Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Higher Love" (Steve Winwood)

Rules of Civility #5 - "If you cough, sneeze, sigh or yawn, do it not loud but privately; and speak not in your yawning but put your handkerchief or hand before your face and turn aside."
     Can you feel the love tonight.....L is for the way you look at me......You'd think that people would have enough of silly love songs....I love you truly, truly dear.....All you need is love.....We've got a groovy kinda love....Love is a many splendored thing....I love Tuesdays!!!!  Maybe that last one isn't a song, but it should be!  Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes, that time of the week where you find out something about yourself and about a favorite band or musician, although not necessarily in that order.  It is the week of love.  St. Valentine's day is Thursday.  In what ways are you prepared to show the ones that you love how much you care about them?
    
     Legend has it that the Saint Valentine was a Christian martyr who, much like the apostle Paul, was executed for telling a Roman emperor about Jesus.  The Emperor in this case was Claudius, who ruled from 41-54 AD.  There is much speculation as to how Valentine came to be in Claudius' prison.  The more romantic tale has Valentine incarcerated for performing marriage ceremonies for Christians who at the time were being persecuted by Claudius.  This "aiding and abetting" of Christians got Valentine arrested.  Like another Biblical character, Joseph, Valentine found favor with the emperor until he tried to tell Claudius about Jesus.  His proselytizing got him beaten and then beheaded on the 14th day of February.  People all over the world celebrate romantic love on the day that St. Valentine demonstrated a "Higher Love".....

Steve Winwood "Higher Love"

     At the age of 15, Stephen Lawrence Winwood would become the voice of The Spencer Davis Group, one of the prominent bands from Britain in the early to mid '60s.  At 19, he would join with Dave Mason ("We Just Disagree") and others to form the band Traffic, a band that would become known for their diversity of musical styles and eclectic instrumentation during the late '60s and early '70's.  At the ripe old age of 21 he would join guitarist Eric Clapton (Cream), drummer Ginger Baker ("Ginger" was a nickname), and bassist Rick Grech (Family) to form Rock-n-Roll's first ever super group, Blind Faith. By the time Steve Winwood released his self titled,first solo album at the age of 29, he had become one of Rock's go-to guys for his musical experience and his ability to be a great session musician.  The next decade would see the release of 3 solo projects. This would include the 1986 release of Back In The High Life, featuring the Grammy award winning "Higher Love".   With 5 more solo albums through the turn of the century, Steve Winwood continued to tour and mine his professional relationships with some of Rock's biggest names.  He sold out 3 consecutive nights with Eric Clapton in 2008 and performed with The Who's Roger Daltrey last year as a fundraiser for  Great Britain's Teenage Cancer Trust.  Turning 65 in 2013, Winwood has U.S. tour dates scheduled for April and May, and with that tour he joins an elite group of successful musicians who continue to see their music enjoyed and emulated by the next generation, causing one to.. (drum lead in)

Think about it, there must be higher love
Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above
Without it, life is wasted time
Look inside your heart, I'll look inside mine
Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind, we try to see
Falling behind in what could be

   If you were to query the word "love" in the New International Version of the Bible, you would find it referenced some 686 times.  Many of these passages are in the poetic books of Psalms and Song of Solomon, where you might expect expressions of love to be found.  In the Gospel of John, there are 33 different scripture references to the word love, more than the other Gospels combined.  One of the most beloved of all Bible scripture passages is found in John and is worthy of quoting:

John 3:16-17

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

     Many lives have been changed as their hearts have surrendered to the truth behind this passage.  But did you know that there is an entire chapter in 1 Corinthians that is dedicated to how we are to love? 

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)
13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

     As we ponder this passage we must pause and reflect on the motivating factors in our lives.  Why do we do the things we do?  Specifically, why do we do the "kind" or "loving" things that we do?  This passage tells us that we can speak eloquently, preach powerfully, command mountains to move with great faith, give to the poor and even sacrifice our life, but, if all of those things are done without love in our hearts, it is for.... nothing.  The prime motivator for everything we do in this life should be our love for God and our love for other people.  Without it, life is wasted time.....


'Til Tuesday,


Loving HIM by loving you,

Randy