Welcome to Tuesday and another day at the intersection of lyrics and life! It's Tuesday's Musical Notes!!! Welcome as we journey down life's road listening to the soundtrack of our days. Our destination is specific and our set list is ready to go!!! What is our destination you may ask? The answer is a simple one that really depends on you!!! For now, let's set our GPS for a locale where the neon lights are pretty, how can lose when we're...
"Downtown" - the title track from the 1965 album by Petula Clark
Or just listen to the rhythm of this remix from the 80's
"Downtown '88" - Petula Clark
1964 really was a good year! Your humble blogger was born in April and later in the year, the female version of the British Invasion was launched upon America in the form of today's song that went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 after entering the chart just 5 weeks earlier. The original single, (Clark has covered the song 6 times on her own), featured a toned-down orchestra of session players including a guitarist named Jimmy Page, yup THAT Jimmy Page. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Thank You" and Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Stairway to Heaven"). It would receive the Grammy Award for "Best Rock and Roll Song" in 1965 and be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003. It has been covered over 100 times by artists all over the globe.
Clark has been entertaining folks for over 8 decades. She started at age 9 on BBC radio during World War II. She began releasing albums in 1956 (Petula Clark Sings), with her most recent release being in 2018 (Vu d'ici). She was also active in the film industry from 1944 (Medal for the General) through 1981 (Sans Famille). Her most recent tour was a tour of the US in 2017 at the age of 85. I guess Jagger and Tyler still have a few good years left in them after all...
Since its 1964 release, "Downtown" has been a melancholy upper of a song. It's an "I'm sorry you're sad, but there's a solution" song of hope. It portrays the attraction of busyness, lights, and the overall aura of a Times Square evening. It suggests that as you watch folks, catch the gleam of the lights, and begin to enjoy the nightlife of the city, your troubles will soon fade away. Downtown, things will be great when you're Downtown, everything's waiting for you.
I love the hope that is portrayed in this song. It continues to be in my playlist of "go to" songs since I first heard it on the radio of the black and white 67 Oldsmobile that Mom and Dad owned. On occasion, you can hear it on "Oldies" radio or as a "retro" vibe in television or movies.
There is only one problem with going "Downtown". You eventually have to leave. What if I told you about a place where all the lights are bright, you can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares, and you never have to leave? No...it's not the Hotel California. (Keep checkin' back, we may go there sometime in Notesland!)
The Bible has a description of such a place! In the last book of the Bible, we read about a place where tears are gone and joy is forever in the air. This book was written by Jesus' disciple John and is a special Revelation to him. Read this description of heaven: The Revelation to Jesus' Disciple John, chapter 21 The Message paraphrase of the Bible/King James Version of the Bible/New International Version of the Bible parallel
Entrance into Heaven is not a guarantee. It is not a place for good people. It is a place for redeemed people. In fact, there is a registry of entrance into Heaven. It is called The Lamb's Book of Life. Did you notice the last verse of Revelation 21? It describes who is in the Book of Life: "Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will get in." Revelation 3:5 also has a description of those who are included in this important book: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."
Even the Old Testament records the existence of this Book and the times by which its reading comes about. Malachi 3 The Message/KJV/NIV
You may notice several common themes among these passages: 1) Jesus is the Lamb who owns the book 2) Folks who have their name in Jesus' book get to be in Heaven with Him for eternity future. 3) Those whose names have been "blotted out" go to a place where Jesus is not.
I find it interesting that the Bible refers to names being taken away from the Lamb's Book of Life. Does this mean we all start out in it? Does this mean that at some point in our life, we make a decision that results in our expulsion from or inclusion in this book?
Maybe this illustration is a good one for you: "The Courtroom" by Carman from the 1998 album Mission 3:16
Dear friend, I believe that it is as simple as this. You choose. That's right. You determine your eternal destination. Jesus promised that He would draw all men to Himself. (The Gospel of Jesus according to the Disciple John, chapter 12, verse 23 The Message/KJV/NIV) Holy Spirit as part of the Three in One that is God continues to draw you. He draws you by speaking through the Bible directly to you as you read and study The Word. He speaks to your soul directly and He begs you to turn away from the wrong things you do and turn towards a changed life in Him. that's called repentance. He delivers the power for you to make the changes you need to make and begin living a life that is geared toward becoming like Jesus. You, however, have to accept His leadership over your life and believe that this opportunity was only made available by Jesus dying for you.
God has designed a place where you can forget all your troubles and forget all your cares. Jesus said that He is preparing a place for those who believe in what He did for them. John 14: 1-4 The Message/KJV/NIV The lights are much brighter there because God's glory is the light. Revelation 21:23 The Message/KJV/NIV As the Revelation 21 passage says, You can forget all your trouble and forget all your cares because God wipes the tears from our eyes.
So dear friend, what's it gonna be? Is your name in that book? Maybe today is the day that this lyric comes true for you...
"And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you, Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to
Guide them along..." Holy Spirit awaits to do just that for you...
Let's not settle for Downtown, let's get ready to go to heaven...
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving You
randy
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