Kind of Blue at a Garden Party

I’m always amazed at how life works.

You’re going along and something happens and then you have one thought that begets another thought and so on and so forth. Next thing you know you’ve got a sting of consciousness going and the ideas and concepts are flowing like water.

I love that about life.

I have been called a reflective sort of guy. One who watches life and comments on the goings on of folks. Especially when people are in the crisis mode or anything that has to do with the creative process is very fascinating to me.

And I love Karma.

Karma is a bitch and a very hard taskmaster, but in my experience, it is always present and working towards an end. What that end is, well, that’s where the rub comes in. None of us can know where Karma will take us.

So this morning, I was listening to NPR on the way to work as usual and they did a story on Miles Davis. Specifically looking at his groundbreaking album “Kind of Blue” released in 1959.

It has been noted that is may have been the most influential recording of all time. It is certainly the one jazz recording that everyone has in their collection.

It was a long story, but a great one. They talked of the interaction in the studio and exactly how Miles got his musicians such as John Coltrane to break free from the norm and really do something different. And they said that he told them, not what to do, but just what not to do - which freed them to explore the boundaries of their own talents and in turn then led to that remarkable collection of songs.

But that’s not what I’m here to talk about……………..

Towards the end of the interview they discussed how Miles, after the late 60’s never played any of those songs ever again.

In an interview in 1986 he was talking with NPR and said, “Those songs don’t exist for me anymore. They were done at the right time at the right place with the right people and that time is over – if you want to hear them, go buy the record and listen…………I’d rather be dead if I couldn’t create and play new things – I don’t live in the past and I wish other people wouldn’t either.”

Very profound, wouldn’t you say?

So next, going to lunch I’m listening to the radio and what comes on but “Little” Ricky Nelson singing “Garden Party”.

Now this song was a kick in the ass to the music industry in general and specifically the music fans he ran into at a “reunion” show at Madison Square Garden in 1971. He was supposed to come in and play all his old stuff from the late 50’s and early 60’s. His hits that made him a million-seller in those days of Ozzie and Harriet. But instead, he showed up with his long hair and his country rock band and played his new music and was basically booed off the stage.

Check out the lyrics to the song……..

I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name
No one recognized me, I didn’t look the same

But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well
You see, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

People came from miles around, everyone was there
Yoko brought her walrus, there was magic in the air
And over in the corner, much to my surprise
Mr. Hughes hid in Dylan’s shoes wearing his disguise

But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well
You see, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

Played them all the old songs, thought that’s why they came
No one heard the music, cause we didn’t look the same
I said hello to “Mary Lou”, she belongs to me
When I sang a song about a honky-tonk, it was time to leave

But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well
You se, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

Someone opened up a closet door and out stepped Johnny B Goode
Playin’ guitar like a-ringin a bell and lookin’ like he should
If you gotta play at garden parties, I wish you a lotta luck
But if memories were all I sang, I’d rather drive a truck……………….

Same song – different tune.

(and if anyone wants to know what all the cryptic messages in the song mean, just ask me and I’ll tell you – it’s very cool)

But the point is, that living in the past – especially for these creative folks – is a huge drag. I mean, how would you like to have to go back to high school over and over again……………

And all of this got me thinking (imagine that!!!)

I’m a lot like that. I move on. I appreciate my past and love it. I try to have no regrets about anything because things happened at a certain time in a certain place for a certain reason – but really, that’s all over, isn’t it?

I certainly don’t beat myself up over past mistakes but at the same time, I try not to revel in my past “glories” either!!!

But the real point for me, is that I try very hard to live for each day.

Each day I wake up and realize that I have a precious gift and I try to give thanks for it. I try very hard not to dwell on the bad stuff that comes into all of our lives but to rejoice in the goodness that I see all around me.

Primarily I am in love with the most amazing woman that God ever put on this Good Green Earth and I never EVER take that for granted. I am so very happy and I do my best to show her that every chance I get.

I have amazing friends that will do anything for me and I try very hard not to take advantage of that but never forget to ask for help because my pride got in the way.

I have a great job in a world where great jobs are not the norm.

I have four children that I love very much.

AND – in just a short week or so, my new custom motorcycle will be ready for it’s unveiling!!!

So all in all, I love my life and am very happy. I wish I had the Olympic Medal I so cherished, but I don’t. I wish I could have been elected President, but I wasn’t. And there are probably thousands of other things I wish could have happened for me or to me…………..but when I look at where I am and specifically who I have, I realize that I am the luckiest boy in the world.

Find your own luck and thank your God for it. You’ll feel better in the long run. I promise!!!

Peace