Pssst...Hey......you there...the one staring at the screen with that excited, wondering what you've got yourself into, look in your eyes...yes you! What's up? Are you having a good day? Did you rest well last night? How was your transition to Daylight Savings Time? 
Do you have a minute...Well, maybe 5-7 minutes? Do you like music? Do you like deep thought-provoking commentary... do you like something that stimulates your brain...well do you like to read something that has the potential to be thought-provoking commentary and stimulating to your brain, but winds up just being fun?
Do you have a minute...Well, maybe 5-7 minutes? Do you like music? Do you like deep thought-provoking commentary... do you like something that stimulates your brain...well do you like to read something that has the potential to be thought-provoking commentary and stimulating to your brain, but winds up just being fun?
Have you ever heard of Lefty Wilbury (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "You Got It" (Roy Orbison))? Doesn't ring a bell? How about Lucky Wilbury (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (Bob Dylan))? Really? Ok, I'm sure you've heard of Nelson Wilbury, you know, that guy from that bug band (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Got My Mind Set On You" (George Harrison))? How can this be? Ok, what about Otis Wilbury (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Don't Bring Me Down" (Electric Light Orchestra))? Nothing...nothing at all? Ok, I'm coming to the end of the line here, surely you've heard of Charlie T. Willbury Jr. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Running Down A Dream" (Tom Petty))? What? What's that? So, You think you have some recollection of him being in a rock and roll band that was made up of great songwriters and musicians who were well-known in their own right? Huh? Would you repeat that, please? Did all these half-brothers play in a band together? Yes!!! You're getting there!!! Can't quite make it out? Well, it's alright, doing the best you can. May I help you? Maybe this will connect the boxcars for you...
Thanks for joining us here at Tuesday's Musical Notes this first Tuesday after the dreaded time adjustment. Ok, I promise. No more rants about that silly thing.
Today we celebrate a supergroup, the Traveling Willburys. This British-American collaboration formed on the heels of Jeff Lynne co-producing George Harrison's 1987 smash album, Cloud Nine. While working on the album together, the idea for a group of like-minded and like-spirited rockers to do an album together formed. The name Wilbury came up as Lynne and Harrison were editing the album. They were concerned about what to do with some of the less-accurate licks that were in the album. It is said that Harrison jocularly suggested that, "we'll bury 'em in the mix..." Hence "Wilbury" came to be the reference term used for any slight mistake the musicians may have incurred during the recording that they could fix in post-production.
As they began to have serious conversations about who their bandmates in this rock-n-roll collective might be, Harrison chose Bob Dylan, whose career was waning from his popularity in the 60s-70s, and Lynne chose another music icon who was in a similar plight, Roy Orbison. The idea was shelved for a time until the dynamic duo encountered Tom Petty who, with his band The Heartbreakers, was touring with Dylan as the backing band. Afterward, Lynne began working with Petty on the solo effort Full Moon Fever and began writing songs with Orbison for his comeback album Mystery Girl. The rest is as they say...music history and fodder for Tuesday's Musical Notes. No one says fodder for The Notes?
"End Of The Line" was the final track on the supergroup's first album, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1. It also served as the second single from the album. It peaked at #63 on the Hot 100 but was a smash hit on the Album Rock Tracks chart, peaking at #2. Just goes to show you that the Top 40 isn't the end of the line. All of the Wilbury's get to sing in the song, except Lucky (Bob Dylan). Percussionist Buster Sidebury (Jim Keltner) is credited with the assist and also appears in the video for the song. Unfortunately, between the recording of the song and the release of the single and its accompanying video, Roy Orbison died of a heart attack. The video cuts to a rocking chair with Orbison's guitar or a picture of him anytime his vocals are heard. In the opinion of The Notes, this is a very touching homage to a legend in the music business, who died at the second height of his career.
"End Of The Line" has been used in a variety of ways in cinema and television. British and American television comedies (One Foot In The Grave and Parks and Recreation, respectively) have used the song as end credits music and it can be heard in movies and promotional efforts for the likes of the films Checking Out (1988, produced by Harrison), The Terminal (2004), Knocked Up (2007), the Australian film Red Dog: True Blue (2016), HBO's Crashing (2018), and in the trailer for the 2023 Tom Hanks film A Man Called Otto. "End Of The Line" has also found renewed airplay on classic rock radio where it appears in many playlists in a reasonably frequent rotation. It appears that it isn't "The End Of The Line" for this great song. It also isn't the end of the line for our current storyline here at The Notes...
Last week, we left Jesus giving the apostles and His disciples some final instructions. Remember? "...
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Go My Way" (Gordon Lightfoot)) Jesus provides great comfort in His parting words. "...Well it's alright, even if they say you're wrong. Well, it's alright, sometimes you gotta be strong..."
We get further insight into the scope of what Jesus did after His resurrection in John 21:25 - "...
But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written." Some of those things were written by Luke in the second book of the Bible to which he is credited, Acts.
Luke seems to be writing a continuation of his Gospel to a friend, Theophilus. We see in the first chapter of Acts that Jesus describes to His disciples the third person of the Trinity, Holy Spirit. The disciples still seem to have not grasped the complete magnitude of what is going on as they ask Jesus if He is about to set up His earthly kingdom. Luke uses broad strokes to tell of Jesus appearing to many people and doing many things. He then goes on to explain the account of Jesus' ascension to heaven while the disciples gazed upward. Can you imagine the emotions of these first-century folks as they witnessed their friend and teacher, first brutally tortured and murdered, then alive, then physically rising to heaven? It boggles my mind even in our modern age. Then angels appeared and gave the promise of Jesus' return in much the same way as He had ascended. Yup, just about the time you think you have seen everything, right? "...Waiting for someone to tell you everything. Sit around and wonder what tomorrow brings..."
Jesus had told the disciples to be prepared for what was about to happen next. It was not to be the end of the line for Him or the Gospel. Even though they didn't completely understand what was about to happen in and through them, they were obedient. They went back to Jerusalem from the hillside and waited as Jesus had told them. That seems like a lesson that I need more and more every day. When the cynicism of this fallen world fuels my doubt, fear, and lack of understanding, I need to remember to be like the disciples and just be obedient.
Luke then tells about Peter directing the group into selecting another apostle to replace Judas, complete with Scriptural references/prophecies from Psalm 69:25 and 109:8 to provide credibility. Luke parenthetically gives us a more complete description of Judas' demise, providing the explanation for the apostle's next action. Peter then further provides the qualifications for the new apostle by giving this instruction: "...Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” Did you catch that? This replacement is not new to The Way. He would have been there since the beginning and been among them at Jesus' ascension. Two men are chosen who meet these guidelines, Joseph (Barsabbas/Justus), and Matthias. Matthias is chosen by lot.
We don't know much more about Matthias, in fact, we never hear about him again in the remainder of the Bible. Well, it's alright... It's enough he was chosen by God. Well, it's alright...they say he took the Gospel abroad...
Jesus' life we now have tried to pen, (at the end of the line). But we see it's not the end my friend, (at the end of the line) Jesus lives and reigns forevermore (at the end of the line), open the door...
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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