Meanwhile, quite a few Battle participants are struggling. It would be great to hold onto good thoughts for them. I'm just getting back on the trail, but have noticed others have not had an easy time. For your enjoyment... a song that StMcC once shared on this blog. Maybe you've heard it?
The Beach Boys perform "Long Promised Road." I've included the lyrics.
"Long Promised Road"
So hard to answer future's riddle
When ahead is seeming so far behind
So hard to laugh a child-like giggle
When the tears start to torture my mind
So hard to shed the life of before
To let my soul automatically soar
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Sew up the wounds of evolution
And the now starts to get in my way
So what if life's a revelation
If the mind speaks of only today
So real, the pain growing in my soul
Of climbing up to reality's goal
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Long promised road
Trail starts at dawn
Carries on to the season's ending
Long promised road
Flows to the source, gentle force, never ending, never ending
So hard to lift the jeweled sceptre
When the weight turns a smile to a frown
So hard to drink of passion nectar
When the taste of life's holding me down
So hard to plant the seed of reform
To set my sights on defeating the storm
So I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
Prayers and positive vibes to all the Botb participants. May they over come their struggles.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, Mike. Hope your Foot-ma-ball season goes well!!!
DeleteI'm wishing for everyone to start feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering, Jeffrey, if there are any songs about being sick? Think we should do a battle on the topic?
DeleteI'm with you.
I'm certain Weird Al has done a song on that topic. I think it would be fun, one of these days, if everyone in the group covered the same song. There are some songs that (almost) literally EVERYONE has covered at one time or another.
DeleteHa, ha, Jeffrey - you initiate the idea. Not me (smile).
DeleteEveryone seems to be struggling in one form or another. Saying prayers for all of my fellow BOTBers and other Blogosphere buds! Take it easy and it's so good to see you back!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Curious Cat ~ About now I'm craving mountain air? Do you know what I mean when I say that? I should have stayed in college forever... on that mountain, maybe... not.
DeleteWhat a sweet heart you have.... <3
ReplyDeleteLady Cherdo... I just love the number 3 (smile).
DeleteDIXIE POLKA ~
ReplyDeleteWonderful little blog bit that brings it all back home.
I'm listening to this song you posted right now, and it's really "medicine". It's MUSICAL MEDICINE I needed. Thanks! Your timing is perfect.
I got yer last E, and will reply just as soon'z I can. Maybe not until Saturday, what with full-time work and comments to reply to, and just being behind on everything. But I'll get to 'er, boss - I swear it.
About to play this song again. This is one I can NEVER listen to just "once-in-a-row".
>>... "Sew up the wounds of evolution"
That line used to bother me because... first of all, anyone with even one lick of sense and two brain cells to rub together knows that Evolution is a lie. We were "created" by God.
Secondly, it makes no sense. What would the "wounds of evolution" mean, anyway? Of course, he could have meant evolution in a non-physical sense - like, a Spiritual growth - but the meaning would still be a little vague.
Listening closely, I finally realized that the word is "revolution", not "evolution". That makes a lot more sense, considering the year the song was written and recorded, and all revolutions create wounds of one kind or another. It could even be referring to the revolution of mankind against God. That line really works.
OK, about to hit "Play" for the third time...
The big mystery of the song is: Who is "You"?
"I'd love to see You, I'd love to see You..."
That seems to come out of nowhere and represents a kind of lyrical shift. It's a great ending, but who is "You"?
I think I know. And if I have it right, it's not really a shift but an organic idea that's completely in line with the rest of the song.
I know who I'd MOST like to see right now. He's with me, always, but I've only "seen" Him a few times, and I've always been in an altered state when I did. ...Actually, that's not entirely true. Once I saw him somehow appear in front of me, momentarily, in or on my windshield while I was driving. Sheesh! I HOPE I wasn't driving in an "altered state"! Ha!
Thanks again for the prayers and the nice blog bit. Cherdo's right, you're DIXIE POLKA with the sweet heart. ("I dream of Dixie with the sweet Polka heart".)
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
~ D-FensDogG,
ReplyDeleteThis song got next to me, the first time I heard it. In fact, I could not let it go until I played it X number of times. I knew those lyrics; I felt those lyrics; I could not have written them, nor the music, though. They were definitely what I term, "inspired." Here's a quote where Brian is speaking about Carl. (Information I didn't know.) ~
[Wilson was a significantly spiritual person and frequently spoke of what he called his "connection with Spirit". Prayer ritual was an important part of his life and, according to Brian, "prayer sessions" were conducted before recordings on Pet Sounds in order to invoke higher guidance in the music. Wilson declared himself a conscientious objector and refused the draft to join the American military during the Vietnam War. By 1988, Wilson had become an ordained minister in the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness.[9] ~ from Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Wilson
So it sounds like Long Promised Road presented the overall experience that Carl knew to be real. As real as looking at a cloud one moment, but it's gone a few moments later. (Reminds me of 'A Course in Miracles'.) Personally I have evolution and revolution in my mind. It's my acceptance of Yeshua's Spirit that empties me of my thoughts and ways. (I hope that makes sense.) I'm human, and travel what seems like a long road - which I now realize isn't long at all.
I'm gonna slide past your 'organic' stuffs.
Please - unless you know how to install a retaining wall - do not dream about me. But if you must, then send me positive vibes for rebuilding my wall, (even if I sound off the wall). In your dream ~ I'll be the one at the underpass with the accordion. Ha!
Prayers are free ~
Dixie (Lawrence Welk was a dub job) Polka
Yep, I knew about the "prayer sessions" before the recording of the 'Pet Sounds' tracks. Big Beach Boys fan here, ya know.
Delete'A Course In Miracles'? Hokey-Smoke! Have you seen me mention that before? I have A LOT to say about 'ACIM'. I've even toyed with the idea of starting a blog about it... but I probably never will.
If you're going to be the one at the underpass with the accordion, you better wear a funny hat so I'll recognize you. Otherwise I won't know which Polka player at the underpass is you. Put an accordion in their hands and all people look the same to me. Ha!
Lawrence Welk was a "dub job"?
~ D-FensDogG
~ D-FensDogG...
DeleteACIM was my favorite thing between 1997-2001. I could share stories of things I did that makes MY hair stand on end! Then I read the Celestine Prophecies...oh wow! I may still have the manuals and books.
Wow, I had no idea accordion players were so rampant in your dreams...dang, I've never studied dreams. I'll wear my blue jean cowboy hat. It's great and I waterproofed it, myself. There's a photo of it in the top right hand column.
Forget Lawrence; he was jealous of my pearl cover. It's made of Bakelite - ever heard of that? Probably not.
I have to finish my car wash post. Okay? Bye :) dp
Gotcha! That hat'll make you easy to spot.
DeleteAnd, yes, I know what Bakelite is.
ACIM... I read the book (Text, Workbook for Students, Manual for Teachers) multiple times for five years and completed the entire Course 2.66 times. Then I began to have doubts about it and prayed ardently to Yeshua.
In 2001, He answered my prayer by performing a small miracle for me in Reno, Nevada. The answer was: It's a demonic deception.
And that's EXACTLY what I had begun to strongly suspect.
That started me on the process of purging so much stuffs in my life pertaining to New Age beliefs. It's a long, long story, but I may write it someday.
~ D-FensDogG
Hey ~ D-FensDogG,
DeleteI had a look on your blog yesterday, but missed your ACIM article, I guess. I purchased the Text and Student workbooks, at a yard sale. It was disturbing to see the different groups that sprang of this one. I basically gave it up because I got tired of making things disappear. I'd change my mind and bring them back (Ha!)
I was never New Age. I could and still can walk into a NA shop and smell the evil. Strange, huh.
I bought the Denim hat for my Dad years ago. I couldn't believe one of my brothers didn't want it. Still I'm glad to have it. I've so many photos of him wearing it... it's way too big for me (smile).
Another time, sir.
dp