Monday, June 23, 2014

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "When I'm 64" (The Beatles)

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Welcome to Tuesday!!!  It's time for The Notes!  Today we take a look at a topic to which everyone can relate...getting older.  While we don't like to admit it, we are with each passing second gaining days to our age, becoming more experienced, and perhaps even becoming wiser.  T.S. Eliot said about gaining in years...“The years between fifty and seventy are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down.”   Comedian Bob Hope put it this way..."I don’t feel old. I don’t feel anything till noon. That’s when it’s time for my nap."  But this blog is about music so we must include this musical perspective on getting older. From 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, here are The Beatles:
 


"When I'm 64" - The Beatles - original speed and key
 
Tuesday's Musical Notes admits a love for the music of George, Paul, John, and Ringo.  We have demonstrated this in the fact that to date 4 of The Beatles' songs have been featured. They have distinguished honor of being the most featured artist of The Notes...unfortunately no statuette or award will be forthcoming... 



Admittedly, it is difficult to write a music blog without acknowledging the impact that the Fab Four have had on music history.  This history is propelled by the way The Beatles went about recording their music.  If they could experiment with a sound, they did. 
Today's feature song is a perfect example of such experimentation.   The result highlights how The Beatles wanted to be a different band.  "When I'm 64", while popular, never charted.  It was never released as a single.  It featured a clarinet trio as it's main instrumentation (2 Bb Soprano Clarinets, and a Bass Clarinet), and it was not released as it was originally recorded.  (The Sgt. Peppers recording is sped up to make McCartney sound younger).  Instead of being about youthful pursuits, it speaks of a young man's curiosity with how his life will be when He and his true love get older.  Something that everyone at one point or another has taken the opportunity to pause and contemplate.

The average life expectancy in the US today is in the 70s.  This is very different from the life expectancy before the great flood during Noah's time.  At that point, life expectancies would reach into the 800s.  Theologians much smarter that me have speculated as to why this might be.  If you are curious https://answersingenesis.org/ would be a great place to start researching this topic.  

Today we feature an article about the genealogy of Adam to Jacob...the great patriarchs of the Bible.  It details how long they lived and the overlap that occurred for their lives. Just click it.... "Ancient Patriarchs In Genesis"  I find it fascinating that Adam and Methuselah would have lived on the earth for 243 years before Adam died.  Also, according to the chart Methuselah, Noah's grandpa, died right before the great flood.  There is a good chance he would have witnessed the ark being built. 

These patriarchs achieved much in their long lives. On the other hand, Jesus lived to be only 33.  In that 33 years, He completely changed the world.   All of this age talk begs the question, regardless of whether we are as old as Methuselah, or have a short life like Jesus, what did God put us on this earth to achieve?  The Bible says that David did not pass from this life until he successfully accomplished his purpose on this earth.  As Christians, are we ever supposed to retire from God's work? 

Let's ask a man named Caleb.  He came along a few years after the patriarchs, but accomplished much in his life.  He was a compatriot of Moses and served as Joshua's right hand man.  One of the last things we hear of him doing is astounding in light of the age the Bible records him being.  Let's read about it in Joshua...

Caleb is ready to storm the land that God had promised him...at 85 years old.  You may say, "yes, but the Bible says that his strength had not faltered and God was with him."  The Notes totally concurs with that assessment and would like to add this encouragement...God is with you as well.  Regardless of how old you are, or perhaps how old you feel, God has placed you here to do specific things, to accomplish your purpose so to speak.  Your purpose probably would not be to lead your clan into battle, but perhaps it is to provide insight to your children and grandchildren so they can face their battles better.  God will certainly give you the strength and courage to do what He has called you to do.  The Notes wonders sometimes if we don't buy into the lie from the enemy that our aches and pains are indicative of a loss of skill and ability.  Certainly this plays a factor into what you are able to do, but as the only cliche says, "If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it."  Caleb seemed to be one of those fellas who always said "YES!!"  "Yes!! we can take this land that God has promised us!"  "Yes, we will defeat all of the inhabitants of the land and take their cities!"  And then at 85 he says "Yes!  I will lead my family into the inheritance that God has promised us!"  When is the last time you said "Yes!!" when called upon to serve.  Please remember the church is the facilitator of the Good News of Jesus, not the Red Cross, Salvation Army, or any number of good charitable institutions.  So friend, to what are you willing to say "YES" ... as you get older, losing your hair...you are still needed...when you're 64...

'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy

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