Yeah! Yeah! Oh, yeah...It's Tuesday!!! Welcome to it! Time for your weekly plunge into the pool of lyrical sweetness and Levitical soul searchin'. It's Tuesday's Musical Notes and time for you to get hip to the jive as we fast approach a time where the only kinda swimmin' will be the indoor kind....brrr....
In case you just dropped in, this is the place where music meets the Messiah, where Jesus inspires the jingles and where Holy Spirit guides the hot topics!!! Welcome to the weekly sojourn into the spirit transforming and mind conforming dip into the popular music pool. Let's get started shall we? Yeah! Yeah! Oh, yeah....
With undertones of the downside to LSD usage, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition had a #5 smash hit in 1968 with today's featured song. You read that correctly. This is the same Country artist who retired in 2015 after nearly 50 years in the music business. This is the same Country artist that lost "Lucille" and became "The Gambler". This is the same artist who has spent over 200 weeks in the Country music charts. Yep, it's the same Kenny Rogers, yet much younger and rockin' it out with a group that he helped to create called The First Edition.
The First Edition became an overnight sensation as "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) soared up the charts. This was quite the feat considering it was the first single from their eponymous debut. The full album was buoyed by the strength of its producer, a young Mike Post, and a guitar player from Arkansas, the late Glen Campbell (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Try A Little Kindness") It would be a record that inaugurated the Country Rock style that would make acts like The Band (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Weight"), Emmylou Harris, Linda Rondstadt (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "When Will I Be Loved") , and The Eagles (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Seven Bridges Road", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Please Come Home for Christmas", and Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Desperado"), so incredibly popular during the '70s.
From that point on, the pressure was on The First Edition to keep the hit stream coming. The band felt the sting of the sophomore slump with The First Edition's 2nd, and had only the #19 "But You Know I Love You" from the First Edition '69 album to keep them in music lover's minds. With "But You Know I Love You" still getting airplay and wanting to strike while the needle was still on the record, First Edition would release a second full length record in 1969. It would be the album and the single that would provide the launchpad for success that lasted over a decade. Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town would release as a full length album and the Mel Tillis' written single would once again propel Kenny Rogers and the First Edition up the charts. Ironically, it was a top ten hit around the world, but only peaked at #39 domestically. This set up continued success in the popular music industry for the next decade as more records, world wide tours, and eventually a televisions variety hour would come for The First Edition.
Success would fade as musical styles changed in the late 70's and early 80's. For Kenny Rogers it was probably the best thing that could have happened. The First Edition separated in 1975, but Rogers would just be getting started. More on his career in a later notes...
Let's drop in and see what condition First Edition is in:
Maybe a smidge of difference... Finally, you might recognize the drummer, Mickey Jones better like this:
After The First Edition parted ways he became an actor and appeared in 15 episodes of Tim Allen's Home Improvement show over the course of its run from 1991-1999 as well as other motion picture and television projects.
So, friend what condition are you in?
In our town, the local gym has become a thing. It seems they are popping up everywhere, taking over abandoned retail space (sigh...). They have throngs of people getting memberships so they can have their bodies toned and conditioned into peak shape. Tuesday's Musical Notes sides on the "what a waste of retail space" side of these institutions, as we are curious as to how long we will see the cars in the parking lots fade. Every hear of a New Year's resolution?
Don't get me wrong. As a follower of Jesus, I am responsible for the created body that God has given me. It is a part of the resources of which I am a steward. But does this mean, I must adhere to a "conditioning" that says I should be ripped?
As we have endured through the summer, it seemed that I couldn't do as much outside for as long as I once did. Granted, I am older and I haven't been as good a steward as I should have been to the resource that is my body, but I also think that my lack of spending time in the heat has actually transitioned my body. The sweet feel of low humidity, cool air in my home has altered my physiology, and reduced my ability to stay in high humid, hot temperatures for extended periods.
We are invaded by advertisements every day of our lives. (The Notes is proud to say that we are an ad free zone and intend to keep it that way!) These ads attempt to condition our minds psychologically into a certain framework, where their product seems like an immediate must have. Anyone seen any toy ads lately? The 4th quarter is coming after all...
I mention the above to say that as human beings we are very malleable. With enough exposure to something, we can easily become conditioned to behave a certain way, look a certain way, buy a certain product, or perhaps eat a certain forbidden fruit. Clothing styles, musical genre, and even eating preferences succumb to the pressure of television exposure and our friends suggestions. The best, yet most egregious example of this conditioning is the debate over creation/evolution.
Let's take a poll at your church. The poll includes 1 question. How long ago was the earth formed? (Note, not who formed or how it was formed...save that for a different poll). In all likelihood, the vast majority of folks in the modern day church would check the box ____billions of years ago. For those of you who agree with most church goers, please ponder the following article: "Why Don’t More People Accept the Young-Earth View of Speciation?" - By Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson, Answers in Genesis article, August 6, 2016
You see, when we teach generation after generation a falsehood, the falsehood soon becomes the truth for that next generation. They are conditioned to respond the way they have been taught. The earth's age is just one example of how we continually condition the next generation as well as our contemporaries.
Consider this. You are being conditioned every day whether you like it or not. There are influences in your life that you may or may not even realize. Would you allow me the opportunity to offer a word of advise to amplify the good influences and negate the influence of the bad?
First, Consider the story of Jesus. The Bible is His story from cover to cover. Read it. Discover how God the Creator so loved mankind that He sacrificed Himself to redeem us from the conditioning of the father of lies. Read in The Gospel of Jesus according to Dr. Luke ESV/The Message/NKJV how His death was the most cruel form of public execution ever created and He endured what most men could not. Read in The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple John ESV/The Message/NKJV how He asked God to forgive those who believe in Him. That forgiveness is extended to you right now friend. All you have to do is...believe. Read in The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew ESV/The Message/NKJV how Jesus death was not a tragedy to be mourned, but a victory to be celebrated. Read in The Gospel of Jesus according to Mark ESV/The Message/NKJV, how His disciples saw Him physically alive after the tomb where He was buried was discovered empty. Read in all of the Gospels His promise to prepare a place for believers to be with Him and return to take them there.
Secondly, go to a local church. Find a body of believers who will love you despite your conditioning and without conditions. Be there every time the doors are open so you can receive beneficial conditioning found in the strength and encouragement you will receive. You also have the occasion to provide conditioning to others as you strengthen and encourage them. Find what it is that God has intended for you to do in your community for Him and do it. The local church is a enormous resource to assist you with discovering God's plan for you.
And finally, drop in to see what condition your condition is in. Have accountability in your life through those that you trust. (Proverbs 27:17 English Standard Version of the Bible/The Message Paraphrase of the Bible/New King James Version of the Bible parallel, Proverbs 17:17 ESV/The Message/NKJV ) Seek God's analysis of your life. Read His Word and allow it to be the playbook that conditions you as you study to show yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV/The Message/NKJV). Allow Jesus to renew your spirit by transforming you into His likeness (Romans 12 ESV/The Message/NKJV). Listen to Holy Spirit as He helps you discern truth in a deceitful world. (Romans 8 ESV/The Message/NKJV).
Ultimately, being conditioned is a choice, you get to decide what will or will not influence your life. That is the beauty behind believing in Jesus. We have chosen to do it as Holy Spirit drew us to Himself. We are no longer conditioned by lies, but by the truth that sets us free. So what's it gonna be friend? Maybe its time you dropped in to see what condition your condition is in... Yeah! Yeah! Oh...yeah!!!
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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