Eli's Coming

Last evening I was watching some late-night TV. I heard some of Stephen Colbert’s monologue and one of my favorite lines was this – 

'In the next 4 years, we have to live by Airport Rules – Calories don’t count, and it’s perfectly reasonable to have a vodka tonic at 8am.'

I am now going to live by Airport Rules!

Music has a way of transforming me.  With all that Cheeto shit on TV, we’ve been listening to a lot of music. The other night I was awake yet again.  

I was feeling okay, but I just can’t sleep.  I flipped on the TV and nothing appealed to me. I saw that Rick got a message from a woodworker he follows on YouTube so I went to YouTube.  I didn’t care about his ‘word porn’ so I was perusing

This video came up of a young good-looking man.  I have no idea of his age. But I believe he could be my grandson. I am guessing early 30s.
His name was Sebastian Duran. Anyhoo, he is really into music.  
He said that older people always say “their music was better” He went on to say how much it pissed him off. So someone sent a video of a band from the 60s/70s. He was blown away. 

He admitted growing up he was into Metal and Hip Hop. 
Strange combo to me but it is what it is.

So he opened up to whoever was watching and said, send me someone you think was good back in the day and I will play it here and we’ll discuss.  Fast forward to several videos later and he admitted we boomers were correct. I had to laugh.  

He also hated country until he was sent a couple of country songs.

I watched the video of Three Dog Night from 1969.  It was Eli’s Coming.

He was impressed with the vocals.   
Not one of my favorite songs from them but I couldn’t wait to hear his comments on this song. Due to copyright infringement, he had to stop the video and pause a few times. Weird but that’s what he said.

 After several videos, he said many times that he was impressed that back in the day they played their own instruments had showed such passion as well as having outstanding vocals.  I had to laugh because I say that about today's music. Not all of it, but a good majority.  I don't wish to see women in their underwear autotuned and "singing"  

Janis Joplin and Linda Rhonstsat could sing damn it.  

They didn't need a gimmick. (did you see the woman on SNL Saturday - that was not talent to me)  

It reminds me of when I play a game and I am losing I'll just lift my shirt and Rick is so distracted I win. Never fails. (works w/cornhole) But I digress...

I was wearing my bone-conducting headphones and I was chair dancing.  After that, I watched another and another. I was transported to my youth. Apparently, I was singing too. In the morning Rick asked, “Were you singing?”  OMG. I didn’t think it was out loud, besides, how the hell did he hear that yet when he’s sitting across from me he doesn’t hear me? 

Ah, male hearing, I guess.

Rick asked what I was singing to. I said the first song was Eli’s coming. 

He laughed at me.

When I was a kid, I spent many hours in my bedroom listening to my transistor radio or playing records. Books and music were my escape from my life.  Music is everything. I can hear a song and smell the summer grass back when I used to listen to a song in my backyard with my transistor. 

It was the spring of 1970 when I begged my father to let me go to see Three Dog Night playing at the college in town.  Gannon was in downtown Erie. I lived in the burbs. This would be my very first concert.

I wasn’t old enough to drive ( I just turned 14) so my father would have had to take me.  

My friend Susan and I both begged our fathers. Our fathers spoke to one another.  I finally got the okay. I bought the tickets with my allowance because my father said he wasn’t paying for this hippie noise. I honestly believe I only got to go for two reasons. My mom had just died in sept '69 and it was very fresh also because Sue's father talked with my father.

My father drove us there and her dad was picking us up.

I remember what I wore. 

Red, White, and Blue big, but varying size stripes Bobbi Brooks bell bottom pants with a red shirt.  OMG.  I’d love to see a picture of that! I thought I was da bomb!

Susan and I begged my father not to drop us off in front of the college entrance. 
I mean to tell you that to me was the height of embarrassment at age 14.  

My father finally agreed.

He dropped us off about a block and a half away. We were walking and we were so excited.

Then Sue said, “Look your dad is following us.”  

My dad was basically next to us while we were on the sidewalk he was going so slow to stay with us. Now I find it funny.

At the ripe old age of 14, I did not! 

All I remember is the joy I felt, how grown up I felt around all these college-age kids, and how much the music was like my records.  

I loved every minute of it.

Sue’s dad picked us up and we couldn’t stop talking and going on. 

He finally told us to settle down. 

But I will never forget it. It was a great experience for me.  
The beginning of my loving live rock ‘n roll.   

 I love that music evokes so much and so many feelings. 
 You too can laugh at this 1969 video.