Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Peace of Mind" (Boston)

Welcome to the blog that continually seeks out to answer the question, "how can I listen to music that I love and have an open mind to what the lyric could be saying to me?"  You've never asked that question?  Oh my!!!  Well, maybe continue reading and you'll begin asking yourself that all the time.  And boy!!! Do we have an answer for you!  It's Tuesday and time for Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!

Tuesday is my absolute favorite day of the week!  Original release dates in the music and video industry were on Tuesdays for many years.  Not really sure why.  It just was.  So as a music retailer, I was always interested to see what artists new cd might become a fast seller or what movie might unexpectedly be the surprise hit of the week.  Each week we would merchandise the new releases in easily accessible locations and by Thursday, we would have a good idea of what to expect to need for the weekend.  This allowed us to plan a bit better, but in hindsight, I guess it wasn't quite as convenient for our guests. It did, however, provide a love of Tuesday that I continue to have today.    

The music and video industries moved to a Friday release a few years back, but here in the blogosphere, we attempt to keep the Tuesday hype machine alive by bringing you some of our favorite songs with a perspective that you may have never considered, released only on Tuesdays.    We call it Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  We'd like to welcome you to the last Tuesday of September!!!  So glad you're here!!!

My wife loves to keep a calendar.  As we've gotten more seasoned(code word for getting older), we have discovered the necessity of having everyone who lives at our house put their events down on said calendar.  Our phones are ok, but the calendar in the kitchen provides a central location for our family to have ready access to what is going on in each other's lives.  I confess that calendar has saved me on more than one occasion!  When I fail to write something down, turmoil ensues as once again I get to tell my wonderful wife how right she is about writing everything down.  For me, that calendar is a piece of the puzzle that supplies me with something that many in our world need to have today...peace of mind.

"Peace of Mind" from the August 25, 1976, eponymous debut album by Boston

Anyone who has listened to the radio knows that sound.  Quite simply...Boston!  Anytime you hear the opening guitar licks from "Peace of Mind" or other of Boston's hits, you recognize an incredible talent and someone who is very specific with the music they are attempting to generate.  Tom Scholz is the name of that person.  He continues to lead as Boston makes music and tours.  

"Peace of Mind" was the third and final single released from Boston's debut album which continues to climb in record sales and has become one of the highest selling debut albums of all times  "The 10 most successful debut albums of all time" by etcanada.com staff. 19 Dec 2014   "Peace of Mind" surprisingly only went as high as #38 on the charts as it followed on the heels of the other two singles from Boston, #22 hit "Foreplay/Long Time" and the debut release "More than a Feeling" which peaked at #5.  Tuesday's Musical Notes - "More than a Feeling"

"Peace of Mind" essentially describes the desires of a creative who is trying to get to the top as fast as they can.  Boston's advice...getting to the top isn't worth it if you sacrifice who you are and your peace of mind.  "People livin' in competition, all I want is to have my peace of mind..."

Are you working to get to the top of the ladder?  What do you sacrifice to get to the top?  How's your relationship with your immediate family?  Do you have friends that are not work associates?  Time for a church?  Please don't misunderstand, I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't do our best and work towards the highest point of impact and influence we can.  After all, Paul said to Colossian Christians that they should have an attitude with regards to their work habits as if they were employed by God.  Paul's letter to the Colossian church, chapter 3, verses 22-25 New American Standard Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible parallel  If your future's coming way to slow it is easy for our motivations for  work to be one the factors that drive us crazy and rob us of the peace that we all need.  A peace that can only be obtained by having lives of balance.   

We live in a very tumultuous world.  There seems to be little peace about anything.  Why do we seem so contagiously unhappy?  I really think it is that while we talk, support marches and rallies about being at peace with everyone, we really don't have a clue as to how to have peace in our own lives.  There can only be one source for that kind of peace of mind, heart, and spirit.  Paul's letter to the Philippian church, chapter 4 NASB/The Message/ESV   

I hope you took a moment to read that entire chapter.  Paul is very encouraging to a group of folks whom he loves without exception, yet continues to hold them to a high standard.  From this chapter, there are a couple of verses that go well with Boston's #38 hit.  In verses 6 and 7, Paul writes, "Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." (The Message paraphrase)  "A sense of God's wholeness" sounds like a peaceful place to me, how about you?  That is a wholeness that I desire to have in my life, to enable me to face the unexpected that is guaranteed to happen.  But how can we gain this peace that comes for a sense of God's wholeness?

I heard a speaker recently say that perhaps when we pray for healing, resources, or the cares of the world, perhaps the focal point for our prayers are in the wrong place.  His suggestion was to beg God to fill us with Himself each day.  As God does this, this message that Jesus provides regarding anxiety will be real in our lives.  From Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."  Do you see that?  First of all, we must seek God.  We must be filled with Him and as we are filled more and more, all of the rest of our cares, concerns, anxieties, and things that cause turmoil will be taken care of in light of what He does.  My personal conviction is that all of these things vanish in the presence of God. The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew, chapter 6, verses 25-34 NASB/The Message/ESV 

The New American Standard Bible translation brings peace into the forefront in Philippians 4, verses 4-7, "4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace (emphasis mine) of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  You see friend, the ultimate pathway to peace of mind, is through peace with God.  

Do you have a tension in your life that you can not seem to shake?  Does the future seem to hold a solution to that tension that you can envision?  That tension is Holy Spirit drawing you to God.  Your resistance to His peace is the source of that tension.  I understand your indecision.  Be careful you're not left behind.   There is a peace that resolves that tension...isn't it time to have a peace of mind?  Your life can truly be different.  It can be filled with peace and the wholeness of God.  Take a look ahead...  

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,

randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "East Bound and Down" (Jerry Reed)

Breaker!  Breaker 1-9! This here's the bigmouth rolling down the road just flirting with disaster!  Just wanted to let you guys know to slow it down up around the bend as smokey's waiting to bite you in the britches if you ain't lookin' out for him.  Can I get a big 10-4?

Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes, your interpreter for all thing CB, that's citizen's band radio for those of you who didn't exist in the 70's!  The CB was the precursor to our cell phone and the message above is loosely translated:  "Hey there, this is Randy traveling down the road having a great day!  I just saw a police officer with his radar gun.  He seemed as if he were ready to write a few tickets today so you better make sure you're doing the speed limit.  If you got this message, let me know."

Communication sure has changed a lot in the last 40 years.  We've now seemingly shortened everything to initials or numbers and it's difficult to understand without the aid of a teenage translator!  Well, today's Musical Notes will attempt to stay away from both the CB language and the modern day "initializing" and just use plain 'ol words.  You see we've got a long way to go and a short time to get there so we mustn't delay!  Let's get started and do what they say can't be done!

"East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reed, from the 1977 Motion Picture Soundtrack of Smokey and the Bandit

With a mostly improvised script, Smokey and the Bandit became the second highest grossing film of 1977.    It was a movie about a team of bootleggers who make a deal to get a load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas to Atlanta in 28 hours.  (My map shows that it only takes 11 hours, 34 minutes, that however is mostly interstate miles and the roads look significantly different than they did in 1977!)  Coors at the time could not be sold east of Oklahoma due to its lack of stabilizers and preservatives.  (The Notes does not condone the consumption of alcohol, nor do we judge those who do choose to partake.  If you do, do so responsibly, I have grandkids on the roads now!)  

The movie featured the now iconic 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and the 1974 Kenworth Semis so prominently that Hal Needham, the director, considered the vehicles cast members.  Various articles have intimated that the cars used in production were so beat up that none lasted past the production of the film.   Burt Reynolds, however, sold one (either a replica that Pontiac made for him or the last surviving workable car) at an auction to help pay for his 1996 bankruptcy.   

Smokey and the Bandit affirmed the iconic status that Burt Reynolds had created since his early days of acting and established his impact on Hollywood for the future as a director and producer.  Reynolds has said that the movie was the one he had the most fun making.  

In my opinion, Burt Reynolds was my generation's Cary Grant and John Wayne all rolled into one.  He was the heartthrob of an era's female population with his tough exterior, and magnetic smile (mustache accentuated!)  His movie career would span 57 years.  He would have parts in television episodes beginning in 1958 and for the next 54 years, he would be seen on TVs in various roles.  His most prominent television credits include Gunsmoke (1962-1965), Dan August (1970-1971), and Evening Shade (1990-1994), a show about a small town in Arkansas.  He even recorded a record, 1973's Ask Me What I Am,  produced by Bobby Goldsboro and Buddy Killen.    But for most, Burt Reynolds will always be remembered as the gum chewing, cowboy hat wearing, driver of the '77 Trans Am with the eagle on the hood known as Bandit.  His passing on September 6th of this year reminds us that we all have a destiny, even the seemingly unstoppable Bandit.   

"East Bound and Down" was a smash hit for Jerry Reed, going all the way to #2 on the U.S. Country Charts.   It tells the story of Smokey in the Bandit in under 2 minutes 45 seconds.  While the song's theme is interspersed all throughout, I find it interesting that the main song from the movie takes up roughly about 2% of the movie. 

The Bible says something very similar to us about our lives.  In the perspective of all of time, our lives take up a small fraction.  Tuesday's Musical Notes has expressed its belief that the earth at most is only about 6000 years old.  (For the foundations of why we believe this go to answersingenesis.com.)  The average human is blessed to exist 70 years.  This means that your life potentially exists for 1% of all of time.    

The Book of James, which is a letter written by Jesus' half-brother, has much to say about what we should do with our short expanse. James letter to Jewish Christians, chapter 4 New International Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible parallel   King David writes in the hymn book of the Bible, The Psalms, that man is a breath:  Psalms 144:3-4 NIV/The Message/ESV

Given this, it is imperative that we are expedient with the use of our lives.   On the posthumous 1983 release, The Prodigal Son, Christian Singer/Songwriter Keith Green noted as a prelude to his song "Open Your Eyes": 

"This generation of believers that you and me are a part of, we are responsible for this generation of souls, all over the world. We're responsible for them. We're responsible to pray daily for the needs of ministries around the world and ask God "how about me not sending my money this time, how about me going? " it's so easy to write checks, it's so easy. But God can't cash out of state checks in heaven. He needs you!" ("This generation of believers...". "Open Your Eyes" by Keith Green from the 1983 album The Prodigal Son)

Burt Reynolds obviously made an impact on his generation.  Ultimately, God will be the one who determines what that impact was and how it has effected Burt Reynolds destiny.  We are all destined for somewhere.  We were created to exist forever.  The question is, where will that forever be?  Will it be in a place of restoration to God through Jesus' sacrifice or will it be separated from Him in a place where there is no light, no Love, and no escape?  

I can say with confidence that 1 of two things will happen to me.  I will either meet Jesus after my last breath, or I will be east bound and down, loaded up and truckin' when He returns.  I can say this because of a relationship that improves with each passing day and a couple of promises that Jesus, who I claim as my Savior, my restorer, and my Lord, made. (1, I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord. (The Apostle Paul's letter to the Roman church, chapter 10 NIV/The Message/ESV) 2, He will return to take believers to heaven to be with Him forever. ( The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew, chapter 24 NIV/The Message/ESV)

Dear friend, our time on this earth is short.  We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.  We make an impact to this generation every day with the lives that we lead.  What will your impact be?  How will this generation of souls be influenced by your life?  Will you leave an impression of kindness and love, through the power of Holy Spirit in your life?  Jesus loves all men the same.  We should exemplify that every day of our lives.  We gotta go out in His name.  We "go out" the minute we awake each day.  Submit your life to the calling of Holy Spirit to be restored to God through the sacrifice of Jesus. Open your eyes to the world all around you, and when He comes for you, be prepared to be east bound and down...just watch ol Bandit run...

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,

randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "As Long As You Love Me" (Backstreet Boys)

It's Tuesday and you're just in time for another peek into popular music of all decades...It's Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  The only blog on the internetosphere to feature your favorite music and put it into a context that maybe you had never considered...but readers of this blog are really smart, so you probably have considered the alternate contexts and universes that apply to your favorite music.  Regardless, here we go with something that is a bit newer than our usual fare.  It's Tuesday, the best day of the week, and Backstreet's back!  So let's get started...alright!!!

"As Long As You Love Me" - from the August 12, 1997 album Backstreet's Back by The Backstreet Boys

Every generation has seen a musical act that is comprised of young men. These musical acts can trace their origins back to the turn of the century when Barbershop quartets expanded their style into blues and jazz.  Groups like The Mills Brothers and The Ink Spots would pave the way for groups like The Beach Boys (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Get Around"), The Jackson 5 (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "ABC"), The Monkees (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I'm a Believer"), The Osmonds, and yes, The Beatles (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Nowhere Man", et.al).  It seems that with each passing decade "boy bands" have an impact on the musical landscape.  24/7 Wall Street had a great article about the impact that these bands and others have had on music history.  25 Most Popular Boy Bands of all Time - by Evan Comen March 22, 2018 - 247wallstreet.com

At the top of this list...Backstreet Boys.  They are the best selling "boy band" of all time with record sales in excess of 100 million units.  Their first 8 albums went into Billboards Hot 200 albums list and went gold. They continue to perform 25 years (yes, 25 years!) after their inception in Orlando, Florida and have just completed a residency in Las Vegas. Latest word is that Backstreet will be back with a new album October of this year.  I guess they will keep performing as long as we love them.  

I confess, this country raised, southern rock preferenced, lover of music was not quick to embrace the Backstreet Boys in the 90's.  However, as a music retailer at the time, I had a great deal of respect for them as they brought fans into our store on repeated occasions and seemed to be an act that had high standards inside and outside of their celebrity. It is rare to see a Backstreet Boy in the tabloids or on some investigative reporter's watch list.  Their music, for the most part, has positive lyrics and you can dance to it! 

Could be that Backstreet's high standards come from a foundation of faith by one of its members.  Brian Littrell became a staple in the Christian music industry from 2005-2010 with the release of his solo project, Welcome Home.  He won the 2006 Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year and continued to collaborate in the Christian music industry until Backstreet's performance schedule amped up in 2010.  

Littrell and wife Leighanne are evangelical Christians.  Littrell met his wife Leighanne Wallace at the video shoot for today's featured song and became the first Backstreet dad in 2002 with the birth of his son, Baylee.  While I doubt they are readers of Tuesday's Musical Notes, I suspect they subscribe to many of the twists that the Notes puts on popular music.  As evangelicals, the Littrell's believe, that no matter who you are, where you're from, what you did, as long as you repent (turn away from) doing wrong things and turn to/love Jesus, the broken relationship that exists between you and God will be restored.  

The motivation for this devotion to Jesus is a love born of sacrifice.  Jesus gave up heaven, being in the presence of God, the Father, and perfection for us to be restored.  

You see, since Adam rebelled by his disobedience (Genesis 3 New International Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible parallel), the relationship between God the Father, and mankind has been broken.  Adam had a perfect relationship with God until the events of Genesis 3.  Since that time, mankind cannot be good enough or do enough good things, to restore the relationship with God. (Paul's letter to the Roman church, chapter 6 NIV/The Message/ESV, Romans 3:9-26 NIV/The Message/ESV) But God's love for man was so much that He made a way for that restoration to happen (The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple John, chapter 3, verses 16-18 NIV/The Message/ESV, Romans 5:6-8 NIV/The Message/ESV) Jesus, God the Son, is That Way.  (Paul's 2nd Letter to the Corinthian church, chapter 5 NIV/The Message/ESV) If we turn away from the ways and the trappings of this world and turn to The Way, The Truth and The Life, our relationship with God will be restored. (John 14 NIV/The Message/ESV, Romans 10:4-10 NIV/The Message/ESV).  We are prompted by Holy Spirit (God the Spirit) to love Jesus (God the Son) because of what Jesus' did for us (died on the cross) to restore our relationship with God (God the Father).  

Dear friend, there is only 1 thing that keeps you from having the restoration your soul so deeply desires.  It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, what you did, Holy Spirit draws you to Jesus.  You CAN turn away from the habitual wrong that you do.  You get to choose.  You decide.  You determine your eternity future. (Heaven with God, or hell, separated from God) You choose whether you love Him for what He did for you.  Holy Spirit is telling you that..."You can be restored...you can be saved, you can be redeemed...as long as you love Me..." 

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,

randy

  

   

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" (Jackie DeShannon/Annie Lenox and Al Green)

Welcome cats and kitties to the coolest of the cool, the grooviest of the groovy, this is the blog that is so far out, it's in an outer space zip code!  Welcome to Tuesday and Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  This is Randy coming to you from the palatial studios of Tuesday's Musical Notes as we lay out some smoothness on you to pick up the rhythm of your week.  So kick back and hang loose, as we drop the needle on some tunes that are outta sight!  It's Tuesday and on this Tuesday love is the answer!!!!

"Put a Little Love in Your Heart" title track from the 1969 album by Jackie DeShannon

and because I love this version:

"Put a Little Love in Your Heart" by Annie Lenox and Al Green from the soundtrack of the 1988 movie Scrooged starring Bill Murray

If you’ve ever heard the name Jackie DeShannon, it is likely because of her two top ten hits, “What the World Needs Now” and today’s feature song, “ Put a Little Love in Your Heart”.  DeShannon has been working in popular music since the ‘50s when she began singing at local events and at 11 began hosting her own radio program.  Her status would only rise as she began interacting with record label reps and writing her own songs. 

By the time The Beatles arrived in the USA, DeShannon would be chosen to be on the first tour of America with the Fab Four. This started a relationship that continues today as she returns to the broadcast booth on weekends at the young age of 77 to host Sirius XM’s Breakfast with the Beatles. 

But the boys from Liverpool would not be the only famous connection she would have.  Her songwriting skills would be partnered with the likes of Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and later with Randy Newman.  She dated Elvis Presley and was pals with The Eberly Brothers. She made movies with heartthrobs Bobby Vinson and Bobby Vee. Her writing partnership with Donna Weiss resulted in the song “Bette Davis Eyes” which she recorded on her 1975 album New Arrangement. You know the song, the Kim Carnes cover only went to #1 in 1981 and scored Weiss and DeShannon the Song of the Year Grammy in 1982. But her most critical acclaim came at the hands of her two previously mentioned top ten hits. 

“Put a Little Love in Your Heart” would soar up the 1969 charts.  It would peak at #4 and be the rallying cry for a nation that needed to focus on love instead of the other emotions that were coursing through its veins due to cultural conflicts of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam Nam War.  Written by songwriting superstars Burt Bacharach and Hal David, DeShannon’s ode to peace and love continues to heal strife with its upbeat tone and continual covers.  

Can it be that simple?  Can people that allow love to be their all-consuming passion bring about change in our world?  The Creator of our world sure thinks so.  He sent Jesus out of his all-consuming love for us. The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple John, chapter 3 New International Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible parallel. In Jesus conversation with Nicodemus, He says that the change we so desperately need cannot come about from anything in this world. It only happens by the work of Holy Spirit.  We must “submit to this original creation”.   We must give ourselves over to the “invisible moving the visible”. We must put a little love, true, pure love in our hearts.   

Later in the chapter, in the most well-known verse in the Bible (why do you think that is?), Jesus tell Nicodemus the results of the choices folks make based on this verse.  John 3:16-18 NIV/The Message/ESV.  Those who chose Jesus and put His love in their hearts have a restored relationship with God. Those who don’t...  No matter how kind, no matter how good, no matter how much love you think you have for your fellow man, it isn’t enough for the restoration you need.  The world can be a better place by your good acts, but those acts have an exponential impact if they come from a repentant, restored life whose motivation is for others to know God’s, ultimate love.   The apostle Paul's letter to the Colossian church, chapter 3, verses 1-18 NIV/The Message/ESV

“Think of your fellow man, lend him a helping hand, you see, it’s getting late, oh please don’t hesitate...”

Put all of God’s love in your heart.   And the world will be a better place. And your eternity future will be secure.  Just wait and see...

‘Til Tuesday

Serving HIM by serving You,

randy