The Good Wars

So the Jews and the Arabs remind me more of cowboys and indians every day. Believe me, I can see that it reads as though I'm making light of an incredibly sensitive situation. I surely don't mean to do anything like that. Greed, ignorance and intolerance are behind all wars in my opinion. Someone wants more than their share, perceives that God is on their side and uses whatever means is necessary to get the other guy's part.

Who's the good guy?

Depends on who "wins" the war. They write the history books. Good guys fight in wars. They're usually the offspring of folks who don't start the fights.

Does it sound like I'm being disrespectful here? Fine. My grandmother, who didn't have a high school education, understood this.

It is my opinion that not many folks seeking to help others and make the world a better place go into politics. While I'm calling people out here, not many hotshots at BP are working so that we can have a higher standard of living, either. Don't get me started on investment bankers and lawyers. Television evangelists, either.

If I sound grumpy here, I'm not. It's my job to save the world. It doesn't pay much. If I stand for anything it's peace and truth and love. I love you. I love my job.

The Smell Of Glass

The world keeps trying to retire me but I won't have any of it. Rock'n'roll has gotten me through every rough patch of a very long road. Of course my definition of rock'n'roll is a wide one. It's like that stupid cliche that we all got tired of a long time ago: "Pornography. I can't define it but I know it when I see it."

Well, my heart is full and I see love everywhere I look. Take every opportunity to bring peace to all the living creatures around you. The memories are all you end up with. Make some good ones.

Wow

In 1967 we worked hard for our psychedelic credentials in Noah's Ark. We knew that we were nothing without a theremin. Well, you couldn't just go to google and track down a source. I had seen Bob Moog's name associated with the things in Popular Science type magazines. I was somehow aware that he was manufacturing them with his father in New York.

When I tracked him down through information and gave him my order he asked if we would be his sales reps for the Southeast. It meant that we got two theremins shipped for the price of one. 

Well now, that band was always more about the pose than the music, truth be told. None of us got to be virtuosos. In fact we did well to make creepy "monster movie" sounds with the thing.

Life's like that. At least mine is.

Just Like Me

So only time makes everything alright, huh? Seems to me, you wait long enough, you die. Am I missing something here? It's all in those songs. Ol' Blue eyes sang them and now Bob gives them a whirl. Are we just programmed for sad?

Well sir, I'll tell you this- the vision of love in the green coat, contrasting the black ice brought all the joy even if it wasn't forever.

Send someone a Valentine. Save the world.

What Have I Done Right?

Regrets? I believe we've covered that. I've loved hard, though, and I've played with all the soul I could muster. I would have done better if I could have.

Time Not To Care

You know me. The guy who still doesn't feel right at the grown up table. I hurry to explain that I can't sing on key and that I really can't play anything. Something compels me to turn myself in before I'm discovered.

Plenty of friends have tried to explain that I spend far too much time in my head. They're right, of course.

And now, here I am. No need to defend myself. Oh yeah, I've done plenty of things that I shouldn't have and I've created scripts in my head and in my heart to make it all someone else's fault. Of course I've been blamed for being the one hurt and the one used, too. So?

It really is time to get good at playing by myself and being happy with all of my blessings. Boy, I hope to have helped some creatures here on the planet before it's all said and done. All we really have is love. It won't buy any presidential elections, grammys or Super Bowls but it is the original renewable resource.

You're truly lucky if you realize just how lucky you are. The sweetest folks and the best dogs and cats have given me some of their kindness and time and love. My songs and my memories make up my treasure. I don't need any insurance, thanks.

If My Muse Calls...

...tell her I've stepped out for a bit. This idea of infinity is starting to make me nervous. I could distract myself comparing marbles but I've got a parade to avoid. 

Sometimes I start to worry that most of the genius goes unpublished, pretty much unread. What if van Gogh had been an only child?

Of course I can get off the worry train by simply reminding myself that everything is perfect, at least in this universe, as it is. Then I start to fret about the ones who can't get off. The ones who missed their stop several miles back.

Hey, it's all soul music if it's any good. It's all soul food if it's prepared with love. I seldom lock my door. I hope I never close my heart.