Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (Stevie Wonder)

I know that we are a couple of months away from Christmas.  We are, in fact, about to celebrate St. Valentine's Day.  (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Higher Love" (Steve Winwood)) I bring up Christmas because one of my favorite Christmas films, Miracle on 34th Street, has one of my favorite scenes in all of moviedom.  The scene is about the United States Postal Service.  Let's give it a watch:  (for you purists, I apologize, the colorized version was the only one I could find...)  Post Office Speech from the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street released by 20th Century Fox

I have a great deal of fondness for the United States Postal Service.  Sure it has its difficulties, especially in the digitized world we live in, but it continues to be one of the constants of American life.  Going to the mailbox, whether the rural one I had while growing up, the one in the dorm in college that was reminiscent of the ones from Miracle on 34th Street, or the number of manifestations of mail delivery we have had since getting married and moving around Florida and Arkansas, has always been a highlight of the day for me.  It's almost like opening a Christmas present every day, because, even if it's nothing but bills, you never know what you might get.  Maybe it's more like a box of chocolates...

My fondness also comes from the fact that I began, like many folks my age, collecting stamps (mostly canceled, but occasionally never used) at an early age.  I had a couple of dear aunts (Letha and Vera, not related to each other) who had kept many of their old letters (some dating back to the 20s and 30s) and allowed me to harvest the original "thumbnail" artwork of the American institution.  Many of those stamps had the busts of past presidents, while others truly were the modern art, or as close as I would ever get to modern art, of their day.  I still have those stamps and hope to bring them out, with my dad's coin collection, and spend a rainy day with the older grands telling them about the dear aunts I got them from and the history of the presidents whose heads are pictured.  

We are fast losing the art of stamps.  This comes from the fact that to my knowledge we don't teach the art of writing a proper letter anymore, so there is a significantly lesser need for stamps.  In case you were wondering and are encouraged to reexamine your letter-writing skills, our friends at Grammarly have a tutorial blog on how to write a proper letter.  "How to Write Any Type of Letter" by Matt Ellis, July 7, 2022 grammerly.com/blog and our friends at lifepersona.com have a list of the types of letters so you can get even that email done correctly.   "The 26 Main Types of Letters (Formal and Informal)"  Did you have any flashbacks to elementary school?  Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes where we not only entertain, but we educate!

The whole process from writing the letter to mailing to receipt of said letter has been captured in the annals of music history.  As you would imagine we've even had a couple of Tuesday's Musical Notes about letters.  Just in case you missed them:  Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Letter To You" (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Letter" (The Box Tops)

One of the best songs we know of that speaks about the entirety of the letter-writing process is today's featured song by Stevland Hardaway Morris who started his career by signing with a record label at the ripe old age of 11.  With today's Special Delivery, here's Little Stevie Wonder!!!

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" by Stevie Wonder, the title track to the August 7, 1970 album

Imagine yourself at 20 having already spent nearly a decade in the music industry.  You've already had 14 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hits (5 of which were top 5 smash hits).  You are fast becoming known as one of the great R&B artists and crossover artists of your time.  What do you do next?  You begin diversifying your musical portfolio by producing your next top 5 hit.  You also bring in for the first time an all-female backup group that features your future wife, Syreeta Wright, and a future Supreme, Lynda Tucker Laurence.  

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" is the song that sent Stevie Wonder into the annals of iconic artists.  The song features an electric sitar played by Eddie "Chank" Willis.  It became another signature song for Wonder and was nominated for a Grammy (Wonder's sixth).  And the Grammy goes to...Clarence Carter's "Patches".  Just goes to show you that awards shows have been missing the mark for many, many years, but I digress.     "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours"  ranking at #203 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time" list makes it among music's most iconic and well-used songs across media demographics.  

It has been used in politics and of course, as many good songs have, it has been covered.  The most notable cover is by Peter Frampton, with Mick Jagger on background vocals, from Frampton's June 3, 1977 album I'm In You.  The cover peaked at #18 but continues to receive rotation at "classic" rock stations around the country.  "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" has been covered a total of 26 times, counting Frampton's version, with the most recent being 2021's Troll's Christmas special, Trolls: Holiday In Harmony and sung by the cast featuring the likes of Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick.  

The song is about the regret of a breakup.  Through this regret the singer realizes that he messed up and needs to commit to his true love, like a special delivery package that's been brought by the postal service, it is indeed "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours".  It makes for a great song, and could even be the start of a powerful letter...

The Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossian church, chapter 1, verses 1-12, New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel

Last week's Musical Notes saw Paul delivered to Rome and for the most part, his story has ended.  However, through historical records and other sources we find out Paul's destiny.  We'll talk about that soon, but for today, we want to talk about what happened after the Acts of the Apostles and the end of Paul's missionary journeys.  

You see, Paul was in prison at the end of his life.  While there he had time to draft letters to the churches.  Some of these churches he had started others he had not, but he had heard enough about them that he wanted to write encouragement, direction, and discipline as necessary.  Paul wasn't alone in this writing of letters.  The apostles Peter, James, and John also reached out to the churches and the burgeoning group of believers who were scattered across the known world.  These letters represent the remainder of the New Testament.  

There is much wisdom in these letters that modern-day followers of Jesus can glean.  One of the first of Paul's first letters while in prison he wrote to the church at Colossae.  This church was on the Mediterranean Sea and ruins of the city can be found in modern-day Turkey.  Paul follows a standard letter-writing form, much like the one we posted the link from grammerly.com about earlier.  

Paul opens with an introduction of himself and his companions.  Paul had not been the instigator of this church, nor had he even been there, but had heard of it through the disciple Epaphras.  Even though the church had probably heard of the apostle Paul, he felt the need to follow his training, he was after all a Pharisee, and write a proper letter of encouragement through the direction of the Holy Spirit.  

After his introduction, he signifies to whom the letter is to be read.  There were very few literate folks in the churches of the time.  The audience of this letter was the Jesus-followers in Colossae.  Paul invokes a blessing on them and then continues.

The first 8 verses in our Bible are one long sentence where Paul addresses some of the history of the church he has heard.  He applauds the Colossians for their faith and belief and assures them that he prays continually and gives thanks for them to God.  He speaks of the faith and love that the church exhibited for the saints of the region and lauds them for their sacrifice, their laying down of their lives for the benefit of others.  Paul continues his encouragement by challenging the church to seek wisdom on top of the grace, hope, and love they already have.  This wisdom comes in the form of the "knowledge of His (God's) will". The reason Paul tells them to seek such wisdom is so that they will continue in their journey to become more like Jesus and that they will walk "worthy in the manner of the Lord (Jesus)".  This walk takes them down the pathways of doing the works, increasing in the knowledge of God, and being strengthened by all power so that they will be patient and persevere through the trials and pushback they will be receiving in the future.  

What is their motivation for all of this?  Paul wishes them to be signed, sealed, delivered on the day of their inheritance of the saints of light.  Paul wants their desire to do all of these things to be based on how they are becoming Christ-like in their day-to-day living and how that living testifies to those around them to whom they are being delivered.  It allows these believers to exclaim..."I'm Yours!!!" to the One who is worthy to be praised.  Or as "Little Stevie" put it..."...you set my soul on fire.  That's why I know you're my heart's only desire..."

So believing, Jesus-following friend, does your life have a Colossian testimony?  Could Paul pray for you like he did for them?  Are you seeking God's wisdom so you can through the Holy Spirit's power walk worthy in the manner of Jesus?  A little self-inspection could be overdue, I know that it is for me.  Because on the day I take my last breath, I want to be able to say, sing, and shout..."Here I am!  Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!!

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,

randy

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Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Rock This Town" (Stray Cats)

Everything is cyclical.  We've talked about it before here at The Notes.  It seems a thing gets popular and then just as quickly it fades into the distance (let's hope that goes for the icon that is Taylor Swift, there I said it, Go 49'ers!!!  Super Bowl reference...check!) Music is not exempt from such waves of the stylistic ocean.  If you think about it, Disco is back, it's just called something else currently. You can find it populating the Billboard Dance charts.  (Here's this week's:  Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs!) 

Music is sometimes like the weather in Arkansas.  If you have a favorite season, wait a minute or two and it will probably be here.  That being said, all of you coming to Arkansas for the Eclipse should be reminded that storm shelter space is at a minimum...it is tornado season here in Arkansas on April 8th after all!!!  Make sure you watch Twister before you traipse all this way for a grand total of 4 minutes and 28 seconds max.  Total Solar Eclipse FAQ  

And now back to your regularly scheduled blog already in progress...

Sure the trends from the past that reemerge are reimagined when they are brought back, but the foundations of what made them great are still there, guiding us back to remember why we loved that style to begin with.  Such is the case of today's featured song and its musical genre, Rockabilly.

Some folks called it the Boogie-Woogie.  Others preferred the slower version with its Doo-Wops.  But most everyone can agree that this amalgamation of Country/Western and Rhythm/Blues called Rockabilly is the very beginning of Rock-N-Roll.  (No, nothing Taylor Swift does should be considered Rock-N-Roll, it's Pop, and there is a difference.  Sorry, I digressed again. I promise I'll try to refrain... Go 49'ers!!!) 

Rockabilly came into popularity for the first time as the cradle for Rock-N-Roll in the 50s.  Most of the best rockabilly bands hailed from the south, but its popularity would grow so quickly, soon bands from around the world were attempting to replicate the unique sound.  It would eventually give us Eddie Cochrane (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran/Alan Jackson)) Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Jailhouse Rock" (Elvis Presley)), Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Promised Land" (Chuck Berry)), The Shirelles, and The Drifters to name a few.  

Back to our conversation about musical cycles.  Some bands toyed off and on with the Rockabilly/Swing style and then The Brian Setzer Orchestra (yup, the lead singer for Stray Cats), and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in the 90s showcased how the genre, sometimes known as Swing revival - wikipedia.org, would come back in huge ways.  But it all began with a huge meow...

"Rock This Town" released August 31, 1982 in the US on the album Built For Speed

It would be the second single by the band Stray Cats that would get them on the hot tin roof and stir up a new generation to investigate swing dancing and Rockabilly music. Released on August 31, 1982 (8 months after its release in the UK from the debut album Stray Cats), "Rock This Town" would introduce the Reagan generation to a sound that their grandparents had enjoyed and perhaps even danced the jitterbug.  Coming from the band's US debut album, Built For Speed, "Rock This Town" purred its way onto the charts, eventually peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.  "Rock This Town" has been used continuously in media of every kind, especially in video games. (Guitar Hero II and Cars (video game inspired by the Pixar film))  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame deemed "Rock This Town" so influential that it named the song to its 2004 500 Songs That Shaped Rock - infoplease.com list.  It just goes to show ya, that with a great song you can  "...Rock this town Rock it inside out, We're gonna rock this town Make 'em scream 'n' shout.  Let's rock, rock, rock, man, rock We're gonna rock 'til we pop Gonna rock 'til we drop We're gonna rock this town Rock it inside out..." 

Acts of the Apostles as recorded by Luke, a physician, chapter 21, verse 15 through chapter 26 New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/English Standard Version of the Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel

Based on videos I've seen, Stray Cats caused quite a ruckus when they came to town for a concert.  Their fan base was a composite of the punk scene, pop music, big band, and even country fans.  One would imagine that this mix would result in some "interesting" interactions between these groups.  The same can be said of the Apostle Paul.  

We've seen time and again where Paul and his companions would come into a town to teach the Gospel, the good news about restoration to God through Jesus.  Initially, there would be much rejoicing by the fellow disciples and then it seemed that with the spread of the Good News also came with pushback towards Paul and his confederates.  It seemed that the most inflamed of these folks were the Jews of the town.  While unintentional it seemed that Paul rocked the town and made them scream and shout.  

Paul was a Jew himself and on the fast track to the Sanhedrin (ruling group of Jewish leaders) when he was blindsided by the risen Jesus.  Paul repented of his ways and with the help of a group of disciples (including some of the original 12), Paul began 4 trips on his ministry of spreading the Gospel around the known world.  His final journey would be the most volatile and "interesting".

We saw last week that Paul was on his way to Jerusalem.  Even though the fellow believers he encountered along the way discouraged the trip, Paul felt compelled to complete the journey, wherever it led.  When he arrived, as had happened in so many towns, he was received warmly by the Jerusalem disciples of Jesus.  Paul gets to interact with James and the other elders, probably those of the 12 who were still alive and not traveling themselves.  Paul tells of all of the miraculous events from his travels.  The most incredible being the repentance and salvation of people, especially the Gentiles of the regions he traversed.  The news about Jews and Gentiles coming to faith was concerning to the local believers and they hoped to avoid similar conflicts to what Paul had experienced elsewhere.  They suggested and Paul acquiesced to Paul and 4 other men observing the purity rituals to attempt to placate the Jews.  As for the Gentiles, they sent letters to them respectfully requesting that they abide by some of the Jewish religious dietary customs as well as other purity issues that would not affect the freedom they had found in Jesus.  Even though Paul had followed Jewish customs, Jews from Asia, the region where Paul had spent most of his preaching time, stirred up the crowd against Paul.  "...You looked at me once, looked at me twice, looked at me again there's gonna be a fight..."

The confrontation became so intense that it caught the notice of a local troop of Roman soldiers.  Paul, seen as the source of the unrest, was soon bound and interrogated.  The disturbance was so loud the centurion was getting nowhere and ordered Paul to be brought to the Roman garrison for his questioning.  This inquiry led to the centurion discovering that Paul was educated and not exactly who the Roman thought him to be.  Paul then asked for permission to address the crowd.

Paul began to address them in Hebrew, which quickly gained their attention and silenced the crowd.  Paul then goes into a testimony of his life including his grand redemption and interaction with Jesus on the road to Damascus.  When Paul completed the reflection of his life, the crowd burst into an even angrier uproar.  The Romans, who were motivated to keep the peace, quickly drew Paul back into the barracks and began the process of punishment including flogging Paul.  Just as the whips are about to be loosed upon him, Paul quickly asks the guards if it is lawful to flog a Roman citizen.  I can imagine an immediate, almost comedic,  halt of the whips.  Upon learning this, Paul was released and a council of the Jewish leaders was ordered by the centurion.

The council convenes and Paul gives the Jewish leaders more than they could stand.  He pits the Sadducees (who believed there is no resurrection) against the Pharisees (believers in resurrection) who populated the council against each other.  "...We're gonna rock this town, rock it inside out..."

The tumult became so bad that Paul had to be removed from the council as the Roman guards were afraid for Paul's life and he was now their responsibility as a Roman citizen.  

Paul then escapes a conspiracy to kill him and he is immediately moved to Caesarea Maritima under the protection of seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.  Paul has now become a Roman problem and must be dealt with according to the Roman laws.  In as much, he makes his way to the governor of the region Felix.  Felix gets the low down from the soldiers and eventually takes an audience with the Jewish leaders to get their perspective on Paul's case.  With flowery, flattering language the Jewish rulers present their case.  Felix as a Roman governor had a healthy skepticism of the Jews.  

Then as is the custom in a Roman proceeding, Paul had his opportunity to defend himself.  Paul shows of his educated background as he unpacks his most recent history and recounts The Way in which he now approaches and lives his life.  Felix had just enough information about the early believers to be familiar with The Way and recesses the audience to take council and decide Paul's fate.  During this time, Paul was essentially placed under house arrest with many freedoms and access to his friends who ministered to him.  

Several days later, Felix, who had apparently left the area, returns with his Jewish wife Druscilla in tow.   Felix is in the hope that Paul would attempt to bribe him but as that did not occur, the couple listened intently to Paul's testimony and recounting of righteousness through Jesus.   Felix becomes frightened by the things Paul is saying (Holy Spirit at work?) and sends Paul away.  Wash, rinse, and repeat for two years until Felix is replaced as governor by Porcius Festus.  During these two years, Paul remained imprisoned.  

With Paul in prison and a new governor installed, the Jewish leadership thought they would attempt to retry Paul.  They hoped that Festus had a more attentive ear to their complaints.  The Jews wished to have Paul returned to Jerusalem to stand trial in their court.  When Festus asked if Paul was willing to return to Jerusalem, Paul pulled the Caesar card (which he could do as a Roman citizen) and appealed to the highest court in the land.  This infuriated the Jewish leaders but there was nothing else they could do.  But wait there is more...

King Agrippa II and his wife Bernice ruled over the Judean region of the Roman Empire.  As they were travelling they came to Caesarea Maritima where Paul was being held.  Festus explained the dilemma he had in that he found no reason by Roman rule for Paul to be punished as the Jews desired.  They were richly entertained by Festus who had Paul brought before them (perhaps as entertainment).  Paul didn't miss a beat and quickly regaled Agrippa with his experience with Jesus.  Festus claimed that Paul had gone insane due to his intense education.  Paul calmly reminded Festus that his sanity was intact and that Agrippa in fact had some familiarity with The Way in which Paul spoke.  Agrippa was not an out-of-touch King of the region and had heard all about the goings on regarding Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.  At one point in Paul's impassioned telling of his salvation, Agrippa blurts out, "In a short time you are going to persuade me to make a Christian of myself.” (Acts 26:28) To which Paul replied that he wished not only Agrippa but everyone under the sound of his voice would become believers.  We don't see in Scripture where Agrippa responded to Paul.  But Agrippa's acquaintance with the story served to provide no extra council to Festus.  After the royal party left Paul, they deliberated and concluded that Paul had done nothing to justify any further punishment.  However, Paul had appealed to Caesar and to Caesar he must go...

In The Gospel of Jesus according to John, a fisherman, chapter 15, verse 18 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV Jesus gives us a primer on what Paul experienced every step of his life after Paul repented and surrendered his life to become a Jesus follower.  This meant everywhere Paul went, he told the story of his redemption and Jesus' sacrifice.  This is a message that continues to resonate, but it also continues to stir things up.  Paul's story in this portion of Acts is a tutorial on how we are to testify in the difficult moments of our lives.  We must remember that as we rock our towns, rock them inside out, and rock till we pop, rock till we drop, we will definitely make some folks scream and shout and maybe even rip some towns apart.  But because of Jesus and His righteousness, we will have the boldness through Holy Spirit to speak even to the highest rulers of our land.  So go ahead, Rock this town, rock it inside out...

'Til Tuesday

Loving HIM by Loving You,

randy