Welcome to the next decade of music and musings that we affectionately call "Tuesday's Musical Notes"!!! Last week's edition of the blog recapped the previous decade of The Notes and some highlights from those years. If you have a few minutes, check it out in the archives. We saw as we went through the score of the past decade last week, that our incredible readers are as diverse as the musical tastes we attempt to serve up each week. It is astounding to us that Tuesday's Musical Notes is read all over the planet. THANK YOU!!! The unity that can be found among the nations as we share our likes and perhaps dislikes of specific songs, styles, and artists is an inspiration that things can be made better in our world. The first decade of writing Tuesday's Musical Notes proved that there is still a multitude of music to cover and an infinitude of ideas to explore. 
It also proved that the pathway to all of this discovery can be, well...a long and winding road. Take it, Paul...
It also proved that the pathway to all of this discovery can be, well...a long and winding road. Take it, Paul...
The stories behind the breakup of The Beatles are as many as the #1 hits the band had. One thing that is never up for dispute is the impact that The Fab Four had on popular music in their own time as well as ours. For a group this gifted, it is a shame that they couldn't find common ground in success. The documentary Let It Be (Let It Be movie trailer) chronicles the recording of the last studio album The Beatles would make as a band.
"The Long And Winding Road" was the only single released from the Let It Be soundtrack. It was released one month after the official breakup of the band. Its B-side, "For You Blue", proved popular enough on Billboard's Hot 100 to cause the label to designate it as a double "A" sided single for future pressings in the United States. "The Long And Winding Road" soared up the charts and secured The Beatles their 20th and last #1 hit on the Hot 100. The song's reaching the #1 spot also set the record for the number of chart-topping singles by any band. Something The Beatles achieved in a frame of fewer than 6 1/2 years.
McCartney has said that the inspiration for "The Long And Winding Road" came from the Highlands around which Sir Paul had purchased a home. When writing the song he thought of Ray Charles (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Georgia On My Mind" (Ray Charles/Willie Nelson)) recording it. McCartney's thoughts came to fruition when Charles performed the song with The Count Basie Orchestra in 1971. "The Long And Winding Road" - Ray Charles and The Count Basie Orchestra from the 2006 album Ray Charles + The Count Basie Orchestra: Ray Sings, Basie Swings This version was released posthumously and is compiled from a series of recordings done during those sessions.
A demo version of the song was recorded during the studio time that would become The Beatles album. McCartney offered the song to Tom Jones (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "It's Not Unusual" (Tom Jones)) if Jones would release it as his next single. Due to contractual obligations with his label which already had a single ready to release, Jones would decline.
"The Long And Winding Road" saw quite the adventure after its release. Paul McCartney was so incensed by the final production of the single by Phil Spector that he cited the song as one of the reasons justifying the split of the band.
Spector was known for creating a trademark "wall of sound" in the albums he produced and he held nothing back when placing his touch on Let It Be and "The Long And Winding Road". Beatles historians tell us that the band had hoped that Let It Be would be a reaffirmation for them and an opportunity to "Get Back" to the sound that had brought them into prominence. Unfortunately, the opposite happened as the creative differences that they had experienced recording The Beatles, also known as The White Album, resurfaced and escalated as the production of Let It Be progressed.
The movie and soundtrack both proved to be very successful. The album received a Grammy in 1971 for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special. Even though he had openly expressed his concerns about the record and its "over production", McCartney, with his wife Linda but notably none of the other band members present, accepted the Grammy. (Grammy Awards 1971 Beatles win for Let it Be)
McCartney released an alternative mix of the album in 2003. Let It Be...Naked features most of the album without Spector's additions. Give a listen to "The Long And Winding Road" from this record...we report, you decide:
For many months now, Tuesday's Musical Notes has been on its version of "The Long And Winding Road". We have attempted to chronologically tell portions of the greatest story ever related to mankind. We now come to the next mile marker in the road and with excitement, we proceed...welcome to The New Testament!
It is interesting to note that Matthew is one of two writers of the Gospel of Jesus to include an ancestral catalog. Luke is the other, yet he doesn't begin his Gospel with the genealogy and the genealogy itself differs slightly, following David's son Nathan as opposed to David's son Solomon's lineage. The Gospel of Jesus according to the physician Luke, chapter 3, verses 23-28 NASB/AMP/KJV/ESV
The differences in these genealogies stand to reason given Matthew's history as a tax collector and Luke's background as a physician. Matthew would have followed the line of Joseph because in the culture the men of the house were the responsible party for business, property, and of course taxes. Luke, as a doctor would have been more interested in the nature of Jesus' birth from the medical standpoint of Mary being the vessel for birthing the savior.
For those of us who are visual learners, here is how the disciple's account looks:
As you can see, to get to this point, we have followed the long and winding road of The Old Testament and its narrative of God's chosen people. But the story of Jesus begins even further back than Jacob's name being changed to the nation God would choose to tell the world about Him, Israel.
From this point, you can tell that the stories that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are about to tell will have their bends and turns to get to the culmination of the epilogue. That story has at its beginning an encounter we talked about early on in our pilgrimage through the Bible. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Blame" (Collective Soul)) From that point on, the battle for mankind's soul was on and the combatants were taking their positions.
In Matthew and Luke's listing of Jesus' heritage, there are a few things we must notice:
1) Jesus' lineage included gentiles. That's right! Jesus had ancestors who were NOT considered "chosen". All of those who preceded Jacob (more than 20 generations) did not have the Jewish moniker to tout as a part of their heritage. This fact indicates God's intention to draw all men to Himself and that no one would be left out of His eternal kingdom.
2) Women were included in the genealogy. Matthew 1:5 NASB/AMP/KJV/ESV This is astounding given the male-dominant culture of the day. AND both of these women were some of the gentiles mentioned above. Rahab was so well regarded she is found in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews. Hebrews 11:31 NASB/AMP/KJV/ESV
3) This list is made up of flawed people. Noah got drunk and had relations with his daughters. Abraham lied. Later on, some of Israel's worst leaders were in Jesus' genealogy. Take a look at the genealogy list again. Do any of those names ring a bell for the wrong reasons? Even David was an adulterous murderer! The kings that followed him were not much better, some were far worse and yet God uses them to see His plan fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. Friend, if God can use these folks, He can use you. The question becomes, will you be used as a servant who is loved or as one of the aforementioned combatants who will experience God's wrath? God can and will use you regardless of which you decide to be.
As you can see, the path to The New Testament has truly been a long and winding road. Regardless of its twists and turns, its bends, and its steep climbs, it has led us to the door of Jesus. In truth, the remainder of The New Testament also leads us to the door of Jesus. More on that on future Tuesdays.
So to what door does your long and winding road lead? There are only 2 choices. Jesus or not Jesus. Taking the "not Jesus" choice guarantees you separation from the God who created you, receiving His wrath and punishment, and securing your destination in a place that was never intended for mankind, but for those who rebelled against God. This is a place without God. Please let that sink in. This is a place without God. Even though our world has been perverted and distorted by our own hands, there still exists beauty and love because God is in control of it. In the "not Jesus" place, there is no beauty or love. This is a place without God. Choosing Jesus guarantees restoration to the God who created you, loves you beyond all measure, and is creating a new place for you to be with Him.
As we begin our exploration of the life of Jesus, allow this portion of the road to change your direction. Allow the bends and turns to transition you. Allow this road to lead you to Jesus' door.
'Til Tuesday
Loving HIM by loving You,
randy
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