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It is normally my preference to steer clear of politics in my blog. This is about the arts, not the struggle for power or domination of an opposing faction. With the recent election still fresh in my mind, I feel as though I can’t entirely ignore the political world and its effect on our artistic endeavors.

The Arts in World Affairs

I can’t claim to know the first time politics showed up in someone’s art. In a documentary I tuned into briefly a few days ago, there were some pictures drawn on cave walls. They depicted some people or perhaps gods whose eyes and body language communicated their power. The narrator suggested they could be those in charge who were to be feared for the control they had over others. This type of artwork could be the first commentary about early human political domination.

When language enters into it, plays and books with at least some political content arise. In 441 BC, Greek culture and Sophocles brought about a play called Antigone. It was a story of a dictator’s cruel treatment of a soldier who died in a civil war. The ruler orders that the body not be buried. His sister Antigone won’t accept it and strives to have her brother buried properly. The story is more about the characters and the situation than a political commentary, but there is at least this defiance of a tyrant. Although Greece is an imperialistic state, the Greeks are proud of their democratic government and the play is a reflection of their dim view of dictators.

Shakespeare’s plays were sometimes set in the arena of politics, including Macbeth, Hamlet and Othello. He wrote a number of other plays centering around kings and their political endeavors such as war. These works of art are among the most enduring pieces ever. They were tales of intrigue in court life and battlefields, but they shone a light on the dramatic and tragic lives that political leaders experience.

Using Art to Sway Political Views

According to britannica.com, “the political cartoon is a drawing (often including caricature) made for the purpose of conveying editorial commentary on politics, politicians, and current events. Such cartoons play a role in the political discourse of a society that provides for freedom of speech and of the press. They are a primarily opinion-oriented medium and can generally be found on the editorial pages of newspapers and other journalistic outlets, whether in print or electronic form.”

Political cartoons have been known to carry a lot of weight and influence the views of many readers, thus voters. Newspaper chains usually have a tendency to be liberal in their views and attempt to push citizens to the left side of the political spectrum. On the flip side, there is the potential for the ruling class to produce art that works to align its subjects to its own ideologies. Many propaganda films have been made to persuade the masses on ideas of right living and wrong thinking according to whomever is in power.

The Heart of the Matter

Art at its apex in aesthetics is humming along at high frequency vibration levels. The beauty found in nature tends to inspire high frequency art. Without oppression, greed, hunger for power, corruption and violence bringing down the common denominator of a being’s vibration level, art would be focused on the highest ideals and dreams. It has been said that love is of high frequency while fear is a low frequency vibration. You can imagine, with this in mind, where you might find anger, hate and resentment.

When people are under the thumb of fascist dictators who care only about themselves, the people suffer. The politics absent of love are easily seen in extreme poverty, rampant disease, exclusion and genocide. When a leader starts taking us down such a path with divisive behavior, the lower emotional frequency seeps into the world of art. Songs are written in protest and warning, such as the old hit Eve of Destruction. Posters are thrust upon us such as the one that shows a World War I soldier and screams, “FIGHT! War keeps the peace! Join the war to ensure safety at home!” While I do get the point that a world bully needs to be dealt with strongly, I see this as a misuse of the artistic muse. Yes, waging war drove the Germans down, but did it KEEP the peace? No, I would say it’s more accurate that war begets war, hate begets hate and taking a nationalist rather than a global view sows the seeds of discontent, leading eventually to violence.

Art imitates life. In a world of peace, love and understanding, art will thrive as it’s meant to be–a beacon of life’s highest aspirations.

Do you remember seeing or hearing a piece of comedy that made you laugh long and hard? What a treat that is when it happens! As I delve into the Top Five of my favorite comedy bits, I can’t help but think I’m forgetting one or some. For instance, I marveled at the hutzpah of Mel Brooks in his film, The Producers, when he presented the number Springtime for Hitler. A hilarious, jaw-dropping moment that was. I could name so many more, but let’s get started on the rest of this list!

More cowbell

SNL’s sketch with Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken in the recording studio doing Blue Oyster Cult’s cow bell rich Don’t Fear the Reaper is a classic in my opinion for its perfect blend of homage to detail of an iconic rock song and its lampooning of a rather subtle piece that lent to the greatness of the production. They pushed Walken’s demand for more cowbell masterfully to tap maximum laughter from the audience without taking it too far. As a result, countless would-be comics have taken it upon themselves to raise the call for more cowbell whenever the opportunity presents itself.

I don’t get no respect

Who out there hasn’t heard this line by Rodney Dangerfield? He made an entire career based on this concept and persona. He fashioned more jokes around it than perhaps any comedian has around any one line. That’s pure speculation, but he may have used it to apply anyone in his life. His wife: “My wife and I were happy for 20 years. Then we met.” His parents: “In my life I’ve been through plenty. When I was three years old, my parents got a dog. I was jealous of the dog, so they got rid of me.” His doctor: “I tell you, with my doctor, I don’t get no respect. I told him, ‘I’ve swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills.’ He told me to have a few drinks and get some rest.”

Hi, my name is Larry. This is my brother Daryl and this is my other brother Daryl

This bit from the Newhart show was priceless and never-ending, as I recall. They ran it and ran it and ran it. Audiences knew it was coming, but they kept laughing. It’s a simple routine akin to Kramer bursting through the door on Seinfeld. Simplicity is good in comedy. Deadpan delivers a simple bit with an unassuming brilliance that’s hard to beat. I love cleverness in comedy without a doubt, but there’s genius in uncomplicated humor too. This particular line has a lot of both and it worked so well with Bob Newhart’s style that these characters played off each other beautifully.

The Contest

Speaking of Seinfeld, there are lots of special moments of comedic genius to select. How many themes were originated and produced on Seinfeld that became part of pop culture? The show about nothing, Bubble Boy, Man Hands, The Bro, Festivus and yada, yada, yada. I’m just getting started here, but one that stands out to me is being master of your domain. In 1992, masturbation wasn’t a common subject for prime time television. Never referred to directly by name, the subject did become the focal point of the story when Jerry challenged George, Kramer and Elaine to a bet about who could remain master of their domain the longest. One of the highlights of The Contest was when the guys were watching a woman in an apartment across from Jerry’s walking around in the nude with open curtains. Kramer watched for a while, then left. Soon he returned and laid down his money, saying, “I’m out!”

Who’s on first?

What other comedy bit from about 80 years ago is still quoted regularly today? It’s still fresh, clever and funny. The comedy team Abbott and Costello were doing it in vaudeville. As it is with the best routines, the laughter builds as it progresses. Here’s a small sample.

Lou Costello: All I’m trying to find out is what’s the guy’s name on first base.

Bud Abbott: No. What is on second base.

Lou Costello: I’m not asking you who’s on second.

Bud Abbott: Who’s on first.

Lou Costello: One base at a time!

Bud Abbott: Well, don’t change the players around.

Lou Costello: I’m not changing nobody!

Bud Abbott: Take it easy, buddy.

Lou Costello: I’m only asking you, who’s the guy on first base?

Bud Abbott: That’s right.

A writer’s delight, a comedy lover’s feast and a baseball fan’s howl.

Summary

As I’ve said, there’s a tremendous amount of outstanding comedy to choose from and you could probably find your own Top Ten. Feel free to take a shot at it and let me know what you find. It’s about laughing and sharing a laugh.

 

 

 

 

I’m really asking for it now. Telling you what’s funny. You know what’s funny, right? You don’t need anyone telling you what you should be cracking up about. Oh, but man, do I know funny! I truly get the difference between everyday funny and cream of the crop funny. All right, so we all have our own tastes in humor. What reaches in and launches us into uncontrollable belly laughter is probably a matter of our culture, cumulative personality and life experiences. Attitude definitely factors into it. Corny to one is clever to another. Well, try to check your judgement in the coat room for the next 700 words or so while I tickle your funny bone. Most of all, open yourself to a chuckle or two and a grin or three. Starting with these five, here are some of the best bits I’ve seen.

10. Airplane–I speak jive

As they are referred to in the Airplane screenplay, two Jive Dudes are trying to be understood by the straight-laced white flight attendant. It becomes obvious the attendant could use an interpreter. Enter Barbara Billingsley, who played the WASPy mother of Beaver on Leave it to Beaver. She still looked and dressed like June, the last person we would expect to be able to bridge the gap across these cultures. “I speak jive,” she assured the attendant. She promptly demonstrated her fluency to the satisfaction of all involved.

9. Smothers Brothers–Mom always liked you best

Tom and Dick Smothers are famous for their comedy breaks from their traditional folk songs and they peaked in the years when they had a weekly network variety TV show. They were hip and hilarious. One of their most iconic bits was during one of those song breaks during which Tom would complain, “Mom always liked you best.” This would lead to several minutes of witty exchanges in the inimitable style these brothers originated. Dick would start in annoyed dismissal of Tom’s accusations, then asked repeatedly why Tom had this disturbing impression. One of the biggest laughs came when Dick pulled a reversal and asked, “Do you know why Mom liked me best? Sure she liked me best. Why not?” Tom is looking puzzled and then says innocently, “I didn’t know Mom liked you best.”

8. I Love Lucy–Harpo Marx and Lucy in a mirror image

Lucy was impersonating Harpo because she didn’t want Ethel to think she missed seeing Harpo at the Ricardo home. Unexpectedly, Harpo showed up at the apartment, dressed exactly as Lucy was, of course. She was seen by Harpo as she slipped behind a partition. He started doing a mirror image routine he had done in a Marx Brothers movie and Lucy came out from the partition precisely as he emerged opposite her. She mimics his every move. He tries to throw her off, but she knows the bit well. It’s a classic to this day, over sixty years later.

7. George Carlin–Baseball and Football

Carlin’s brilliant observational humor was pure genius in this bit that compared these two great American sports. Baseball is characterized as a happy, frolicking feel-good game while football is shown to be more like war. His description of baseball is light and airy. His football voice is deep and stern. A few quotes to illustrate this:

“Baseball is played on a diamond in the park, the baseball park. Football is played on a gridiron in a stadium, sometimes called Soldier Field or War Memorial Stadium. Baseball begins in the spring, the season of new life. Football begins in the fall, when everything is dying. In football, you wear a helmet. In baseball, you wear a cap. Football is concerned with downs. What down is it? Baseball is concerned with ups. Who’s up? Are you up? I’m not up. He is up. In football, the specialist comes in to kick. In baseball, the specialist comes in to relieve someone. In football, you receive a penalty. In baseball, you make an error. Whoops!”

6. Caddyshack–Dalai Lama’s promise to Bill Murray

Murray’s character, Carl Spackler, tells the story of caddying for the Dalai Lama in the Himalayas. After a bad round, it appears to Carl that he’s going to be stiffed.

And I say, “Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.”  And he says, “Oh, uh, there won’t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.” So I got that goin’ for me, which is nice.

I couldn’t hope to do these comedic gems justice by cramming all ten into one post. I’ll take you up to Number One next time, so be looking for laughs in the meantime. Oh, what the hell, make it a habit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’ll come a time when all of us must leave here
Then nothing sister Mary can do
Will keep me here with you
As nothing in this life that I’ve been trying
Could equal or surpass the art of dying.

These are the opening lyrics from George Harrison’s The Art of Dying. I’ve wondered what it was like for George when he lay on his death bed as cancer took him in 2001. It is my understanding that he died peacefully, chanting Hare Krishna until the end. He was apparently true to his spiritual practice in the face of the ultimate adversity. In this post, I’d like to examine how we can learn the art of dying while still among the living.

Allow me to begin with an example of how not to do it. When I was six years old, I was walking on a pile of discarded tin cans. I lost my footing and fell to my hands. An old lid sliced my right hand open on the palm. Blood gushed profusely and the next thing I knew my father was carrying me to our car, on the way to the doctor’s office.

I was screaming in terror, “I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!”

“You’re not going to die. You’re going to be okay,” Dad answered soothingly.

My pitiful display of fear at the sight of my own blood was in vivid contrast to the deaths of my father and sister. When I spoke to Dad about his upcoming 80th birthday back in 1995, he said, “I don’t think I’m going to make it.” That was months before the birthday and his health was stable at the time. He seemed to have a premonition of some kind, but he was handling it calmly, even gracefully. When my sister was diagnosed with a deadly melanoma last year, she was told she had only weeks to live. She assured me with the succinct statement, “I’m not in pain and I’m not afraid.” She moved through the ensuing weeks with a peaceful courage that was truly admirable.

Fear of death is common. Our loss of physical form and identity looms as the end of all we know and have. Yet, it seems that most people on the brink are able to find a deep peace in acceptance of their fate. They are able to make it a “good death.” The Art of Dying Well website, created by the Catholic Church of England and Wales, has the following to say about this concept.

“It might seem strange to think of death as something that you can ‘do well’. But, there are few things we would want more for ourselves and our loved ones than a good death.

If you are dying, it is likely that you will want to be at peace, as comfortable as possible and surrounded by those closest to you. You will probably want to die at home, and you will probably not want invasive treatment if it is clear that there would be little to gain from this.

A circle of support is important. Such a community might include (but is certainly not limited to) family and friends, carers, medics, a chaplain or a priest. This is relevant not just at the moment of death, but throughout the dying process. Having a community of accompaniment throughout the journey can help you to prepare by bringing consolation and spiritual peace.”

Other schools of thought maintain that we sow the seeds for a good death much earlier in our lives. Kahlil Gibran writes: “You would know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?

“The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.

“If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.

“For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.”

We can live mindfully with regard to the time when we transition from these bodies to what lies beyond. In her book, The Seasoned Soul, Eliza Blanchard states in the chapter titled A Guide for the Journey, “Planning our routes to the end, and choosing companions to take it with us, is part of a mature spiritual practice. We learn from many faiths that to give our final journey the attention we would give to any trip adds depth and meaning to our living.

“Many who travel keep journals or blogs. Wouldn’t it be interesting to write down, draw, or imagine how we’d like this leg of our journey to go–what roads of forgiveness, compassion, and peace we might travel?”

The Art of Living leads us to successfully shaping The Art of Dying.

 

 

There is no legitimate reason why that which you imagine cannot have a place in your everyday earthly existence. You may say I’m a dreamer, but…

There are different levels on which a dream can come true. For instance, a person may think, “I’d like to paint.” To make that happen, a person could simply go to the nearest arts and crafts store to pick up the equipment and supplies, then go home and put brush to canvas. Voila! Color!

Eventually the thought comes, “I’d like to show my paintings somewhere.” Resistance mounts. Galleries are full. There isn’t much receptivity in general. People other than friends aren’t enthusiastic about your work. What’s wrong? At this point, you can lose interest or confidence. You may take a self-negating attitude and never show anything to anyone. Or, you may take the initiative, find out how to improve your technique and you follow through by making basic improvements that lead to sweeping breakthroughs in your style. Your paintings are accepted, loved and sold to admiring art connoisseurs.

The key element in realizing your goals is intention. By this I mean will, volition, determination, decision, passion and resolution. These are all synonyms taken straight from my thesaurus. Without this frame of mind, nothing happens. Wayne Dyer says in his book, The Power of Intention, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”

We make things happen by our will. This goes well beyond the arts. Any aspect of life is governed by our will. Are we always successful in making our dreams come true? Obviously not, but it doesn’t mean it can’t happen. When we apply ourselves to reaching a goal, we are likely to draw closer to that reality. Dogged persistence and high energy will bring it more and more into focus. At the bottom of it, though, is not just activity. It’s that decision piece that formulates the new reality–a song, a novel or a sculptural masterpiece.

If we fail to even ponder a potential accomplishment, it will never materialize. If we dare think about doing something we never have done before, but we think we’re not up to it, we have sunk the ship before putting it in the water. In Richard Bach’s Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, the Saviour’s Manual includes the line, “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.”

My accomplishments are modest, but there have been a few times when I rose above my normal operating state and brought about positive change in my world of the artistic dream. At one point, I settled in Santa Barbara for the winter. I wanted to make my living as a musician and writer. I was new in town and knew few people. I practiced my music, made up largely of original songs, and started promoting to various venues where they might pay me to play. I wasn’t even that good, but I found work and supported myself through my music.

Years later, I was turning out comedy screenplays and teleplays with a good friend. The problem was we did very little marketing. When I finally sent out about twenty copies of a feature length comedy to producers, one saw how funny our work was and included us in some of his projects for a couple years afterward.

It was a couple years ago that I broke through that marketing barrier again and sent the manuscript of my novel, Boundless Trust, to approximately twenty book publishers. The dream of a lifetime materialized when it was published by Black Rose Writing. None of these accomplishments would have become reality without the intention to make them so.

 

To manifest our dreams, I believe there is a specific component that must be present. Ernest Holmes wrote of this in his book, The Science of Mind. It was first published in 1926 and is still in print today. He wrote about Mental Equivalents in one chapter. He discusses making a “demonstration,” a word he uses for a result everyone can see. He states, “A demonstration, like anything else in the objective life, is born out of a mental concept. The mind is the fashioning factor, and according to its range, vision and positiveness, will be the circumstance or experience.”

On the next page, he expands more, “It follows, then, that the range of our possibilities at the present time does not extend far beyond the range of our present concepts. As we bring ourselves to a greater vision, we induce a greater concept and thereby demonstrate more in our experience. In this way there is a continuous growth and unfoldment taking place.”

Visualize with absolute certainty your dreams as an artiste and they will materialize. And so it is.

 

 

 

 

One person I love playing music with on a regular basis is Phil Loebe, a great tenor, good guitar player and fine percussionist. Phil is legally blind. When he’s directing his gaze in your direction, he isn’t seeing you. Through a new technology, however, life has taken a providential turn for Phil. Following is an interview we did recently.

 

Robert: To begin, can you give the name of your sight impairment condition and what that means?

Phil: The eye condition is called Stargardt. It is a genetic and juvenile form of macular degeneration. It was named after the German doctor who discovered it in 1901. Here is a link explaining the disease. https://www.macular.org/stargardt-disease?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI363RvpqR3QIVFKvsCh0IrQnWEAAYAiAAEgI44fD_BwE.

What this disease does is remove a person’s central vision. The macula is the central point of the retina. It has the most precise focus for close and distant viewing. It also has your most precise color vision. My vision relies upon my peripheral vision.

Robert: How long have you had this condition?

Phil: I was diagnosed around the age of 10. I am now 64.

Robert: Were you able to blend in at school with the other students?

Phil: For the most part. Those who knew me knew I had a vision problem.

Robert: How were you treated during those school years?

Phil: Well, it was a bit tough because at that time, I did not have all the assistive devices like we have today. But we had great support nonetheless.

Robert: Has it worsened over the years? If so, describe the progression.

Phil: Yes, it progressed up until the my mid-20s. And of course, with the aging process, that increases the loss of vision.

RobertCould you describe in detail how this affects the daily life of a person with this condition?

Phil: Obviously, our vision has impacted our lives in oh so many ways. But as we have grown and learned, we each develop our “tricks and techniques” to live as you live. Yes, being dependent on others for transportation is the biggest bummer…..

Robert: How have you coped with it to keep your life as normal as possible?

Phil: I don’t consider my life as “having to cope.” Normal life? My life is normal, my normal. My parents never kept me from trying/doing anything. As “they” say…it is what it is.

I have been so very Blessed in being able to achieve and continue to achieve all the things in my normal life.

Robert: What artistic talents do you have and what have you accomplished with those talents?

Phil: I have been doing music since around 1970. Singing in church and doing it to this day. I’ve also had some wonderful open mike opportunities. I have also done many things in the art of photography. Sadly, my vision has not allowed me to enjoy it in the past 20 years. However, Iris Vision may allow me back into photography.

Robert: What is the most amazing thing you’ve done despite your impairment?

Phil: This may sound goofy, but it sure meant a lot to me at that time.

At one time I had a license to operate a moped (that’s another story).

I rode my beautiful blue moped up Catalina Highway outside Tucson all the way to Windy Point on Mount Lemmon. You’d have to know the place to enjoy this story…Oh oh oh, it was so beautiful. A feeling of freedom, independence that people who drive just don’t understand.

Robert: I understand you have benefited from a recent invention that helps you work around sight impairment. Could you tell me about this fascinating new device?

Phil: Iris Vision Global is a company that has created the software to work with Samsung virtual reality goggles and a Samsung phone (now a display/camera unit). Check out irisvision.com. The developers have created “electronic glasses”. The glasses give me central vision and the ability to “zoom in up to 12X. It’s….well, it’s way cool! 😊

Robert: Please share some examples as to how this has changed your life.

Phil: I can see peoples faces when I greet them. I can see them smile.

I can pick up any book, magazine, any printed item and read it. And oh my gosh, there are so many more ways that it has proven to be a great device.

Robert: What do you foresee for yourself in the future?

Phil: I have been very blessed in that now, not only am I a user of this device, I am now also a distributor for Iris Vision Global. And soon I will also be working as a customer support person for IVG. God is good.

 

This is simply a story of technological advancement and inspiration I had to share. I was there when he first saw the faces of some of us with whom he has been playing music for years now. What a moment!

Aretha Franklin has died. Her transition left me feeling sad and somewhat empty. I hated to see that day arrive. I have rarely felt the intensity of loss that I feel for her, at least when it comes to famous people who I’ve never met. Why would this be?

We have to go way back to find the answer. I had been enjoying early rock and roll in the 1950’s. Much of popular music on the periphery came in crossover hits. Rhythm and Blues with artists such as Fats Domino and Jackie Wilson blended seamlessly in with the pop music scene. I think the first soul song that really got me excited was Locomotion by Little Eva, without me recognizing it as a genre unto itself. That was 1962. I remember hearing it on our radio in the kitchen on a Saturday night. I think I was listening to Cousin Brucie on WABC out of New York City. It was an exciting sound. In the same year, the Four Seasons broke through with their first hit, Sherry. I believe it had its roots in Doo-Wop music, featuring amazing harmonies and a tenor whose falsetto was up in the soprano range.

By 1963, I was dancing at sock hops in my little town in Pennsylvania. It seemed as though there was a tsunami of soul music that sounded so-o-o good in that dimly lit gymnasium. Songs like Our Day Will Come, Be My Baby and Up On The Roof struck chords deep within in different ways, but all under the canopy of soul. It wasn’t that this genre was dominating pop music at the time. By my count, there were only three soul songs in the Billboard Top 40 that year. Stevie Wonder had broken through with Fingertips-Pt 2. The Impressions were there also along with Martha and the Vandellas. It’s just that this music was distinctive, fresh and light. As the teenagers would say on American Bandstand about various kinds of songs, “It has a good beat and is easy to dance to.”

In 1964, soul artists more than doubled their presence in the Top 40 with eight scores despite the onslaught of the Beatles and the rest of the year’s British Invasion groups. I find it interesting that among the eight, seven were sung by solo women, girl groups or a male/female duet. The soul sisters were leading the charge in those early years. The men came on strong in 1965 with James Brown, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Junior Walker & The All Stars and Mel Carter in the face of continued stiff competition from the British bands as well as the likes of the Beach Boys and the ever-present Elvis Presley. Soul was continuing to rise through it all. The AM radio stations couldn’t ignore it and some began to thrive on it. Living fairly close to Lake Erie, we were able to pick up the strong signal of CKLW out of Windsor, Ontario which was just across the river from Detroit. The Motown influence was powerful and the Top 40 format was weighted heavily in favor of soul, or so it seemed to me at the time.

Although pop music in those years was fairly diverse and much of it was of high quality, my primary focus was on The Beatles and soul. A rather strange combination, but it demonstrates the strength of soul in its competition with the rest of the field, especially the British groups.

But what about Aretha? As 1967 rolled around, the soul express was gaining steam and Aretha hadn’t really even been noticed yet. While recording for Columbia in New York, her career was going nowhere. Then she signed with Atlantic Records and they sent her to the little studio in Muscle Shoals that turned it all around. Her first hit, I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) was laid down there. Then Respect went to No. 1 and its flip side to No. 4. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman followed those up and became one of her all-time favorites. By the end of the year, she had five songs in the Top 40! I was totally on the bandwagon. That powerful voice, that exquisite expression of emotion were the quintessence of soul music. There was never another year like 1967 for Aretha, but she charted plenty more singles in the Top 40. She ranks first with the most number of chart hits among women in the rock era. She had more Top 100 album sales than I even care to count.

I wasn’t aware of those statistics, though. What matters to me is how she made me feel. She obviously reached deep and found a beauty in human suffering, a love profound and sad, a purity of heart that connects to us all. It hurts so good.

 

Listen…deeply. We spend so much of our time talking, planning, writing in a host of forms, and thinking of what we will say to others’ communication that we miss much of what is happening here and now. Sound is something to fill the stillness that some have come to interpret as a source of boredom. Losing our ability to listen, or worse, never developing it, deprive us of one of the most important opportunities of our lives.

I remember reading somewhere of three crucial ways of listening. One is listening to other people. There is much to be  learned from what our fellow human beings have to say. In some cases, there is wisdom to be gleaned whether it comes from an elder who is sharing lessons gained from experience or the mouths of babes, as they say, who can teach us beyond the depth of their shallow understanding. There’s more to this, though, than just hearing words and gathering knowledge from them. We can gain insight into another person’s psyche from the subtext of their message through the wording, intonation, emotional content, their eyes and overall body language. Listening isn’t just about hearing, after all. There can be numerous senses involved, including listening with the heart. What does that mean? I’m referring to our intuition, a sixth sense if you will. More about that later. For now, let’s just focus on what others are saying. This is not just beneficial from the standpoint of soaking up information. It’s also about what it does for the person speaking. What a special feeling it is when you sense a person is truly interested in what you’re saying and not just engaging in clever conversation or waiting for their chance to regale you with their opinions. Even if someone is interested, but can’t wait to give advice or information on how they handled a similar situation, there is a letdown for the troubled when the listener tosses in their views. There’s a good deal of therapy in simply listening to a person who is hurting. Asking them questions that help them examine different sides of their issues can help as well.

Secondly, listening to the messages of the exterior world can be highly illuminating. That probably sounds more esoteric than it is in practice. One of the most common ways of doing this is just enjoying nature. Sitting still outside brings us unexpected delights we wouldn’t otherwise notice. My meditation routine is usually done in a quiet room, but recently I was sort of forced by circumstance to take it out to our patio. While sitting there with eyes closed, I heard passing low overhead the wings of a larger bird–probably a crow. The movement of air by the strong wings slicing through was almost thrilling. I know some crows nest in a tall palm tree within sight of our house, but I had not been aware they were flying so near the ground over our yard. Virtually endless are the sounds that tell a story of our immediate environment. The buzzing bees, the chirping birds and the majestic winds are just a few. Outside the realm of nature, we hear the sounds of traffic, aircraft, chimes, slamming doors and hammering. All recite an account of the rhythms of life. How do they affect us emotionally and what can we learn from them?

The third form of listening is being attentive to the truth that lies within, awaiting discovery. There is virtual treasure to be found by opening our minds and hearts to the untapped reservoirs of infinite intelligence in and around us. One way I use this is to mentally formulate a question or frame a problem that needs a solution, then clear my mind so as to be receptive to an answer. I have found that it can bubble to the surface without any struggle. It’s a natural process. Following is a “Meditation for self-help,” as written by Ernest Holmes, author of The Science of Mind…A Philosophy, A Faith, A Way of Life. This is an affirmation, offered up as a prayer, which I perceive as basically the same entity. It’s titled, I Listen.

I will listen for Thy voice, Inner Presence.

                                                                It will guide me and acquaint me with all knowledge.

Thy voice is sweet and tender; it is always kind and gentle.

O Lover of my Soul, how I adore Thee! How I love Thee!

How I love Thy voice; it thrills me with gladness and joy.

It fills me with peace and calm, and it soothes me.

It quiets me and gives me wonderful rest.

I listen, O Divine Speaker, I listen to Thee alone.

I listen for Thy voice.

May we empower ourselves and those in our lives with the gift of sincere listening.

 

 

Part Three! After our immersion in the ’60’s, ’70’s, ’80’s and ’90’s, their best movies and their film scores, we are primed to bring this pleasurable examination to a conclusion by taking a look at the 20 aughts–2000 through 2009, our fifth decade. The contrast from the first decade to the fifth bring into focus the evolution of filmmaking and the attendant music.

There are many high-quality films in this most recent decade. All genres are represented, from solid drama and political intrigue to animated fantasy with comedic overtones throughout. International films are part of the mix also. The finest films of the aughts have been some of the most grand or most charming or most sobering or most breathtaking ever produced. Delightful cinema from such titles as Pirates of the Caribbean and Chocolat (whoa–two Johnny Depp efforts!) doesn’t present itself every year. Thoroughly enjoyable, visually and musically. The Da Vinci Code and Road to Perdition (whoa–both Tom Hanks showcases!) present tremendous intrigue to keep viewers on the edge of their seats while examining the depths of mystery and humanity. Gladiator brings the awesome spectacle of 1959’s Ben-Hur with an added look at the heart and soul of an enslaved warrior under the thumb of Roman cruelty. The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon are thrilling in their scope, splendor and overall beauty. The Pianist was highly respected for its heart-wrenching historical story and its classical soundtrack which sets a truly high bar.

The music in each of these above-mentioned movies is illustrious, but resonating with me the most are Chocolat, The Lord of the Rings and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This is equally true of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, scored by Jon Brion, which had a theme and overall soundtrack that was progressive in its modern, innovative style. James Horner’s soundtrack for Avatar rose to the same heights as it brilliantly captured the spirit of the transcendent experience of Jake becoming one with the Neytiri. I love all these movies and their music! Ruling out any is mentally taxing and makes me feel treacherous. The axe must fall, however, and I hack away now at Pirates of the Caribbean, The Da Vinci Code, Road to Perdition and The Pianist for not reaching the apex of being the best movies of the decade, splendid as they are. Chocolat gives me great joy, but the soundtrack consists of some wonderful songs that were borrowed, though this doesn’t take anything away from Rachel Portman and her Oscar-winning best original music. Similarly, many of the compositions in The Pianist were composed by Chopin, so I’m eliminating both of these from consideration although again the original music in the film was remarkable.

I’ve now reached back and listened to more of the score for the three finalists. Unable to make a decision, I listened again to the main themes of each. Avatar stands out to me the most, which is mildly amusing since it doesn’t even make the lists I’ve seen of best scores for this time period. The Lord of the Rings gives everything one could expect. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon draws me in with its sounds of the Orient and where its music conforms to western themes, it doesn’t disappoint.

 

 

In the final analysis, the film that in the decade of the 2000’s best accomplishes a fusion of eminent filmmaking and memorable music is the entire trilogy of The Lord of the Rings. Adapting it so incredibly well from the treasured literature of J.R.R. Tolkien was the work of a lifetime. Bringing to life all the diverse elements of the tale visually and in musical scoring required a variety of artistic styles. The sheer volume of the work is astounding. Peter Jackson, Howard Shore and the entire team made many dreams come true with this production.

In summary, my selections for the five decades are The Sound of Music, The Godfather, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Titanic and The Lord of the Rings. So many films are deserving of inclusion on this list, no one should feel snubbed. There will be no attempt to choose one as superior to the others in the blending of movie and music. With each decade, there is change and evolution. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” I have no wish to rob any of these films of their prominence. This has been an education for me on how poorly qualified I am to make such judgments about film and film scoring, but I feel enriched for having made this study on two art forms I admire deeply. I urge you to enjoy some of the fine examples of cinema I’ve enumerated in this series or choose your own as you wish. Treat your eyes,ears and heart!

 

 

 

In Part One, I examined some of the movies and film scores of the 1960’s and 1970’s. In the process, I set aside some of my most treasured films in favor of others I realized may be more deserving of being labeled the best in regard to the most outstanding blend of storytelling and music. I also overlooked others that may have made a run at the finalists in my view, such as Fiddler on the Roof. Oh my God! This time around, I’m tackling the 1980’s and 1990’s. So many movies, so little time.

The pool to draw from in the ’80’s is astounding. Just to name a dozen, look at this list that excludes way too many great films: Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Star Wars sequels, The Breakfast Club, Rain Man, Dirty Dancing, Chariots of Fire, Alien, The Princess Bride, Airplane, Field of Dreams, Amadeus, The NeverEnding Story, Good Morning Vietnam, The Color Purple…I couldn’t even stop at a dozen and I could go on and on.

The quality of the music is undeniable. I think that in the years since John Williams came on the film score scene, the music backing the on screen images has been elevated. The composers aren’t just copy cats, though. The originality and diversity of the music is tremendous. I believe the important factor above all in putting together an assessment of the movies/music blend is determining what speaks to me most profoundly in terms of the film content and presentation, then reflecting back on the music that is most memorable after all the dust of the decades settles. I have studied these scores and refreshed myself on contending movies, all of which is helpful to sift out the quality from the flash, but what touches me most is what my heart tells me is the best in my universe. It will be different for many of us, but it’s wonderful how we each are touched in our personal region of the collective consciousness.

With that in mind, I narrow down the qualifiers from the ’80’s to these. Amadeus–how can a delightful story about Mozart be left out? Chariots of Fire–an inspirational, motivational movie with music that complements it perfectly. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark–groundbreaking film making and more John Williams unforgettable, uplifting accompaniment. And Back to the Future, which some say is the perfect movie. The score and the popular music blend fantastically to stimulate us from one end of the musical spectrum to the other. My choice is Raiders of the Lost Ark, mainly because I couldn’t have enjoyed a movie more and the music was perfect for it.

What stands out most in the ’90’s, again taking the film and the score/soundtrack as a whole? Another incredible decade, by the way. Here are my initial thoughts. Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Edward Scissorhands, Braveheart, Titanic, Dances With Wolves, The Nightmare Before Christmas are all amazing movies with amazing music. One of the soundtracks that affected me most is from Natural Born Killers. contrast between what I was seeing on the screen and what I was hearing was positively surreal at times, but the theme and content of this film are disturbing and unnecessary in a world filled with violence and insanity. I can’t consider it one of the great films of the decade. The soundtrack on it and Forrest Gump as well as Pulp Fiction draw largely from popular music in various genres, which I enjoy. However, does the score or the theme of these stand out in my memory. Negative.

Schindler’s List has a beautiful and moving score that takes the listener through the emotional roller-coaster of the film in a perfectly fitting manner. I have a feel for it, but don’t really remember it well. Jurassic Park is more of the brilliance of John Williams. Great sci-fi and a score that makes it so grand. I notice I have two Tim Burton films in my nominees. I really enjoyed both Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, both of which take us away to fantasy realms that attract and repel simultaneously. Danny Elfman’s soundtracks are masterful for their musical genius and playful imagination. Braveheart’s soundtrack is strong and brings a touch of Scottish traditional music to always welcome ears in my case. The same composer, James Horner, brought us the soundtrack of Titanic. Few movies have had the impact on me that Titanic did and the film score filled my heart in the same way. The poignancy and grand flavor of the soundtrack for Dances with Wolves truly captured the theme of the story, giving proper respect to the American Indians and one man who had a different perspective on his role in their world. All that said, Titanic is my selection for the 1990’s. They are all so great, but I’m most spellbound by the James Cameron masterpiece.

I’m inspired to see some of these films again, which is unusual for me. I hope you’re caught up in the magic yourself.