust survivor and an avowed atheist would write a song so deeply infused with Biblical references. He said as much himself: he got the idea for the song in one of his dreams – in the dream he was sleepwalking – and when he awoke he said to himself “Hey, who am I to try to pull off a gospel song?”. But he just couldn’t shake the feeling and found himself singing it over and over in the shower that morning.
I do think his lyric about something that could “only be seen by the eyes of the blind” is a bit of a atheistic stab at religious belief, but I would challenge him to say that he had no religious inspiration in the song. And might that mean that he was being a little spiritually guided, as well?
I’m not sure about a life after this God knows I’ve never been a spiritual man Baptized by the fire, I wade into the river That runs to the promised land
I guess we all have our doubts and struggles with our faith and beliefs, no matter what they are, and I’m sure it’s the same for Billy. “The River Of Dreams” was the title song and first hit single off his last recorded studio album to date, 1993’s River Of Dreams. The album leaned strongly towards themes around love, trust, betrayal and loss. Sure sounds like a man searching for meaning to me.
In the middle of the night I go walking in my sleep Through the desert of truth To the river so deep We all end in the ocean We all start in the streams We’re all carried along By the river of dreams In the middle of the night
A few interesting notes about Billy and the album include:
The album cover art was painted by his then wife, Christie Brinkley
Each of the subsequent singles from the album featured cover art that was a small section of the album cover painting.
Rolling Stone magazine gave it a “Top Pick” in their Best Album Cover of the Year awards in 1993
Joel said “river of dreams” was a play on the phrase “stream of consciousness”
Billy often toured with fellow pianist, Elton John, another strongly non-religious musical artist
While I may not agree with Billy’s lack of religious belief, I do have to admire the God given talent behind it. “The River of Dreams” may have been one of his finest recordings in a career that includes over 150 million records sold worldwide, making him the #3 solo recoding artist all-time in the Unites States.
So, let’s roll up our pants legs and wander down to the river where we can hear a non-sermon from “an innocent man”. And while we’re at it, we can say a prayer for Billy, too.
Listen to the original studio version and video here:
Upon This Rock Song 