Music

Vinyl records in a row. One record is standing in front. On the record label there is some copy space.

Tuesday Tunes

There are always songs that stay with us forever.

My first year at University, I was amazed at how many concerts and shows were held on campus. Over the time I was there, I was able to see off Broadway productions of Cat and A Chorus Line.

In addition to plays there were the concerts. And they weren’t little names.

Harry Chapin gave a concert every year.

When my roommate tried to get me to go, I begged off. I was studying for a test or some such thing. That was a mistake.

A few months later, Harry died in a car accident.

Having been introduced to Harry, I purchased many of his albums on CD and nearly wore them out.

I’ve already written about Sniper.

I listened to the following song, and it felt like it was telling a part of my story.

My father was in the Navy, he would deploy for 6+ months every few years. He worked a lot. When I was old enough to actually do things with him, he was CO of the base, which left him little time.

His support was always there.

He and mom delayed moving to their dream home after he retired to allow me to complete high school in the school I started.

They left at the end of the school year, I went to Europe for a trip, came back to the states and spent the summer staying with a friend and working.

From there, it was straight to University. I went “home” for Christmas and the summer break.

That was the last time I lived with my parents. Every other summer, I was at school or working. Or both.

So when I heard this song, it hit me hard. My father has always been there for me. As much as I needed. He was the strength behind mom. He was.

And I was the selfish son who couldn’t make time for him.

https://youtu.be/RWdTWuZAA7A

So I told him this song was so meaningful to me because I wasn’t making time for him and I never had.

He heard the other side and felt like he wasn’t there for me.

I hurt him. I regret telling him about “Cat’s In The Cradle”, but at the same time, I hope he heard that I felt I hadn’t been there for him.

Tuesday Tunes

Guest entry by Allyson/Hagar:

A couple of decades ago, I was volunteering at a pagan festival. Among other things, my then-boyfriend and I were doing some singing and entertaining (he played guitar, and my voice was still not too bad, back then). We were attending the planning meetings, as one does, and offering ideas.

The organizers made a statement that the festival was going to be vegan. I commented that, while I agreed that provided food (included with the ticket) could be vegan (which can usually be eaten by most people), we knew plenty of meat eaters who were coming. We should each be allowed to bring whatever food we want, and if it contains an allergen, just sit away from people who might be harmed by it. We were voted down, of course. The organizers decreed that no meat or animal products could be brought on site (let’s not talk about the leather in their shoes or anything like that). I was irritated, not because I need to eat meat (I happen to enjoy vegan food at times), but because I didn’t think it was the place of the organizers to be dictating the food choices of others.

After talking it over with the boyfriend, we decided to perform this particular song, without mentioning it to the organizers.

We were given thunderous applause when we were done, by every person except the one organizer who’d been behind the food fiasco. Even the resident vegans thought it was hilarious. The organizer just looked grumpy. I felt much better. Heh!

Tuesday Tunes

When the sniper in the Texas Clock Tower started shooting men stopped and grabbed rifles from their trucks and returned fire.

Today, it is the odd of us that carry a truck gun.