I was at a dinner, a fund-raiser featuring bids on wine and various gifts and donations, all to raise money to help expand cultural awareness and help people with the cost of higher education. I was chatting with a friend when the bidding was about to commence. He said, “Oh, time for me to fly,” and went off to bid.
Boom, here came REO Speedwagon’s 1978 song, “Time for Me to Fly”. The song is all about giving up on a relationship that hasn’t worked out, and then leaving. Naturally, my buddy thought of the leaving context, as in time to get to another place in a hurry. I’ve always thought of it more simplistically, as in time to spread my wings, do stuff, and get things done.
My monthly cycle is on the upswing. Love it when that happens. Much better than the dark troughs.
Dark days come once a month. I call it monthly but, you know, it’s a few days shorter than that, just a time when my optimism surrenders to my pessimism, and discouragement bludgeons encouragement into despair. During the worse of them, I’m in an echo chamber asking myself, “What’s the use? Is there a point to any of this crap?”
But today, it’s a triple high. Discouragement runs away, pessimism flees, and optimism and hope take office on high, declaring, “Everything is going GREAT.”
In honor of this monthly mini-holiday, Peter Gabriel’s 1987 song, “Big Time”, has entered the stream.
Big Time, I’m on my way I’m making it, big time, Huh!
Big time, I’ve got to make it show yeah, big time
Big time, so much larger than life
Big time, I’m gonna watch it growing, big time
Big time, my car is getting bigger Big time, my house is getting bigger
Big time, my eyes are getting bigger
and my mouth
Big time, my belly’s getting bigger
Big time, and my bank account
Big time, look at my circumstance
Big time, and the bulge in my big big big big big big big big big big big big big big big, hi there
This song, “Hold On” (1983) is by Yes and comes from one of my favorite albums, 90125. The song entered today’s song when I was corresponded with someone down who was thinking about different career options, I told them to hold on, of course. Later, reflecting on the exchange, the song came to me. So, I share it with you.
As I was pondering choices and pandering to pets, I mumbled, “Whatever gets us through the day.” The song stream kicked in. Up came John Lennon’s energetic melody, “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” (1974).
Ah, it’s a good song for a Thursday, Friday…whatever.
I was doing my pre-writing walk through Ashland this morning, shuffling through golden leaves that’d lived their last, pushing against a nippy chill and leaning toward thin morning sunshine whenever it was found, when songs streamed in from the ethos. First up was the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” but “Get It On (Back A Gong)” by T. Rex replaced it after a few blocks.
I decided the latter would be a good theme song this morning, but I wanted to go with the cover. Who the hell did the cover?
Well, my mind quickly abandoned that question, returning to writing — that’s what the walk is all about — but as I entered the coffee shop at the end of the two miles, my brain said, The Power Station, 1985.
I was walking and thinking yesterday (amazing that I didn’t hurt myself), pursuing a flotilla of random thoughts when a scene between a traveler and a Tesla driver caught my eye. Traveler is the name given to homeless around here. Homeless is an easy term for a complex situation. Local agencies have interviewed a number of homeless and discovered that some are homeless by choice and enjoy traveling from area to area along the I-5 corridor. Ashland doesn’t welcome travelers but the community strives to enjoy everyone has a few meals a week and shelter during cold weather.
I don’t know what the conversation was about between the Tesla driver and the traveler. I knew the man was a traveler because I’ve seen him before and had bought him food a few times. I hadn’t seen him for a while, and thought he’d moved on. Maybe he did, and came back.
Watching the exchange, though, lyrics from the 1968 Sly and the Family Stone song, “Everyday People” came to mind. I feel fortunate that Sly and the Family Stone was making music then, as they released several terrific albums. This song is just one that I remember and enjoy.
The song’s sentiment is timeless.
Sometimes I’m right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I’m in
I am everyday people, yeah, yeah
There is a blue one
Who can’t accept the green one
For living with a fat one
Trying to be a skinny one
Different strokes
For different folks
And so on and so on
And scooby dooby dooby
Oh sha sha
We got to live together
I am no better and neither are you
We are the same, whatever we do
You love me, you hate me, you know me and then
You can’t figure out the bag I’m in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah
There is a long hair
That doesn’t like the short hair
For being such a rich one
That will not help the poor one
Different strokes
For different folks
Thinking about novel writing brought song lyrics into my stream yesterday:
We always did feel the same, we just saw it from a different point of view.
That summarizes much of my writing approach. I’m a fan of the unreliable narrator. Most people are unreliable narrators of their lives and stories, blinded by perceptions that weren’t there, changing what they said they saw and felt later, revising their approaches and feelings. I enjoy juxtaposing the clash of facts and memories, and letting emotions spill over.
The song line is from Bob Dylan’s 1975 song, “Tangled Up in Blue”. I’ve always enjoyed the sort of abstract, complex and yet surprisingly simple sentiments and reflections the song delivers through its point of view. So human.
Suffering from a cold caught while traveling. So today, blowing my nose while coughing and shaking my head, I was like, “I just want to be okay.”
I’m doing much better and expect to be okay today. That popped the song, “Be OK” by Ingrid Michaelson (2008). It’s a bouncy tune with not much depth, perfect for my mind, which isn’t deep.
A light song is good for today, though, as I surf political news, roll my eyes, and walk away to take a break from the world. It is Sunday.
Today’s music comes from visiting Mom last week. Whenever I’d talk about driving to my sister’s house, Mom would ask me which way I was going to go and then tell me which way she was going to go. My route varied by time of day, what I was seeing along the way to fill in memories, and what I’d learned about the road construction and congestion during my stay. Mom always took the same route. By the third day of this, Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” (1976) was in my stream.
Fleetwood Mac’s song is about relationships. In a way, that’s how it was for me, when thinking of Mom and remembering this song.
Although I like the studio version of this song better, I chose this live version. I like the nakedness and clarity of the band members. Seeing them reminds me of the people behind the song. The song had a lot of personal reasons behind it as Nicks and Buckingham had broken up; this song was written out of his pain.
Beyond that, I love watching Mick pounding away on the drums. Wow.
Michael Seidel, writer 