Day 15 Nostalgic Music Month

Creedence Clearwater Revival by Jon Hilton

Nostalgia is looking back at your life with fondness. Pulling out the memories you have and remembering the people, events, and things that mattered on your journey. Creedence Clearwater Revival and their music take me on a long visit to my past. Like most bands of significance, it is difficult to pick just a few songs because so many had an impact. From my childhood to my current life as a “middle-aged” person.  I go on a trip in every song, to the backwoods of Maine. To the college campus of the University of Maine at Farmington. To the memories of a young man doing his best to learn about life. The conclusion is still the same now as it was then, I still have a lot to learn.

1. Born on the Bayou– Even though I was born hundreds of miles from the bayou, the backwoods of Maine bring the same sense of rural, family and wilderness. I can remember running through the backwood bare, chasing down the hoodoo there. This song makes me remember all of those days of my youth and the seemingly perfect circumstances of a life full of play and adventure.  Now when I was just a little boy standin’ to my Daddy’s knee. My Poppa said, “Son don’t let the man get you do what he done to me.”
2. Fortunate Son–  If CCR released this song today, they would be a target of the people. They would be deemed unAmerican.  During the era of Vietnam, the draft system was one that favored the rich and put the poor and disadvantaged on the fast track to the jungle.  Today we live in an era of ultra sensitivity, where any disenting voice is attacked and demonized. Simpletons spouting simple thoughts. Free speech used to be a valued commodity in the United States, but today it is a luxury.  As long as you say what “the man” finds acceptable you have this right. Say something they don’t like and you don’t.    Some folks are born made to wave the flag
   Ooh, they’re red, white and blue. And when the band plays “Hail to the chief”.    Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord!!!
3. Someday Never Comes–  In my search for knowledge, this advice was true, someday never comes. Too often we put things off until tomorrow and then to the next day. Eventually it is too late and the opportunity is gone forever. We are all given chances to achieve things in life. Sometimes we are too comfortable where we are or more often, too afraid of failing.  If you have a dream, today is the day. If you want to try something the time is now. Well, I’m here to tell you now, each and every mother’s son, That you better learn it fast, you better learn it young,’Cause someday never comes.
4. Long as I Can See the Light– All of us have left people behind. Some deserved it, they were not in our best interest. But there are a precious few we leave behind that we should have kept with us. Those are the people we want to put a candle in the window to help guide us back to them. In life, there are times we need to go, to learn a lesson we need to learn. But you can always bring that lesson back with you, returning a better person able to give a better part of yourself. Look for the light.   Put a candle in the window ,’Cause I feel I’ve gotta move, Though I’m goin’, goin’ , I’ll be comin’ home soon. Long as I can see the light.
5. The Midnight Special– This is a great sing along song.  It also shines a light on the inequalities that have existed in our society for decades. Apparantly when you look around, absolutely nothing has changed. The system is rigged against some and for others.  The prevailing strategy seems to be, make sure you are on the side that it is rigged for. Everyone else is on their own.  It leads me to believe that CCR would not be welcomed today into the music industry or conservative society. But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man.

HM-  Have you Ever seen the rain, bad moon rising, Proud Mary, Down on the Corner, Lookin’ Out My Back Door, Run Through the Jungle, Suzi Q., Lodi, I Heard it Through the Grapvine, Green River, Up around the bend, Travellin’ Band, I put a Spell on you, Hey Tonight, Sweet Hitch Hiker

Micheal Martin Murphey- by Mike Martin

What is a #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth without celebrating an artist who shares your name?

Michael Martin Murphey is an American singer-songwriter born on March 14, 1945. He is best known for writing and performing Western music, country music and popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including a song that helped a nine-year boy believe that there was an escape from the confines of a small, remote, isolated, Maine town—realizing that all I needed was a horse.

Wildfire reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary charts, and when I hear it,

this song instantly takes me back to 1975.

By the dark of the moon I planted
But there came an early snow
There’s been a hoot-owl howling by my window now
For six nights in a row
She’s coming for me, I know
And on Wildfire we’re both gonna go

With that said, I gotta go-to the Home Depot.

Please, have a great day, 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!
#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville