Thank You

I have a somewhat unique opportunity. I have the opportunity/responsibility to create a new set list for tomorrow. A set of musical treats, lasting 90 minutes and expected to possess one (or more) of three primary characteristics to compliment our high-intensity spin sessions. The three categories are, roughly:

1) They gotta rock.

2) If not, they must contain sufficient rhythm, blues, jazz, world, hip-hop, funk or classical beats to push the pace. This is sometimes called, rhetorically, the grind. 

3) Lacking one and two, they must be so beautiful, emotional or downright inspirational that despite no 'big back beat' or rhythmic grind, they are universally accepted as classically cool, or chill as the cats say. 

For the sake of this exercise, allow me to list three of my favorite tunes from each ‘genre’ to illustrate my grouping. 

Cat One:

Gimme Shelter, Stones.

Magic Carpet Ride, Steppenwolf

Honey Bee, Lucinda Williams.

Cat Two:

Africa, Toto.

When Your Falling, Afro Celts with Peter Gabriel.

Caravans, Brian Bromberg

Cat Three:

Blue Bayou, Linda Ronstadt

Peace, OAR

Attics of My Life, Grateful Dead

Tomorrow I have the dubious assignment to lead our annual Thanksgiving ride. While once a believer, I now loathe themed rides. Thanksgiving is one of those. I have agreed, after deep meditation and a quick soul search, something much easier if done with Google, to the plea bargain compromise of playing a pair of over-the-top thematic tunes, one a rocker and other early Motown funky soul, sandwiched around the remainder of the musical supporting cast. The two:

Thank You. Led Zep, and Thank you (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again) by Sly and his Stoned Family. And in the case that you may be wondering, the parenthetical Ebonics are part of the actual name of the song, something that iTunes charged me $1.31 to verify. 

With all this as backstory, my initial topic, decided as I stared at the blank text editor on-screen page, was an idea I had the other day to list ten (or so) of my favorite lines from the rock catalogue. I was reminded this morning as we listened to, and I tried once again to time the bass lines, of Papa was a Rolling Stone. Every time I hear the chorus proclaim that the only thing he left us was alone, I nod a silent sign of respect for that poetic gem. 

You probably have your faves as well. Maybe tomorrow we’ll be grateful and thankful together and share some. Until then I will leave you today with one line I find most endearing, and one that always inspires me to keep moving in the direction of the lyrical light. 

‘But I’d trade all of my tomorrow’s for a single yesterday.’