Looks like we will celebrate again by going into another degree in our six degrees of country music!
So, what fun adventure will we be going on today?
Well, if any one of you know me well enough, you probably know that I enjoy the 1960s social movements and its history. The beliefs, the action, the violence, the turmoil all melded together to create a tumultuous decade for the United States.
Why am I so interested in it? Well, the 1960s social movements boiled down to one thing: change. The good or the bad, people believed in themselves and others so much that they step across the bounds of social formality to bring about a better world.
Did it work? I wouldn't want to be the one to answer that so go read a book. What could possibly be more important though may be that such movements showed that normal everyday people could make a change in their own lives and in the world.
Luckily, Frankie's next record in her collection helps us segway into such notion of change.
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Artist: Johnny Rivers
Year: 1965
Label Number: LP-9293
If you recall from the past two posts that we visited and then revisited "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Well by the looks of it, we are getting to the man who originally (not wrote) recorded the single. Unfortunately in my luck of finding Glen Campbell's album, I didn't have such luck finding Mr. Rivers version.
Let's get to the story: sorry again, I have none.
Instead what I offer, to those willing to listen, are my feelings on change, specifically the personal change I am going through now.
Don't fret, I won't waste your time. But when you consider change, you might think of something fairly permanent (tattoos, moving, death) or temporary (diets, hair cut).
I am going through neither. The change I am talking about is the self-implemented change. It took something significant to happen to me, but the message was sent; I have to do something about the person I've become to turn into a better person.
Now don't get me wrong, I could never compare this to the change of the 1960s, and its far from revolutionary, but to change denotes the desire or need for something different/new.
For whom should we change for? In the 60's people sought the change for those on the margins, those at war, and the everyday people in America. More importantly their efforts were made for themselves.
I declare today that first and foremost the changes I plan to make are for myself. The flaws that I let alone to run amok on my personality now will be worked on so that I can better myself. Particular attitudes, quirks and secrets that served me no good will be whittled down to hopefully show up only on the really bad days.
"What are you getting at?" Plain and simple: One, I am changing yes, but not who I am. Instead, I am changing the things about me that have hurt myself and countless others in the past year. Two, I am changing for myself, completely and utterly for myself. It's not a selfish thing, but a way to say that only I am capable of doing this.
Three: Honesty, I would be a liar if I told you the reasons I am changing are for only myself. It's not possible. Why? It's not easy to recognize the things that are wrong with you unless someone else hurt by them points it out. That doesn't mean though you can't recognize them yourself, but there just may be many reasons why you recognized them.
"What reasons could there be?" The reason you probably are changing could be because your ailing grandfather. Possibly to give hope to a mother and sister who have no significant other love. You may even have a niece that needs a role model, and, well, the way you are acting now she should never see.
Or maybe you hurt someone dearest to you.
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There isn't much to say about Johnny Rivers. Though the one page-esque write up on the back makes him sound like the world's top act, I kind of doubt it. Really, Rivers just sounds like a one man Byrds. Oddly enough, the second side of the album features a cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man," which was written by Bob Dylan but initially made famous by the Byrds.
His style reminds me of the fuzzy pop sound. You know, like the Monkees.
Let's just say I was a little disappointed.
That doesn't mean a song didn't stick out.
How about this cover version of "Blowin' in the Wind"?
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I want to thank any of you for taking the time to read this. You never know, I may be asking you for help with change, and hopefully you'd do the same with me.
If you have any questions or may be confused don't be afraid to ask.
Who's ready for a new day?
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