Welcome to From Insults To Respect. Today, Fathers Day, with many of us gathering with family members, it seems an apt time to take a few minutes to think about what family means to us.
For many of us, during times when we find ourselves in rough waters, our family is a lifeline, members pulling lovingly together to ease us from the deep. Others are not so lucky.
All kinds of family problems can arise. Some members may do something that casts a shadow over the clan. Sometimes it may be we who mess up, and the guilt we hold for disgracing those we care for is excruciating. And then there are times when a member accomplishes something splendid, leading to a pleasant glow.
What else is there to say about families? Well, it just so happens Bob Dylan, for one of the episodes of his Theme Time Radio Hour show, focussed in on the family circle. Let’s see what it has to offer to enrich today’s topic. And then I’ll conclude with a few observations from Bob’s son, Jacob.
Bob’s Show
Bob begins with the following words:
Welcome once again to Theme Time Radio Hour. I got nothing to sell, nothing to promote, just a good friend stopping by.
If this was the Golden Age of Radio, I’d tell you to gather the kids around the radio, but it’s a new dayand everybody in the family has different interests. A matter of fact, everybody barely spends any time together even whenthey’re in the same room.But this week, we’re gonna put aside an hour to examine the most important of units, the family.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I rested at home in the bosom of my family.” Old TJ was a smart guy.
So, we’re gonna take a few ticks of the clock to look at heart and hearth. We’ll look at family trees, family dinners, family planning, and family jewels. There’ll be Dutch uncles, grandfather clocks, kissing cousins, sons of a gun, and maybe a couple of SOBs. It’s all in the family. Let’s get it goin.’
From here, Bob launches into a variety of songs, all touching upon family relationships, with characters involving parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins. For example, we get to hear a song by Sly and the Family Stone titled “It’s A Family Affair.” Bob introduces it saying, “A weary skeptical record, with a darkness born of drug use. This song was all over the radio and its power could not be denied.” Here are a few of the lyrics:
Sly and the Family Stone
It’s a family affair It’s a family affair It’s a family affair It’s a family affair
One child grows up to be Somebody that just loves to learn And another child grows up to be Somebody you’d just love to burn
Mom loves the both of them You see, it’s in the blood Both kids are good to mom Blood’s thicker than the mud
It’s a family affair It’s a family affair It’s a family affair It’s a family affair Over there, over there Newlywed a year ago But you’re still checking each other out, hey Nobody wants to blow
Nobody wants to be left out, uh huh
You can’t leave, ’cause your heart is there
But, sure, you can’t stay, ’cause you been somewhere else
You can’t cry ’cause you’ll look broke down
But you’re cryin’ anyway ’cause you’re all broke down
It’s a family affair….
I find it an interesting song because the lyrics are just vague enough so that it permits listeners to interpret them as applying to a whole bunch of conflicts your own family may be having, thus giving it a wide appeal.
On Bob’s radio shows he likes to crack a few jokes. On this episode he tells us that, “Families are like fudge, mostly sweet, but there are a few nuts.”
George Bernard Shaw
He also tells us that George Bernard Shaw once said, “When our relatives aren’t home we have to think of all their good points or it would be impossible to endure them.” Hmmm. No doubt Shaw is capturing for many folks something that has an element of truth, but, as for me, I’m nuts about my family.
At one point, Bob goes to his emails, and finds one from a woman named Melody:
Dear Bob, the shows have been exceptional this year. I copy them and give them to my friends. I know it’s illegal but my friends enjoy them.
Bob, here, interjects–Melody, I’m complimented, but I can’t condone that kind of behavior.
She continues. Perhaps you can help me with a problem. My husband is stricter with our son than he is with our daughter. What should I say to him to make him more fair?
Well, Melody, that’s an interesting question. Parents shouldn’t have favorites among their children, but sometimes they do. You should forget about trying to convince him that he is being unreasonable and instead pose a couple of questions. Do you think his son needs stricter rules than his daughter? Is he perhaps remembering what he did as a child? How is his strictness affecting the children? I think perhaps the best solution is to do more things as a complete family. Don’t break them up into small teams or units. The more things you do together, he will treat both children equally. I’m sure you guys will work it out. And stop giving my shows away.
As the show draws to a close, Bob tells us;
So, until next week, take some time to be with your family. Cherish them. You are not going to get to be with them forever. Hold your family close while you got them. The moments you have with them are precious and few.
What a wonderful sentiment. It led me to wonder how Bob was with his own family. In interviews, he rarely has talked about them. In fact he is very hesitant to be forthcoming about anything personal in interviews, though he has no problem pouring out his heart in song. Consider, for example, his emotional performance on “If You See Her, Say Hello.”
Jakob Dylan
We get a little insight about Bob’s family life from his son, Jakob, who is the lead singer and primary song writer for the band, The Wallflowers. During an interview with the New York Times (See HERE), as you might guess, the interviewer, Anthony Decurtis, asks Jakob about his dad. At first, Jakob is reluctant to reply, saying,
You got right to the head of why people have a problem with me. If people want to talk about Bob Dylan, I can talk about that. But my dad belongs to me and four other people exclusively. I’m very protective of that.
Those “four other people” are his brothers and sisters, of whom Jakob is the youngest. As the interview continues, Jakob begins to open up:
In his studio that afternoon, Jakob had the look of a man who is standing on a diving board, wondering whether to jump. Then he jumped. “Yes,” he said, taking a breath, “he was affectionate. When I was a kid, he was a god to me for all the right reasons. Other people have put that tag on him in some otherworldly sense. I say it as any kid who admired his dad and had a great relationship with him. He never missed a single Little League game I had. He’s collected every home-run ball I ever hit. And he’s still affectionate to me.” He paused and smiled. “Maybe he doesn’t want people to know that,” he said. “But I’ll tell you, because it’s my interview.”…. “Look, he’s the best at what I do. I know that, and so do my heroes. I got to watch my heroes meet him and saw how they reacted, whether it was Joe Strummer or Tom Waits. It was peculiar. I’m so stoked to meet Tom Waits, and he’s so nervous to meet my dad. It’s a head spin.”
I found it heartwarming to hear Jakob talk so lovingly about his dad.
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Some people will enjoy reading this blog by beginning with the first post and then moving forward to the next more recent one; then to the next one; and so on. This permits readers to catch up on some ideas that were presented earlier and to move through all of the ideas in a systematic fashion to develop their emotional and social intelligence. To begin at the very first post you can click HERE.
These days, many are performing their jobs from home and are missing the camaraderie of their workplace. Such drastic changes in their lives, and that of their families, give us reason to reflect on what work means to us.
Given the main focus of this blog, you might wonder what work has to do with respect. Well, many people achieve a great deal of respect from the work they do, while others are humbled by finding they have had little choice but to take a job far different from what they had aspired to in earlier days. Others, having lost their job and finding themselves falling deep into poverty, may be questioning their own self respect. So, without any further ado, here’s a little meditation on this topic insightfully aided by Bob Dylan’s “work” episode from his Theme Time Radio Hour series, which we can listen to HERE.
Bob’s Show On the Theme of Work
As the show begins, we hear a lively swinging rhythm of a horn and bass mixing it up, and then, Bob welcomes his listeners,
Welcome back to Theme Time Radio Hour, and this week we’re talking about work. We’re talkin’ about golden parachutes, poison pills, golden handshakes. We’re talking about workin’ like a dog, work around the clock, workin’ 9 to 5; talking about all the workin’ stiffs who’re workin’ for a livin’, who live to work, labor intensive, doin’ odd jobs, married to their job, them employee of the month hard at work. So this week, no kidding around, no fooling, no goofing off, no hanging around the water cooler, because we’re going to get right down to it, putting in an honest day’s work, for an honest day’s pay, for our subject de jure is work and jobs.
We’re going to start this thing off with the most famous poem by Walt Whitman, “I Hear America Singing.”
At this point Bob recites the poem, and he does a great job expressing the subtle emotion of its phrases:
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
Man, that Walt Whitman sure has an uplifting spirit.
Not all of Bob’s show relates to work in such a positive manner. For example, a little later Bob tells us,
We talked about Mondays before, and a lot of people don’t like them. Some like to call it blue Monday. T-Bone Walker called it stormy Monday. It’s the day you have to go back to the grind.
Imagine how bad it would be if you had one of the least popular jobs in the world. The least popular jobs are poultry processor, machine operator, farm worker, laundry worker, roofer, recycling plant worker, and street prostitute. Which is worse, street prostitute or poultry processor? Well, anyway, both of them probably hate Monday, so here’s their national anthem, “Stormy Monday,” by T-Bone Walker.
Some of the lyrics go like this:
They call it stormy Monday, and, baby, Tuesday’s just as bad
Call it stormy Monday, and, baby, Tuesday’s just as bad Wednesday’s worse, Thursday’s oh so sad.
The eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday I go out to play Well the eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday I go out to play Sunday I go to church, I kneel down and pray
Lord, have mercy, oh well it’s Lord have mercy on me Lord, have mercy, oh well my heart’s in misery
Wow, the languid interaction between the piano, horns, and guitar on that one blows me away.
Interesting thing about me is that often when I had a Monday to Friday job, I actually liked what I did during the work week, and yet I still super looked forward to Friday. It chiefly had to do with the freedom of being able to sleep in, and when I got up, I often could do what I wanted when I wanted. As far as I’m concerned, whoever came up with the idea of jobs that let you have a whole weekend off deserves a special place in this old heart of mine. The years I had to work seven days a week, and several nights as well, adds to my special appreciation of weekends.
Next up on the show, Bob has a guy explain to us why people work:
Why does everybody have a career doing some kind of work? People work because they enjoy doing some things that are useful, and to buy the things they need for themselves and their families.
From here we drift into Merle Haggard’s song, “Workin’ Man’s Blues.” A few of the relatable lyrics are,
I keep my nose on the grindstone, I work hard every day I might get a little tired on the weekend, after I draw my pay Then I’ll go back workin’, come Monday morning I’m right back with the crew I’ll drink a little beer that evening Sing a little bit of these working man blues
Sometimes I think about leaving, do a little bummin’ around I want to throw my bills out the window catch a train to another town I’ll go back working, I gotta buy my kids a brand new pair of shoes I drink a little beer in a tavern Cry a little bit of these working man blues, here comes that workin’ man blues
I like Bob’s reaction to the song:
You know, the working man is not the only man to have the blues; it’s also often tough to be the boss. It’s like what Robert Frost once said, “By working faithfully for eight hours a day, we may eventually get to be the boss and work twelve.”
Bob then tells us that if he had to have a boss, he would choose Bruce Springsteen.
When Bob said this, I first thought, well he hasn’t had to deal with any boss in years being the star of all of his performances. But then I thought about a great song of his, “Gotta Serve Somebody.” Take a look at a few of its lyrics:
You may be an ambassador to England or France You may like to gamble, you might like to dance You may be the heavyweight champion of the world You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes Indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
You might be a rock ‘n’ roll addict prancing on the stage You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage You may be a business man or some high-degree thief They may call you doctor or they may call you chief
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are
It seems to me there is a whole pile of wisdom packed into that song.
As the show moves further along, Bob tells us, “Hopefully, if you want a job, you can find a job,” and then plays for us Lee Dorsey’s “Gotta Find a Job.”A lot of folks these days can sure relate to this one. Here are a few of the lyrics:
I got to get out and find a job The roof is leaking and the rent ain’t paid Got to get a new pair of shoes and I’m all upset Old lady fussing bout the bills she make
I got to get out and find a job
Never made enough to put nothing on the side Problems, problems lordy I’m so tired Trouble by the dozen oh me, oh my
I got to get me out and find a job
I don’t know how I’m a gonna live Something got to break lord, something got to give I’m in trouble and I’m sincere I got to get me out and find a job
Unemployment days with no job to be found, a heck of a job to keep one’s spirits up.
Continuing with the issue of looking for a job, Bob reads us some strange “want ads” promising us that they are all true.
Man wanted to work in a dynamite factory. Must be willing to travel.
It takes many ingredients to make Burger King great, but our most important ingredient is our people.
A pair of hardly used dentures, two teeth missing, $100 or best offer, call Ira after 6 PM.
From here, Bob plays us the delightful version of “Whistle While You Work,” from the magnificent animated movie, Snow White.
Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
It won’t take long when there’s a song to help you set the pace
And as you sweep the room
Imagine that the broom
Is someone that you love and soon you’ll find you’re dancing to the tune
When hearts are high the time will fly so whistle while you work
The song captures the notion that perhaps even when we have work to do that strikes us as drudgery, perhaps we can adopt an attitude that will turn it into fun.
As the show begins to move toward its conclusion, Bob offers some tips about going on job interviews:
You want to keep in mind that you are going on an interview, not a date. Don’t drown yourself with perfume or cologne. Speak up. Interviewers don’t want to drag words out of you. On the other hand, don’t talk too much, you don’t want to bore them. Stay focused, listen to what the question is and answer it; they don’t want to hear about what your dog did last week. Make eye contact, you don’t want to appear to be some kind of criminal. Poor language skills don’t help. Using “like” every third word or repeatedly saying “um” does not make you a likely candidate. Build trust. Don’t use a lot of little white lies, you’re going to get caught, and then how are they to believe anything you say. Wear a clean shirt, and present the best you possible. And once you get the job, you can do what everyone else does, figure out ways to get the day off.
Well, there is far more to this topic, but it’s time for me to knock off. Until next time, stay well, and let’s keep hope alive that the current work climate will soon drift into more pleasant days.
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Some people will enjoy reading this blog by beginning with the first post and then moving forward to the next more recent one; then to the next one; and so on. This permits readers to catch up on some ideas that were presented earlier and to move through all of the ideas in a systematic fashion to develop their emotional intelligence. To begin at the very first post you can click HERE.
Welcome to From Insults To Respect. Today’s topic–money.
The way we handle money can influence how much respect we have for ourselves and others have for us. A classic illustration comes from Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol where we find the unforgettable Ebenezer Scrooge transformed by ghostly experiences from a disrespected miser to a lovable, generous employer. As we delve into our topic, we will draw upon a couple of episodes of Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hourshow, both of which happen to be on the theme of money.
Money, Part One
As Bob introduces the first of his two episodes on money, he tells us, with reggae music in the background,
…we’re gonna take our cue from a sign Harry S. Truman kept on his desk: The Buck Stops Here. And not just the buck, the yen, the shekel, the nickel and dime, and if you still subscribe to the barter system, maybe a bushel of corn. So break open your piggy banks and cash in your bonds. This week’s episode of Theme Time Radio Hour is most definitely cash and carry.
Then, Bob plays us a recording of a man who sounds like someone delivering a US service announcement;
Wherever we go we see money being used as a medium of exchange. Money is a convenient method of exchanging many kinds of goods among many persons. Money is also a standard of value. The value of goods is stated in terms of money.
The first song Bob plays for us is the bluesy “That’s What They Want.” Performed by Jerry McCain and His Upstarts, it tells about a guy grieving about the women he knows who are just interested in finding men who have a lot of money, and a Cadillac too.
They don’t want no man, Who don’t got no cash. They’ll tell you quite quick, They don’t mess with trash.
That’s what they want, Oh yeah, money honey.
They don’t want no lovin’ No 24 hours a day, They just want to know When you get your pay.
That’s what they want, Oh yeah, money honey.
There is some fine harmonica playing on that one. As I interpret the song, the singer appears to be upset with women who view a guy as trash because he doesn’t have money. He’s looking for a gal who would be satisfied with a loving guy who will always be there for her. It captures the tension between wanting a relationship in which all of your material desires are achieved, versus the willingness to give up some, or all of that for someone whom you truly love because of his or her more intrinsic values. Reflective of this tension, over the years, I observed on occasion a guy or gal pointing to someone’s spouse while saying with disdain, “She married for money,” or “He married for money.”
A little later in the show, Bob tells us that some people will do anything for money. And then, setting up the next song, he says:
I almost think we play too much Van Morrison, but then I play one of his records and I say, “No we don’t.” Here’s one that Van recorded back in 1970, from his album, His Band and the Street Choir–“Blue Money.”
Blue money, according to the Urban Dictionary, refers to 100 dollar bills, which got its name from a blue line that goes up and down the bill. But in some circles, it means money from making porn movies. Thus, according to this interpretation, the song is about the singer’s girlfriend making porn movies, which involves engaging in sexual activities for money.
For many, people who make porn movies are looked down upon. There are better ways to make money, they say.
Although I personally believe there are indeed better ways to make money, I have some mixed feelings about completely losing respect for those who do earn money by engaging in sex. It comes from a couple of unique personal experiences.
When I was an undergraduate at Brooklyn College, I drove a taxi in Manhattan to cover my expenses. From time to time, as I was driving past the Port Authority, where buses and trains would bring loads of out-of-towners to the city, a few women dressed in very scanty, sexy outfits would jump in my taxi and tell me to drive around the block. As they peeked out the window, I could tell they had spotted some police officers, and they had me keep circling the block until the men in blue were gone.
Prior to this, I did think of those involved in this type of business in a pretty negative light, but this experience, meeting them in this strange way, well, I got to see a more human side of them as they talked among themselves in the taxi. I still feel that for myself there are far better ways to earn money, but this experience softened my unkind attitude toward those in the “Blue Money” trade.
Later, while a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, I worked at a Juvenile Correctional Facility, where I honed my counseling skills. Several of the female teenagers were in the facility because they had been engaged in prostitution. Here, I got to know what led these young ladies into this path to earn money. All came from extremely stressful financial situations. All were first lured into becoming hooked on drugs, which initially relieved their financially strapped stress. The leaders of the industry provided, at first, the drugs for free, along with other enticing gifts. In time, desperate to feed their addictions, these teenagers found turning tricks were the only way they knew how to survive. Somehow, during the counseling sessions, their humanity came to light, and a more kind and understanding attitude was fostered.
As Bob’s show continues, Bob plays for us, Nic Jones’s “Farewell to the Gold.” It provides a touching story of a man who, with a friend, spends his life hoping to strike it rich by prospecting for gold. In the end, his dream never comes true, and a flood leads to his friend drowning. The story is a metaphor for the real possibility that seeking gold doesn’t always work out well, and it’s important to be aware of this if we are to wisely choose our life’s pursuits.
In another song, this one called “Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ but Trash,” by the Clovers, we hear about a woman who, in contrast to the women earning money in the Blue Money industry, this woman refuses to lower herself to a guy flashing his roll of dollars:
I was walking down the main track One night I met a fine chick She was built just right
She stopped when I flashed my roll I told her she could have all of my dough
She turned around and with a frown She said this ain’t no circus And I don’t need a clown
Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash And there ain’t no need in your hangin’ around
As this episode winds down, Bob plays us, “You Can’t Take It With You” by Jessie Price. If you like piano, clarinet, and trumpet solos, this number is sure to put a smile on your face. And then, Bob concludes with the following words:
That was, “You Can’t Take It with You,” and one reason you can’t take it with you is that it usually leaves before you do. You know, I’m looking at my bag of records, and I brought too many again–bad planning. There are just too many songs about money to fit into a single hour, and there is no reason to cut fiscal corners. Hell, we did two shows about birds last year so we could do two about money. So, next week, we’ll dig back into our pockets, and continue to look at the filthy lucre. Join us again in seven days as we present part two of the Almighty dollar. Two shows about money, it makes good cents. See you next week.
Part Two
Bob begins part 2 by welcoming us back to the show. And then he says:
If you were listening last week, and if you weren’t, what the hell is wrong with you, but if you were listening last week, you know we started our look at cold hard cash. We had too many songs, so here we are back again.
Soon, Bob plays for us “I’ve Got Money,” sung by an incredibly energetic James Brown. It’s all about a guy who has money but still needs love. Some of the lyrics go like this:
I’ve got money And now I need love When I get my lovin’ I’ll be the happy one
The theme, it seems to me, is money without love, is simply not enough for a full life.
At one point, Bob answers his phone:
Bob: Hi caller, you’re on the air.
Caller: Hi Bob.
Bob: Where are you from?
Caller: Carbondale, Illinois.
Bob: What’s your name?
Caller: Carol.
Bob: Well, Carol, what can I do for ya?
Caller: I heard last week’s money show and I really enjoyed it.
Bob: Hey, thanks a lot. We worked hard on it.
Caller: It shows. I heard you were doing another one this week, and I was wondering if I could make a request?
Bob: What do you want to hear?
Caller: The Beatles’ song, “Money Can Buy Me Love.”
Bob: Carol, I think it’s, “Money Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Caller: No, No, it’s can buy me love. I have the record, so I know.
Bob: [insisting] Carol, It’s “Money Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Caller: I know you are Mr. Sixties, but I have the record. It’s can buy me love.
Bob: All right, Carol. We’ll look for it. Keep listening.
Caller: Thanks Bob.
Bob then hangs up, let’s out a long sigh, and says, “You can’t help some people. Carol, if you’re still listening, money can not buy you happiness, but it can buy you more places to look. Still looking for that song, but in the meantime, let’s listen to one by the Drifters.”
After some background remarks about the Drifters, Bob plays their song, “Money, Honey.” With the smooth voice of Clyde McPhatter, and some fine sax solos, the lyrics go,
You know, the landlord rang my front door bell I let it ring for a long, long spell I went to the window and peeked through the blind, And asked him to tell me what was on his mind
He said, “Money, honey! Yes, money, honey! Mhm, money, honey, If you want to stay with me.
I was cleaned and skinned and so hard-pressed I called the woman that I love the best I finally reached my baby ’bout a half past three She said, “I’d like to know what you want with me”
I said, “Money, honey! Money, honey! Money, honey, If you want to get along with me”
She screamed and said, “What’s wrong with you? From this day on, our romance is through.” I said, “Tell me, baby, face to face How could another man take my place?”
She said, “Money, honey! Money, honey! Money, honey, If you want to get along with me.
Now I learned my lesson, The wind may blow, Before I pay I will love them so.
No doubt that in some situations, without money it is hard to get along. The solution, of course, is to find some respected ways to earn some, or find situations where money is not so essential.
As the show draws to an end, Bob tells us:
We spent so much time talking about money, I want to leave you with someone who had an opposing opinion. He’s a smart guy about relativity, and he’s smart about this. We’re talking about Einstein, and he said, “I’m absolutely convinced that no wealth in the world can keep humanity from moving forward. Even in the hands of the most devoted worker the examples of great pure individuals is the only thing that can move us to noble thoughts and deeds. Money only appeals to selfishness and irresistibly invites abuse. Can anyone imagine Moses, Jesus, or Gandhi armed with the bags of money of Carnegie.” We’ll see you next week with all new themes, dreams, and schemes.
Well, that’s my post for today. I hope it provides some useful perspective on the relationship between the nature of respect and how one goes about fulfilling a desire for money.
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Some people will enjoy reading this blog by beginning with the first post and then moving forward to the next more recent one; then to the next one; and so on. This permits readers to catch up on some ideas that were presented earlier and to move through all of the ideas in a systematic fashion to develop their emotional intelligence. To begin at the very first post you can click HERE.
“Blowin’ In The Wind.” “With God On Our Side.” “Masters Of War.” These are songs Bob Dylan has written and performed expressing deep emotions about the wisdom of going to war. As I began to reflect on these songs, to my mind came the pounding of war drums, the cries of vicious insults emanating from a deadly divide, images of fear, pride, disgrace, bombs exploding, and thousands screaming in horror.
And then I found myself pulling up on the internet Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour show, and clicking to hear his specific show on the theme of war. It’s available for free HERE.
The show provides a musical meditation on war, along with Bob’s comments and his reciting of little snippets of relevant philosophical thoughts and poetry.
For many, when the topic of war comes up, they see visions of glory. Bob’s show provides a far wider vision, incorporating thoughts and emotions we would be wise to incorporate into our considerations regarding the possibility of further escalations of violent conflict in the coming days. Here are some highlights from this show.
Highlights
The show begins with a series of brief audio clips of the sounds of a country at war–bombs going off as Marine helicopters are approaching a battle field, a news reporter describing the scene of burning tanks, the voice of President Lyndon Johnson committing an additional 20,000 troops to Viet Nam as that war was escalating, etc. Then we hear Bob introducing the show’s theme:
Back to Theme Time Radio Hour. As you know, we cover a lot of ground here, but this week the subject has a greater gravity than usual. Plato once said, “Only the dead has seen the end of war,” and sadly it is as true today as it was then.
Edward Starr said, “War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” That’s not true. War is good for the economy, and for medical and scientific advancements. What it is not good for is people. Blood is spilled too often for too little. Bertrand Russell said, “War does not determine who is right, only who is left.” As General Patton once said, “The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his.”
Today we are going to examine battles and beaches, skirmishes and embroglios, we are going to let loose the dogs of war, pay tribute to Mars in Aries, shed a tear for the widows and orphans. We’re mustering cadets, for Theme Time Radio Hour is going to war!
With this, we hear the explosion of bombs. Then Bob tells us, “It’s going to get heavy in here, so while we can, why don’t we start off on a lighter note.”
Johnny Mercer
He then introduces a rather lively, humorous song written by Johnny Mercer, titled, “The G. I. Jive” that makes fun of all of the abbreviations used in the military.
A little later, Bob plays a song by Roy Acuff, “Searching for a Soldier’s Grave.” It’s a real heartbreaker:
Somewhere here among these many soldiers
Of Americans who all died true and brave That’s where I know I’ll find him resting
So I’m here I’m searching for his grave.
You ask me stranger why I made this journey Why I crossed three thousand miles of rolling waves.
Like many others my darling’s killed in action That’s why I’m here I’m searching for his grave Somewhere here among.
When I come to this far where he’s sleeping I know it will cause more heartaches inside But I long to be by his side once more and tell him Tell him that I love him and will until I die.
Of the various songs portraying the bloody scenes of war that Bob plays in this edition of his show, “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” is the one most graphic:
When I was a young man I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover From the Murray’s green basin to the dusty outback I waltzed my Matilda all over.
Then in 1915 my country said: Son, It’s time to stop rambling, there’s work to be done So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun And they sent me away to the war.
And the band played Waltzing Matilda.
When the ship pulled away from the quay And amid all the tears, flag waving and cheers We sailed off for Gallipoli.
It well I remember that terrible day When our blood stained the sand and the water And how in that hell they call Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
Oh those that were living just tried to survive In that mad world of blood, death and fire And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive While around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head
And when I awoke in me hospital bed And saw what it had done, I wished I was dead I never knew there was worse things than dying
Oh no more I’ll go Waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and near For to hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs No more waltzing Matilda for me.
And the Band played Waltzing Matilda….
There’s quite a bit more tear soaked lyrics to this song, but you get the general idea.
At one point in the show, Bob shares a particular dislike about one aspect of wars:
Some say war is a game that men play using boys as the tools. Truth to tell, you don’t see many men in battle, but you see a lot of boys. Wars used to be fought by men and I think that fairer. Men are the ones waging the war, they ought go out and fight it.
Bob also has a heart that aches for the soldiers who come home from battle and need a helping hand, showing this by playing for us a song titled, “The Forgotten Soldier.” Here’s a few of its lines:
I’m just a poor ex-soldier that’s broken down and blue, Fought out in the Great War for the old red, white, and blue.
I left my parents and my girl I loved,
To France did go.
And fought out on the battlefield through hunger, sleet, and snow.
I saw my buddies dying, and some shellshocked and torn.
Although we never faltered at the battle of Amarne
And we were told when we left home we’d be heroes of the land,
So we came back and found no one would lend a helping hand.
About half way through the show, Bob tells us:
One staple of songs about war is the letter. Sometimes it’s the letter that the guy writes from the battlefield. Other times it’s from home. But the worse kind of letter of all to receive was one written by a military chaplain. It usually had a line in it, something like, “You would be delighted to know that your son died a hero.” It’s a nice sentiment, but I doubt it was really any solace.
Tom Waits recently wrote a song about a letter to a soldier. Here it is, “The Day After Tomorrow.”
Here’s a few of its touching lyrics.
I got your letter today And I miss you all so much here I can’t wait to see you all And I’m counting the days here….
I close my eyes every night And I dream that I can hold you
They fill us full of lies,
That everyone buys ‘Bout what it means to be a soldier
I still don’t know how
I’m supposed to feel ‘Bout all the blood that’s been spilled Will God on His throne Get me back home On the day after tomorrow
You can’t deny The other side Don’t want to die Any more than we do What I’m trying to say, Is don’t they pray To the same God that we do?
Tell me, how does God choose? Whose prayers does he refuse? Who turns the wheel? And who throws the dice On the day after tomorrow?
As Bob begins to close this show, he tells us, “I wish it was as easy to get to the end of war.” Then he says, “I want to leave you now with this song, because I didn’t want to leave the hour with war talk without giving you the opposing view. I’m going to let Los Lobos do it, and join you in wishing for peace. Stay safe.”
Here’s a few of the lyrics:
Peace to the world
I see a baby in a crib Reaching up for Mama’s arms Love is rising in their hearts, oh yeah.
There is a man standing on the street Shouting loud above the crowd Saying amen to everyone around, oh yeah.
I see a man who loved his land Laying lifeless on the ground He said the time is now To bring peace to the world Say yeah, yeah, yeah Peace to the world
We build a wall of stone As high as the trees are tall Higher then the mountains Stronger then us all, oh yeah
Some day that wall will crumble Tumble and fall, the sun will shine And bring peace to us all.
Conclusion
An American flag waving in the breeze along with stirring patriotic music; this can be a fitting end to a Hollywood movie, but before we go marching once again into war, there is far more to consider.
Bob’s show provides us a magnificent musical, literary march through many of the consequences of war too easily ignored. In the end, Bob has us turning our attention toward promoting peace.
In a recent post (see HERE) I describe five factors that have led to the human race dramatically decreasing its use of violence to settle conflicts. I then describe how a president can coordinate all five of these factors to bring about a more peaceful international situation. It is my deeply felt hope that countries, in coming years, will seek to elect leaders that have the wisdom to utilize these factors for the benefit of not just all of us, but for all of the children yet to come.
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Some people will enjoy reading this blog by beginning with the first post and then moving forward to the next more recent one; then to the next one; and so on. This permits readers to catch up on some ideas that were presented earlier and to move through all of the ideas in a systematic fashion to develop their emotional intelligence. To begin at the very first post you can click HERE.
Well, once again I decided to listen to one of Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hourshows. This time his topic was the devil.
The show begins with stirring music that sounds like an enormous storm is moving in, and then Bob says, “This is Theme Time Radio Hour and there’s hell to pay.” He then launches into a reading of a little section of John Milton’s, Paradise Lost.
“Him, the almighty power, Hurled headlong, flaming through the etherial sky, With hideous ruin and combustible, down. To bottomless perdition, there to dwell In adamantine chains and penal fire, Who durst defy the Omnipotent to arms.”
Soon after this, Bob introduces his first song:
“We’re going to start things off with Robert Johnson, a man who they say knew a little bit about the Prince of Darkness. According to legend, Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil at the crossroad of highway 61 and Highway 41 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He traded his soul. That’s what they say. This is his song, ‘Me and The Devil Blues.'”
Playing a twangy guitar, Johnson begins, “Early this morning, me and the devil been walking side by side.” The song goes on from here to tell us about a guy thinking of beating his wife for not doin’ him right. Meanwhile, she can’t believe he’d do something like that, so she ends up blaming “that old evil spirit, so deep down in the ground.”
After the Robert Johnson song, Bob plays us “Satan is Real” by the Louvin Brothers. The singer seeks to convince us of the existence of the evil one with the following story:
“I know that Satan is real, for once I had a happy home; I was loved and respected by my family, I was looked upon as a leader in my community, And then, Satan came into my life. I grew selfish and un-neighborly; my friends turned against me, And finally, my home was broken apart; my children took their paths into a world of sin.”
I know that some might think this man would be better off taking responsibility for the life path he took, but he prefers to blame it all on Satan. I wonder if his approach helps him to gain respect for himself and from others.
A little later in the show, we hear the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil,” Elvis Presley’s “Devil in Disguise,” and Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys’ “The Devil Ain’t Lazy.” Then Bob tells us:
“It says in first Peter, Chapter 5, verse 8, ‘Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary is a roaring lion that walketh about seeking whom he may devour.’ Or, as they also say, ‘Idle hands are the devil’s playground.'”
Among the acts that get blamed on the devil in the next few songs Bob plays on his show are, telling dirty lies, vanity, leaving a lover after making a commitment, not heeding the drunkard’s call, loving you when I should hate you, and strutting with a blue dress, high heel shoes, and an alligator purse.
At one point, Bob provides us a couple of relevant quotes by a couple of famous people:
“Oscar Wilde once said, ‘We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.’ Otis Span said, ‘the devil could be anything from soups to nuts.”
Tom Waits
The last song played on this show is Tom Waits’s “Way Down in the Hole,” which Bob says is “Low on schmaltz and a real show-stopper, not pullin’ any punches.” Here’s some of its lyrics:
don’t pay heed to temptation for his hands are so cold you gotta help me keep the devil way down in the hole
Bob closes his show with these words:
“Now it’s time to climb out of the hole with the devil and shut the door on another Theme Time Radio Hour. We’re gonna leave you now with the words of George Harrison who said, ‘Gossip is the devil’s radio.’ I don’t know about that, but I hope Theme Time Radio Hour is your radio. We’ll see you next week as sure as hell.”
Conclusion
Well that’s my post for today. Until next time, I hope you spend some time thinking about what it means to have conflicting desires; why we, and others, sometimes act in ways that interfere with values many of us hold dear; and, when we do such acts, is it wiser to take responsibility for our own actions or to blame it on the devil?
My Best,
Jeff
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Some people will enjoy reading this blog by beginning with the first post and then moving forward to the next more recent one; then to the next one; and so on. This permits readers to catch up on some ideas that were presented earlier and to move through all of the ideas in a systematic fashion to develop their emotional intelligence. To begin at the very first post you can click HERE.
Welcome to From Insults To Respect. Today, Fathers Day, with many of us gathering with family members, it seems an apt time to take a few minutes to think about what family means to us.
Welcome once again to Theme Time Radio Hour. I got nothing to sell, nothing to promote, just a good friend stopping by.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I rested at home in the bosom of my family.” Old TJ was a smart guy.
Well, Melody, that’s an interesting question. Parents shouldn’t have favorites among their children, but sometimes they do. You should forget about trying to convince him that he is being unreasonable and instead pose a couple of questions. Do you think his son needs stricter rules than his daughter? Is he perhaps remembering what he did as a child? How is his strictness affecting the children? I think perhaps the best solution is to do more things as a complete family. Don’t break them up into small teams or units. The more things you do together, he will treat both children equally. I’m sure you guys will work it out. And stop giving my shows away.
Other people have put that tag on him in some otherworldly sense. I say it as any kid who admired his dad and had a great relationship with him. He never missed a single Little League game I had. He’s collected every home-run ball I ever hit. And he’s still affectionate to me.” He paused and smiled. “Maybe he doesn’t want people to know that,” he said. “
But I’ll tell you, because it’s my interview.”…. “Look, he’s the best at what I do. I know that, and so do my heroes. I got to watch my heroes meet him and saw how they reacted, whether it was Joe Strummer or Tom Waits. It was peculiar. I’m so stoked to meet Tom Waits, and he’s so nervous to meet my dad. It’s a head spin.”
These days, many are performing their jobs from home and are missing the camaraderie of their workplace. Such drastic changes in their lives, and that of their families, give us reason to reflect on what work means to us.
Given the main focus of this blog, you might wonder what work has to do with respect. Well, many people achieve a great deal of respect from the work they do, while others are humbled by finding they have had little choice but to take a job far different from what they had aspired to in earlier days. Others, having lost their job and finding themselves falling deep into poverty, may be questioning their own self respect. So, without any further ado, here’s a little meditation on this topic insightfully aided by Bob Dylan’s “work” episode from his Theme Time Radio Hour series, which we can listen to 
Welcome back to Theme Time Radio Hour, and this week we’re talking about work. We’re talkin’ about golden parachutes, poison pills, golden handshakes. We’re talking about workin’ like a dog, work around the clock, workin’ 9 to 5; talking about all the workin’ stiffs who’re workin’ for a livin’, who live to work, labor intensive, doin’ odd jobs, married to their job, them employee of the month hard at work. So this week, no kidding around, no fooling, no goofing off, no hanging around the water cooler, because we’re going to get right down to it, putting in an honest day’s work, for an honest day’s pay, for our subject de jure is work and jobs. 
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
They call it stormy Monday, and, baby, Tuesday’s just as bad
I keep my nose on the grindstone, I work hard every day
Bob then tells us that if he had to have a boss, he would choose Bruce Springsteen.
You may be an ambassador to England or France
I got to get out and find a job
Just whistle while you work
You want to keep in mind that you are going on an interview, not a date. Don’t drown yourself with perfume or cologne. Speak up. Interviewers don’t want to drag words out of you. On the other hand, don’t talk too much, you don’t want to bore them. Stay focused, listen to what the question is and answer it; they don’t want to hear about what your dog did last week. Make eye contact, you don’t want to appear to be some kind of criminal. Poor language skills don’t help. Using “like” every third word or repeatedly saying “um” does not make you a likely candidate. Build trust. Don’t use a lot of little white lies, you’re going to get caught, and then how are they to believe anything you say. Wear a clean shirt, and present the best you possible. And once you get the job, you can do what everyone else does, figure out ways to get the day off. 
A classic illustration comes from Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol where we find the unforgettable Ebenezer Scrooge transformed by ghostly experiences from a disrespected miser to a lovable, generous employer. As we delve into our topic, we will draw upon a couple of episodes of Bob Dylan’s 
As Bob introduces the first of his two episodes on money, he tells us, with reggae music in the background,
The first song Bob plays for us is the bluesy “That’s What They Want.” Performed by Jerry McCain and His Upstarts, it tells about a guy grieving about the women he knows who are just interested in finding men who have a lot of money, and a Cadillac too.
Blue money, according to the Urban Dictionary, refers to 100 dollar bills, which got its name from a blue line that goes up and down the bill. But in some circles, it means money from making porn movies. Thus, according to this interpretation, the song is about the singer’s girlfriend making porn movies, which involves engaging in sexual activities for money.
When I was an undergraduate at Brooklyn College, I drove a taxi in Manhattan to cover my expenses. From time to time, as I was driving past the Port Authority, where buses and trains would bring loads of out-of-towners to the city, a few women dressed in very scanty, sexy outfits would jump in my taxi and tell me to drive around the block. As they peeked out the window, I could tell they had spotted some police officers, and they had me keep circling the block until the men in blue were gone.
Later, while a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, I worked at a Juvenile Correctional Facility, where I honed my counseling skills. Several of the female teenagers were in the facility because they had been engaged in prostitution. Here, I got to know what led these young ladies into this path to earn money. All came from extremely stressful financial situations. All were first lured into becoming hooked on drugs, which initially relieved their financially strapped stress. The leaders of the industry provided, at first, the drugs for free, along with other enticing gifts. In time, desperate to feed their addictions, these teenagers found turning tricks were the only way they knew how to survive. Somehow, during the counseling sessions, their humanity came to light, and a more kind and understanding attitude was fostered.
As Bob’s show continues, Bob plays for us, Nic Jones’s “Farewell to the Gold.” It provides a touching story of a man who, with a friend, spends his life hoping to strike it rich by prospecting for gold. In the end, his dream never comes true, and a flood leads to his friend drowning. The story is a metaphor for the real possibility that seeking gold doesn’t always work out well, and it’s important to be aware of this if we are to wisely choose our life’s pursuits.
As this episode winds down, Bob plays us, “You Can’t Take It With You” by Jessie Price. If you like piano, clarinet, and trumpet solos, this number is sure to put a smile on your face. And then, Bob concludes with the following words:
Bob begins part 2 by welcoming us back to the show. And then he says:
After some background remarks about the Drifters, Bob plays their song, “Money, Honey.” With the smooth voice of Clyde McPhatter, and some fine sax solos, the lyrics go,
We spent so much time talking about money, I want to leave you with someone who had an opposing opinion. He’s a smart guy about relativity, and he’s smart about this. We’re talking about Einstein, and he said, “I’m absolutely convinced that no wealth in the world can keep humanity from moving forward. Even in the hands of the most devoted worker the examples of great pure individuals is the only thing that can move us to noble thoughts and deeds. Money only appeals to selfishness and irresistibly invites abuse. Can anyone imagine Moses, Jesus, or Gandhi armed with the bags of money of Carnegie.” We’ll see you next week with all new themes, dreams, and schemes. 
“Blowin’ In The Wind.” “With God On Our Side.” “Masters Of War.” These are songs Bob Dylan has written and performed expressing deep emotions about the wisdom of going to war. As I began to reflect on these songs, to my mind came the pounding of war drums, the cries of vicious insults emanating from a deadly divide, images of fear, pride, disgrace, bombs exploding, and thousands screaming in horror.
And then I found myself pulling up on the internet Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour show, and clicking to hear his specific show on the theme of war. It’s available for free 
The show begins with a series of brief audio clips of the sounds of a country at war–bombs going off as Marine helicopters are approaching a battle field, a news reporter describing the scene of burning tanks, the voice of President Lyndon Johnson committing an additional 20,000 troops to Viet Nam as that war was escalating, etc. Then we hear Bob introducing the show’s theme:
Plato once said, “Only the dead has seen the end of war,” and sadly it is as true today as it was then. 
Today we are going to examine battles and beaches, skirmishes and embroglios, we are going to let loose the dogs of war, pay tribute to Mars in Aries, shed a tear for the widows and orphans. We’re mustering cadets, for Theme Time Radio Hour is going to war!
Why I crossed three thousand miles of rolling waves.
When I was a young man I carried me pack 
When the ship pulled away from the quay 
Some say war is a game that men play using boys as the tools. Truth to tell, you don’t see many men in battle, but you see a lot of boys. Wars used to be fought by men and I think that fairer. Men are the ones waging the war, they ought go out and fight it. 
I’m just a poor ex-soldier that’s broken down and blue,
One staple of songs about war is the letter. Sometimes it’s the letter that the guy writes from the battlefield. Other times it’s from home. But the worse kind of letter of all to receive was one written by a military chaplain. It usually had a line in it, something like, “You would be delighted to know that your son died a hero.” It’s a nice sentiment, but I doubt it was really any solace. 
I close my eyes every night
Is don’t they pray
Peace to the world
An American flag waving in the breeze along with stirring patriotic music; this can be a fitting end to a Hollywood movie, but before we go marching once again into war, there is far more to consider.
