Blog 143 God Save the Queen and Old Songs…

        and Who are these People?

Not asking God to save old songs, just the Queen.

“It has sometimes been observed that what leaders do for their people today is government and politics. But what they do for the people of tomorrow—that is leadership.” Amen. I heartily agree. That statement could stand alone for all aspiring leaders.

Queen Elizabeth’s comments came at the commencement of the recent global conference on global warming. She concluded her brief comments with “I, for one, hope that this conference will be one of the rare occasions where everyone will have the chance to rise above the politics of the moment and achieve true leadership.”

 

Songs for People Getting Older

In a couple of recent blogs, I lightheartedly dissed poetry, poets, and the teachers who taught poetry in high school. Yet I have repeatedly linked to a variety of songs that seem to reflect on our lives over the past many decades. More songs are on the horizon. Finally, I have realized that I like poetry when expressed in songs.

Speeding down the freeway last week, radio volume at alert, I perked up and paid attention to the song that ought to be the theme song for us oldsters: “Yesterday, When I Was Young.” A lot of people recorded it—Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, Dusty Springfield, and Roy Clark, who probably has the best-known version. It was written by a Frenchman, Charles Aznavour.

Reading the words, I thought that the metric of the words is awkward, so I recommend that you click on one of the two versions below and fully enjoy the message.

Roy Clark version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEY4LxORCeo

Willie Nelson version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q-CxOn2ubg

“Yesterday, When I Was Young”

Yesterday, when I was young
The taste of life was sweet
Like rain upon my tongue
I teased at life as if
It were a foolish game
The way an evening breeze
Would tease a candle flame
The thousand dreams I dreamed
The splendid things I planned
I always built to last
On weak and shifting sand
I lived by night and shunned
The naked light of day
And only now I see
How the years have run away

Yesterday, when I was young
There were so many songs
That waited to be sung
So many wild pleasures
That lay in store for me
And so much pain
My dazzled eyes refused to see
I ran so fast that time
And youth at last ran out
And I never stopped to think
What life was all about
And every conversation
That I can recall
Concerned itself with me
And nothing else at all

Yesterday, the moon was blue
And every crazy day
Brought something new to do
And I used my magic age
As if it were a wand
And never saw the waste
And emptiness beyond
The game of love I played
With arrogance and pride
And every flame I lit
So quickly, quickly died
The friends I made all seemed
Somehow to drift away
And only I am left
On stage to end the play

Yesterday when I was young
There were so many songs
That waited to be sung
So many wild pleasures
Lay in store for me
And so much pain
My dazzled eyes refused to see
There are so many songs in me
That won’t be sung
Cause I feel the bitter taste
Of tears upon my tongue
And the time has come for me
To pay for yesterday
When I was young

 

One for the record…78 rpm, that is.

I have one other ditty for you today.

as I was brushing my teeth. That takes two minutes with an electric toothbrush, so my mind was wandering (it has not wandered completely off yet), and I thought how boring it is to do this daily chore multiple times. It is just tedious. And into my mind popped the song below. It is more a monologue than a song. It too was recorded by a variety of artists, including Walter Brennon, Hank Williams, Jr., Peter Lind Hayes, Doc Watson, even the Muppets. The first up was Carson Robison in 1948.

Somebody tell me you remember this one:

“Life Gets Tejus’, Don’t It?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLQsO3kXpU

The sun comes up and the sun goes down
The hands on the clock keep a-goin’ ’round
I just get up and it’s time to lay down
Life gets tee-jus, don’t it, hmm

My shoes untied but I don’t care
I ain’t a-figurin’ on goin’ nowhere
For I’d have to wash and comb my hair
And that’s just wasted effort

The water in the well just gettin’ lower and lower
Can’t take a bath at six months more
But I’ve heared it said and it’s true, I’m sure
That to much bathin’ will, will weaken you

I opened the door an’ the fly’s swarm in
Closed the door and I’m sweatin’ again
And in the pros… (a huchh) crack my shin
Just one darn thing after another

Old brown mule he must be sick
I jabbed him in the rump with a pin on a stick
He humped his back but he wouldn’t kick
Now there’s something cock-eyed somewhere

A mouse a-chewin’ on the pantry door
He’s been at it fer a month or more
When he gets through he’d sure be sore
‘Cause there ain’t a darned thing in there

 

Hound dog howlin’ so forlorn
Laziest dog that was ever born
He’s a-howlin’ ’cause he’s a-settin’ on a thorn
An’ just to tired to move over

The tin roof leaks and chimney leans
An’ there’s a hole in the seat of my old blue jeans
And I ett the last of the pork and beans
Just can’t depend on nothin’

Cow’s gone dry and the hens won’t lay
Fish quit bittin’ and it’s Saturday
Troubles are pilin’ up day by day
And now I’m gettin’ dandruff

Grief and misery, pains and woes
Debts and taxes, yea, so it goes
I think I’m gettin’ a cold in my nose
Life gets tee-just don’t it?…

A few more songs come to mind, such as “It Was a Very Good Year” from Frank Sinatra, “September Song”, and the one my grandmother was always singing, “Silver Threads Among the Gold.” Others will come to mind after this is posted, including one by George Strait that is buzzing in the part of my head where the recall button is supposed to be located.

Who are these people?

Here are a few photos from the vault, taken at various times over the years. Whom do you remember? As far as I know all are still with us, though one is on the lost list. If you cannot guess who they are, just ask. Or if someone wants to name them, just do it.