Day 13 – Nostalgic Music Month
Bob Marley- by Jon Hilton
One of my hidden talents in life is being one of the world’s preeminent dashboard musicians. That is, no matter where I travel, the time always goes faster, and is more memorable when you have good music to sing along with. I have given performances lately on a nightly basis, and one of the artists that bring the most enjoyment is to sing along with the music of Bob Marley. The point of this project has been to celebrate the many ways that music has highlighted our lives. To rise above petty jealousy and foolishness and remember the happiness in life. The music of the late great Bob Marley always takes me to times and people who were golden in my memory. Just thinking about writing this makes me smile and know that 
everything’s gonna be alright.
- Could You Be Loved– One of the basic fundamental principals of the world should be that love is the most important thing. More important than money, status and who’s right or wrong. This song reminds me to put the judgment away and accept the differences in people I encounter every day. Put aside differences and look at the similarities that exist in all people. The road of life is rocky and you may stumble too. So while you point your fingers someone else is judging you.
- Three Little Birds- Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing is gonna be alright. That sentiment will get you through life. Worry never brought anything positive to your life. It is paying for tomorrow’s imaginary troubles today. All days have something positive in them and our job, as I
see it, is to find them and appreciate them. This is a finite journey of fixed time through life and it is your choice how you spend it, miserable or happy. The simple choices you make moment to moment dictate that, choose wisely. - Get Up Stand Up-This is a song that seems more relevant today than ever before. We live in a time of division, us and them, there is little understanding. I think we need to get up and stand up for the human being in all people. Rather than approaching things from a perspective of fear, we should be approaching problems from a perspective of love. You can fool some people sometimes. But you can’t fool all the people all the time. So now we see the light (What you gonna do?)We gonna stand up for our rights!
- Is this Love-We are all on a journey in life to find our other half. The person who will complete us and allow us to become the best version of ourselves. This is a song about that search for me. Often I have to ask myself this question and have gotten all types of answers. In my mind now looking back, the answer was sometimes yes and sometimes no. This song reminds me of the many wonderful times I have researched this
question and all of those answers I have received. I, I’m willing and able
So I throw my cards on your table………… - Redemption Song– The greatest stories in life are about redemption. No life is free of challenges, mistakes, miscalculations and foolish behavior. These things only define us if we allow them to. There is always a chance for redemption for all people. The greatest story is a comeback story and the triumph of overcoming our circumstances of pain to become a better version of ourselves. Whatever your struggles, keep moving forward today and move toward the ideal tomorrow that you dream of. Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.
I shot the sheriff, No Woman No Cry, One Love, So Much Trouble in the World,
“Jim” Croce- by Mike Martin
James Joseph “Jim” Croce was an American folk and rock singer from Philadelphia, PA. He released five studio albums and had two number one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Well the two men took to fighting
And when they pulled them off the floor
Leroy looked like a jigsaw puzzle
With a couple of pieces gone
A song about a man from Chicago that Jim had met in Fort Jackson, South Carolina while attending the Army’s lineman school. “Leroy” went AWOL after a few weeks but came back at the end of the month to get his paycheck. They put handcuffs on him and took him away.
Jim said that he listened to him talk about how ‘bad’ he was and knew someday he was going to write a song about him. I met a similar man from Chicago when attending boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago, IL,
We called him “Shy Town.” He claimed to be a gang banger and tried to persuade, the nine of us who arrived early and spent the first weekend of boot camp together, to shave our heads bald-just like his. Seven compiled, at the delight of the little Yeoman from Connecticut. I said no and gained a friend and a place at the front of the mail and paycheck line for the eight weeks of Navy boot camp.
Shy Town swan like a fish, so I was convinced he was a preppy private school kid, and just like Leroy, Shy Town only lasted three weeks.
On Thursday, September 20, 1973, during Croce’s Life and Times tour and the day before his single, I Got a Name (1973) , was released, the plane 
crashed an hour after a concert in Austin, TX. Croce died in the crash and was 30 years old.
Two of my favorite Jim Croce songs include the ultimate love song (have a great day Shannon) as well as a song about how to recover when your best friend runs off with your girl. Happy Friday the Thirteenth folks!
If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I’d save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you
Isn’t that the way they say it goes? Well, let’s forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell ’em I’m fine and to show
I’ve overcome the blow, I’ve learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn’t real, but that’s not the way it feels
Party-on folks, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville
#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville
