Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Today marks what should have been my dad’s 81st birthday.  One of the great tragedies of my life is that he died too young at 72.  Another is that he thought that Bruce Springsteen was the voice behind the songs from the “Eddie & the Cruisers” movie (wrong, it was John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band).  So everytime “On The Dark Side” came on the radio, my dad would tell me how much he liked Bruce.  Ugh.  I fell in love with Mr. Springsteen when I was 12 years old, needless to say while I was living in my father’s house.  Before I left for college six years later I must have played the “Born To Run” album 29 million times, give or take.  Yet, my dad still believed John Cafferty sounded like my hero.  No offense to him, but come on now!!!  Cafferty is no Springsteen.  Who is?

Aside from his failure to comprehend the genius of The Boss, my dad and I shared a great love of music.  Every week we listened to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 Countdown together.  When Casey would break for a commercial before he revealed the song in the top spot, my dad would always ask me to tell him what the number one song was.  He knew I knew and most weeks I did.  Music came easy to me.  All I needed was one listen to a song and I remembered the lyrics, the artist who performed it and the singer’s voice.  And I usually knew great artists from the first time I heard them sing.  One artist I instantly fell in love with was Elton John.  However, my dad did not feel the same way at first.  For some reason he did not hear the music, only saw the outlandish costumes John wore on stage that were all over the news and in the paper.  My dad felt John was distracting the audience with his appearance to cover up the fact that he had no talent.  So I only listened to those records in the privacy of my own room to keep the peace in my house.

Then one day while he was helping his best friend with a house project my dad heard two songs he fell madly in love with.  When he got home, he had a look on his face like I imagine I had on mine the first time I heard “Jungleland”.  He asked me if I had the albums with “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” and today’s song on them.  Of course I did.  After all, I knew great music when I heard it.  I was thrilled my dad finally got John, too.  He just needed to hear the music without seeing it.  A few years later my dad and I went to see John in concert at Madison Square Garden.  I think it was my dad’s way of thanking me for not saying I told you so.  And also to hear today’s song live.

Happy Birthday, Dad.  I love you.  And I hope Clarence Clemons finally taught you the difference between Bruce Springsteen and that other guy.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Elton John:  “Bennie And The Jets” (1973, written by Elton John & Bernie Taupin).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.