Thanks to Maggie we have this to enjoy today. If this doesn’t get you out of your chair dancing, don’t know what will.
I always look forward to Sunday when Jim issues his prompt/challenge for the week. This week is no different. This week his instructions are to use the words Best / Better / Good / Great as inspiration.
The first song that came to mind was Norman Greenbaum’s 1969 hit “Spirit in the Sky” because of the familiar line in the chorus: Gonna go to the place that’s the best.
I LOVE this song and I was not alone in that sentiment. The single went gold and occupied the #3 seat on Billboard’s Hot 100 for 15 weeks and was rated the #22 song of the year for 1970. It also reached #1 on the UK , Australian, and Canadian charts in 1970. Rolling Stone rated the song as #333 in the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
You may think it odd that a Jewish songwriter would write…
Hello, here we are again. My Sunday Reflections post is officially a habit. Let’s get to it shall we?
Sunday 6/28/20 was all about the J Geils’ Band “Freeze Frame” where I recalled my dance team days and those 80’s neon style.
Monday 6/29/20 was time for Ronovan’s weekly haiku challenge. Intent and Thought purposeful and driven to achieve. This weekly exercise brings such stress relief. Re-centering.
Since Monday was busy at work, #SYW or Share Your World was pushed to Tuesday 6/30/20. We waxed on and waxed off all philosophical like Mr. Miyagi. Melanie is something special. I feel like I should be paying her by the 50 minute hour. Haha. I truly do feel better after a share.
Wednesday 7/1/20 a corny one liner from me. I have a boatload of these and will keep on bringing the silly for the foreseeable future. Life is otherwise too serious around here.
Thursday 7/2/20 started with Book Club and a quick review of “The Andromeda Strain” I was diverting my feelings until later that day when I rambled a bit. Still diverting my feelings to a silly Walmart grocery pick up that turned into a $20 credit for no true impact to us. Ya see 7/2 is a painful anniversary for us; B lost his brother and only sibling. I re-posted this poem from three years ago which made it all better albeit temporarily. Grief is not time bound.
Friday 7/3/20 was the day I saw the original cast of Hamilton on the small screen. Thank you Disney + Every bit the magic I had hoped for as “Yorktown (World Turned Upside Down)” had me rapping along at the top of my lungs. Yeah buddy! I know this isn’t everybody’s cuppa but musical theater is my jam. I watched the show twice. The second time was during a live watch party with the cast participating. I am not a regular Twitter user but this allowed me to gt more comfortable. So many of us in community. A collective virtual experience. One for the memory banks that’s for sure.
Saturday 7/4/20 was Independence Day here in the states. I participated in #SoCS, tossing in my two cents. We enjoyed grilled burgers, icy cold watermelon, and Dr. Pepper margaritas. Not as bad as they sound. Not something we’ll do again anytime soon but they guys liked the traditional lime flavor. Maybe another special occasion will draw us back. If so, strawberry or mango for me. No more fad “just okay” Dr. Pepper.
I didn’t blog about our evening but we were lucky to have fireworks close enough to see yet at a distance. Perks of living outside the city limits. We had four neon sparklers that we lit as soon as it was dark enough. This is when we realized last night was a full moon. This picture is better than other full moot shots I have attempted becoming my profile banner on FB.
Jim gives us Best/Better/Good/Great. Yeah buddy, I can work with that. So many choices, so little time. I opted to go with Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young”. The lyrics spoke to us in 7th grade … the part about being a Catholic girl. Our friend Gina called it her song after all her given name is Virginia.
The song was included on the album was “The Stranger” (1977). I actually have the vinyl. Purchased from Columbia House records for a penny, plus shipping and handling. Or maybe it was six albums for 99 cents. Whatever it was, the gimmick worked. Anyone else remember that? The introductory price to join the club was next to nothing. Then each month we got a catalog of relatively new releases to buy from again. There was fine print with an agreement to buy so many more records before one could cancel.
My brother had the idea to get the almost freebies, buy the minimum, then cancel only to sign up again with a different name to get that low introductory offer one more time. Mom found out he used my name and boy was she pissed. Made him let me pick out a few of the records which is how “The Stranger” and treasures like “French Kiss” and “the Best of Bread” were added to my burgeoning collection. I sure wish I had something to play my albums on.
Without further ado and nostalgia, here you go ….
Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
But sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one
They showed you a statue and told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
But they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done…
Only the good die young
You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd
We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud
We might be laughing a bit too loud
But that never hurt no one
So, come on, Virginia, show me a sign
Send up a signal I’ll throw you the line
The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding behind
Never lets in the sun
Darling, only the good die young
You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation
You got a brand new soul
And a cross of gold
But, Virginia, they didn’t give you quite enough information
You didn’t count on me
When you were counting on your rosary
They say there’s a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it’s better but I say it ain’t
I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun…
You know that only the good die young
You say your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation
She never cared for me
But did she ever say a prayer for me?
Come out, come out, come out
Virginia, don’t let me wait,
You Catholic girls start much too late,
But sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one,
You know that only the good die young
Tell you baby
You know that only the good die young
Only the good die young
Only the good
Only the good die young
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 