WWJLD Wednesday....Watching the Wheels

One of the main things I like to take from this song when I listen to it is to just stop for a few minutes and just sit back and watch the world go by and just enjoy yourself. Stop trying to be in the middle of everything and just focus on those things that are important. Just sit and watch the wheels go round and round.

This song was released posthumously in 1981 after his murder in 1980. I picked this particular video because I loved the home movies of him being a stay at home dad taking care of his second son Sean. So many people were pressuring him to get back into the music business, but he was done doing things on others terms. He was taking time to be with his family and dream. And wouldn't the world be a better place if we all 'dreamed' like JL? Couldn't we all just take a minute, step off the merry-go-round, and let it all go?

So stop for a minute and read the lyrics, listen to the music, relate it to your own life. Do you need to be in that rat race to be happy? Are their simpler things at home, like your family, your dreams, peace, that are more important?  `







People say I'm crazy doing what I'm doing,
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin,
When I say that I'm o.k. they look at me kind of strange,
Surely your not happy now you no longer play the game,
People say I'm lazy dreaming my life away,
Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me,
When I tell that I'm doing Fine watching shadows on the wall,
Don't you miss the big time boy you're no longer on the ball?
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round,
I really love to watch them roll,
No longer riding on the merry-go-round,
I just had to let it go,
People asking questions lost in confusion,
Well I tell them there's no problem,
Only solutions,
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind,
I tell them there's no hurry...
I'm just sitting here doing time,
I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round,
I really love to watch them roll,
No longer riding on the merry-go-round,
I just had to let it go.

Regrets....Getting real

I don't regret too many things in my life. I like to think the mistakes or choices I have made in my life make me who I am. Sure there are always things sometimes I look at and think "Why in the hell did I do that!" or "What the frig was I thinking?" But in the end I know everything I have done has made me stronger.

I was reading the blog of a friend's fiance, and he was discussing an issue that was very important and hurtful to him. He had family members that had decided due to 'personal conflicts' they weren't going to be attending his and my friends wedding. I'm not going to go into any more detail than that for their privacy. My whole take on this is that this is a time in some one's life that you put aside your issues and conflicts and you be there to celebrate the person that you love. Celebrate their love and happiness. This is a moment that you can't recreate.

Reading about the issues he was having made me think of my own wedding to my ex. There were two situations surrounding my wedding that I wasn't sure how they were going to play out. One scenario I am happy how it worked out. The other, I must say, is probably one of my few regrets.  I had a similar issue with a conflict between a couple of family members. I actually wasn't involved, but my mother and my uncle were. I invited my uncle and his family, not knowing if they would actually show up. But I'm happy to say that they put aside whatever issues they had between them and my uncle and his family came. I was very happy they did. I would have been so sad if a family disagreement kept them away from seeing me get married.

The second scenario, was my fault. And I do regret it. Of course there was some influence going into my head. But when I look back now I realize I just wasn't strong enough. If I was the person then, that I am today, this wouldn't have happened. You learn from your mistakes.

I had a falling out with one of my best friends from high school. It really wasn't her fault. It was more mine. Not being comfortable with who I was. Being unsure of my own thoughts and desires. Not using my own voice. I used some one elses. Some one else who pushed me not to be friends with her anymore. Of course in the end, it was my decision. So I'm not passing blame. Just wishing I thought for myself more, instead of letting others do it for me. Truly I envied her confidence. But the whispers into my brain somehow convinced me I couldn't be at my full potential while feeling like she was overshadowing me. But looking back, if she was overshadowing me it was because I wasn't stepping up and out of the shadows. Not because she was doing anything wrong. But I didn't get that then. This is all part of my regret - not thinking for myself, not using my own brain to figure out why I was feeling that way and then not talking to her about it. I have learned that communication can change so much. It can fix so much. But keeping your insecurities inside will never help anything, except to make you bitter and unhappy.

Because I pushed her away, I isolated myself in a way. And when it came time to send out the wedding invitations she was on my 'maybe' list. Should I send her an invite or shouldn't I. By then it had been about 2 years I think since her and I had really spoken. Deep down, I wanted her there. She was one of my closest friends for about 10 years. Of course I wasn't actually ready to face her and discuss what happened because I still didn't have a clear head about it. I was still being told how much better I was without her. And how much I was growing without her. When in truth, I was growing on my own, and it had nothing to do with her or anyone else specifically. It had to do with life in general.

In the end I didn't invite her. I was influenced in that decision, but again, I take responsibility for it. The weirdest thing was her sister ended up being there. And that, in a way, actually gave me some comfort at the time. But I should have invited her. And I should have made amends. But it's hard to admit when you are wrong. It's hard to own up to it, especially face to face.

I see her from time to time and we have small talk. I do miss our friendship. I have come to accept things I have done wrong in my head and my heart, but to acknowledge it out loud is something totally different. I guess in the end I'm still not as strong as I'd like to be. But I continue to learn and grow. I'm working on those few things I see as regrets. And maybe some day I'll say it all out loud, face to face. And then, I think maybe the regrets might go away. I know it all starts and ends with communication. The good and the bad.

Do you have regrets or do you not believe in them?

WWJLD Wednesday....God

This song is right up there with my favorite JL songs. It's simple and beautiful. I'm sure there have been many people throughout the years that don't really listen to the message of this song and just take it as JL's bashing God or religion. But it isn't that at all. The message is simple - in the end all these things society and your family/friends push on you to believe in mean nothing. Believe in yourself and love and that's all you really need. Everything else is just an idea or a false idol.

I can imagine the first lines - God is a concept, by which we measure our pain - offending many people right off the bat. I'm not trying to take away anyone's faith in their religion, but think about what many religions started to become. They use certain parts of the scripture to put the 'fear of God' into you. I think the basics that most religions were based on can be very beautiful. But then 'man' gets involved in preaching it and it just turns into something else completely - don't sin or God will send you to hell! God is a concept by which we measure our pain.

Push everything else aside and look to yourself and your loved ones. That's what is truly important.

Faith is great and can help many people through hard times. Role models are nice for you to look up to aspire to be like. We put our faith in our leaders of counties. Some even believe magic will get them through hardships. But in the end, the only thing that is concrete and you can truly depend on, is yourself and those that love you.

On a side note - I finally learned what the Zimmerman reference was only about a year ago. It's a reference to Bob Dylan's real last name. I'm pretty sure they were friends with Dylan, so you can see this song isn't meant to be a slam on anyone or anything. And the line about - I was the walrus, But now I'm John - is classic. The Beatles are done and over, that dream is over. It's pretend time anymore in this bigger than life world he had been living in with the Beatles. The dream is over.





God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I'll say it again,
God is a concept,
By which we can measure,
Our pain,
I don't believe in magic,
I don't believe in I-ching,
I don't believe in bible,
I don't believe in tarot,
I don't believe in Hitler,
I don't believe in Jesus,
I don't believe in Kennedy,
I don't believe in Buddah,
I don't believe in mantra,
I don't believe in Gita,
I don't believe in yoga,
I don't believe in kings,
I don't believe in Elvis,
I don't believe in Zimmerman,
I don't believe in Beatles,
I just believe in me,
Yoko and me,
And that's reality.
The dream is over,
What can I say?
The dream is over,
Yesterday,
I was dreamweaver,
But now I'm reborn,
I was the walrus,
But now I'm John,
And so dear friends,
You just have to carry on,
The dream is over.

WWJLD Wednesday.....How do you sleep?

"How Do You Sleep?" was a pretty controversial song from JL's solo career. It's one of the first lyrical bitch slaps that I can think of and to me, the best. There have been some really good lyrical fights after this - Tupac's "Hit 'Em Up" against Biggie and Dr. Dre's "F*ck wit' Dre Day" against Eazy E are two of my favorites. But this one is the original to me. I was reading some comments on the videos for this song on the internet and it's funny how many people got angry over this song. But to me that just goes to show what a great artist JL was - even today his own emotions come through the song and make you feel what he's feeling. He was pissed off when he wrote this song directed at his ex-bandmate Paul. Each line is a dig at McCartney in a very specific way.

The story goes like this - JL was angry at Paul because Paul had written the song "Too Many People" which he later admitted did in fact include digs at JL. "How Do You Sleep?" was JL's retaliation. I find it very interesting that even George Harrison had jumped on the JL bandwagon and played lead slide guitar on this track. Did he also have some hard feelings against Paul?

If you listen to the song line by line you can pick out the obvious digs at Paul, especially if you are a Beatles fan:

• So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise - John refers to the Beatles hit album that from what I read Paul didn't think was going to do well but ended up being one of their biggest albums
• Those freaks was right when they said you was dead - John refers to the whole 'Paul is dead' conspiracy
• The only thing you done was yesterday, and since you've gone you're just another day - John is calling Paul out for not having done anything good since his hit "Yesterday". And putting down Paul's first solo single "Another Day". Pretty much saying all his good songs were behind him
• The sound you make is muzak to my ears - Having your music called muzak is never a good thing, that's like saying it's elevator music
• Apparently when the Imagine album was originally released it came with a postcard of John holding up the ears of a large pig. This was directly making fun of Paul's album Ram where he is holding up a set of Ram horns. On the back of the Ram album there is also a picture of two beetles 'screwing', this is supposedly a 'screw you' to John - from one Beatle to another.

Paul and John later reconciled, but the music was already out there. And forever we will have this insight into their 'sibling' rivalry. Do you think JL went too far? Or can you appreciate the honesty and emotion in this song. He truly wrote from the depths of his heart and soul and what he was feeling at the time. He was hurt and angry, so he wrote about it. And to me, that's the best and most moving kind of music.....not muzak. 






So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise,
You better see right thru that mother's eyes,
Those freaks was right when they said you was dead,
The one mistake you made was in your head,
How do you sleep?
Ah how do you sleep at night?
You live with straights who tell you you was king,
Jump when your momma tell you any thing,
The only thing you did was yesterday,
And since your gone you're just another day,
How do you sleep?
Ah how do you sleep at night?
A pretty face may last a year or two,
But pretty soon they'll see what you can do,
The sound you make is muzak to my ears,
You must have learnt something all those years,
How do you Sleep?
Ah how do you sleep at night?

Defense of Marriage...What exactly do you think you are defending?

Can someone please explain to me what sexual preference has to do with someones ability to do their job or be a good parent? Why is this even an issue? I mean if someone has a foot fetish does that mean they can't be a great doctor? Why don't they have to declare they like licking toes? Why do we make a big deal that a politician or someone of 'power' is gay but yet we don't when a hairdresser is? 

And what is all of this Defense of Marriage Act? Seriously? This is what we are paying our public figures to come up with during their time in office? Yet again politicians are ruling this country with their religious views. How can you tell me that two same sex parents are worse for a child's upbringing than an alcoholic parent who beats them or ignores them, just because of their sexual preference? Or parents that commit adultery? Or how about heterosexual parents who choose their religion over their own children when their children do something that goes against what their religion says and they disown them. You mean to tell me your religion and something you read in a 'book' is more important to you than your own living, breathing, flesh and blood?

Let's say you had 2 kids and you knew you were dying. Would you honestly give your kids to someone you knew was abusive just because they were heterosexual and Christian (or whatever religion you might be) over a same sex couple who you knew would love your kids and raise them as if they were their own.  I would love to know why anyone wouldn't pick the loving home just because the couple was gay. You don't teach sexual preference, it's just in us.

If people are so worried about the 'sanctity of marriage' then why don't they take a look in the mirror and work on the bigger problems with marriage, like adultery and abuse, then worry about two people that love each other that happen to be the same sex. 

Get a clue people and stop being so ignorant and blind to the real issues. Stop using gay marriage as an excuse and a platform for something that is completely irrelevant to the real problems in our country.

WWJLD Wednesday.....Simple

JL would sing, pure and simple. If he were here today, that's all I would want from him. It saddens me he was murdered 5 months after I was born so I never got the opportunity to hear him sing in person. There are so many artists and influential people that died in their prime. I can only imagine the things JL would be singing about today. I listen to his music almost everyday and each time I still feel his passion and emotions come through on each song he's ever done. In his solo years, JL revealed even more of the pain and happiness he felt all his life in his music. It was beautiful and sad all at the same time.

If he were here today he'd sing.

WWJLD Wednesday....Give Me Some Truth

Something happened today that made me really want to listen to the song 'Gimme Some Truth'. I had a run in with a 'Narrow Minded Hypocrite'. Instead of actually reading my last blog post about legalizing marijuana (http://mannalynnawakened.blogspot.com/2011/07/take-toke-tuesday-anyone-legalize-it.html) and trying to understand my points and point of view, they just posted this - "So two wrongs make a right by the writer's standard?"
No, two wrongs don't make a right, and if you took the time to open you narrow mind you would understand what I was saying. The first verse of this song is perfect for this type of person:
I'm sick and tired of hearing things
From uptight, short sighted
Narrow-minded hypocritics

I just want some truth! Stop regurgitating what other closed minded people say. Use your own brain and your own voice. Don't be afraid of someone not liking your opinion, it's one of the only things we all have that is ours and ours alone. That's one of the reasons I started this blog - to voice my opinion. I have to listen to so many "tight-lipped, condescending, Mama's little chauvinists", why shouldn't they have to listen to my opinion. And just because you can parrot what other people say or what it says in the bible or some other book, that doesn't make you smarter than me. Intelligence is based off being able to actually use your brain for intelligent thoughts, not just repeating what you've heard or read. Try it sometime, it's wonderful!

JL was about listening to others and having a debate while respecting others opinions. Watch this interview with Al Capp during their 'Bed-In for Peace' protest. The cartoonist doesn't even want to listen to JL. He just wants to get his jabs in at JL and Yoko. He's incredibly rude and doesn't have any good information to back up what he is attacking them about. I mean how can you attack someone for having a protest for peace? People are so cynical they accused JL and Yoko of doing this purely for their own publicity. Well then good, let them get some publicity while promoting peace at the same time. Point is, listen to what the other person is saying instead of just throwing out word vomit. Think for yourself!











I'm sick and tired of hearing things
From uptight, short sighted
Narrow-minded hypocritics
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth

I've had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic
Pig headed politicians
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth

No short-haired, yellow-bellied
Son of Tricky Dick is gonna Mother Hubbard
Soft soap me with just a pocketful of soap
It's money for dope, money for rope

No short-haired, yellow-bellied
Son of Tricky Dick is gonna Mother Hubbard
Soft soap me with just a pocketful of soap
It's money for dope, money for rope

I'm sick to death of seeing things
From tight-lipped, condescending
Mama's little chauvinists
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth now

I've had enough of watching scenes
Of schizophrenic, ego-centric
Paranoiac, prima donnas
All I want is the truth now, now
Just gimme some truth

No short-haired, yellow-bellied
Son of Tricky Dick is gonna Mother Hubbard
Soft soap me with just a pocketful of soap
It's money for dope, money for rope

Ah, I'm sick to death of hearing things
From uptight, short-sighted
Narrow-minded hypocrites
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now

I've had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic
Pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now

All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
All I want is the truth