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Nostalgicmusicmonth

Monday Won’t Get Fooled Again

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Day Two Nostalgic Music Month- October 2, 2017

The Who by Jon Hilton

The Who were so cool!!!

In my life, there have been stages where I was all into one band or another. In 1983-84 I was all about The Who. I was listening to classic Who tracks and thinking that they had figured the whole confusing experience of life out.  The Who made you question the system and the things that people wanted you to accept without question. Follow the rules! Do what you are told!  These were exactly the things I was struggling with as a high school student in the 80’s.  Finding my own path began with The Who.

Top Five Who Songs

Age is a state of mind, not a chronological condition
  1. Behind Blue Eyes– Most people see themselves as the hero, but some circumstances can make you feel like the villain. Life is full of these two scenarios and we strive to make the choices of the hero, but what if those are not accepted? My dreams aren’t as empty as my conscience seems to be.

  2. Bargain –  When it came to love in my life, there were times I felt exactly like this. Giving up everything for the love of the right woman. I call that a bargain, the best I ever had. Life takes that passion away, there is no free ride to me, but there was once.

  3. Won’t Get Fooled Again– The way I looked at authority as a teenager was perfectly described in this song. In fact, it is much the way I feel today. The hypocrisy, lies, and greed I see in the world, make me get on my knees and pray, we don’t get fooled again. But it seems unlikely. I know that the hypnotized never lie.

  4. Baba O’Reilly– I can remember when teenage wasteland included me and now I am far removed from that group, I still think older people look at the young and see them wasting their lives. They don’t need to fight to prove their right and they don’t need to be forgiven.  Life is full of patterns and being young is one of them. It is critical to the development of thinkers and doers in the future.  Let’s get together before we get much older.

1.Who Are You?– The question that I am still answering today. I think all people are continually evolving and this is changing as you move through life. The choices that we make every day define us and tell us and the world who we are.  I really want to know, who are you?  Do you choose positively or negatively in your interactions with others and the world? Only you control the impact that you have. This song has always shown me that truth from the time I listened to it as a young man, to today.

Thank you to the who for providing all the guidance in the early 80’s. Roger Daltry is still the man, he is just a very old man.

Honorable mentions; Pinball Wizard, My Generation, Can’t Explain, Love Reign o’er Me, Squeeze Box, Join Together, The Seeker, Substitute, Magic Bus

Monday, Monday     by Mike Martin

Mondays are a gift from the Universe. At our house, Monday is a time to frantically search for backpacks, homework and sneakers, a time to get back into the routine of our busy lives.

Music is a History lesson. Music videos are often rich with the culture of the times in which the music was created. My children are blessed with a father that forces them to listen to music from many decades.

On Mondays, just to get the week off to a joyous start. I often turn to The Mamas & the Papas. This pleases my daughter Kyera very much.

Monday, Monday 

“Monday, Monday, so good to me

Monday mornin´, it was all I hoped it would be”

The Mamas & the Papas recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968.  I was born in 1966.  The group has four members: John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot, and Michelle Phillips née Gilliam.

Denny Doherty has the best tenor voice that I have ever heard. Joh Phillips claims that a wayward brick forever changed Cass Elliot’s voice allowing her to sign a few high notes that she could not hit prior to getting struck with the falling brick-Fascinating. Michelle Phillips née Gilliam is the only member still alive and still very beautiful.

They released five studio albums and seventeen singles, six of which made the Billboard top ten and have sold close to 40 million records. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

My favorite song by The Mamas & the Papas is California Dreamin’ —listening to it, is a– Spiritual Experience:

“Stopped into a church

I passed along the way

Well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)

And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)

You know the preacher like the cold (preacher like the cold)

He knows I’m gonna stay (knows I’m gonna stay)”

Even though I grew Catholic and was very connected to the Holy Family Catholic Church in Greenville, Maine. I am not religious; however, I truly believe we are all interconnected through omnipotent forces that defy descriptions!

The Mamas & the Papas’ music speaks to me in a way they no other music can. So, please, enjoy your Monday because I believe that you CAN trust that day.  If you have any doubts, 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

p.s. This is Dedicated to the One I Love

“Each night before you go to bed my baby

Whisper a little prayer for me my baby

And tell all the stars above

This is dedicated to the one I love”

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

 

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Sultans of Sentiment

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Nostalgic Music Month

Dire Straits  by Jon Hilton

dire straits
Nostalgic Music Month Day 1

It is the beginning of a month-long journey to delve into the music of our lives. In the fall of 1971, I attended kindergarten in Greenville, Maine. It was there that one of my intellectual equals was Mike Martin. From that day to this, music has provided the soundtrack of our lives. And I have been privy to all of his schemes.  We have not always been on the same path, but we both agree that music provides a connection to the past and the people who have shaped our lives.

There was little choice for me on the first day of nostalgic music month. It

You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they make

had to be Dire Straits. From the first time I heard the unique and iconic guitar, to the messages in the lyrics that seemed to capture the emotions of the experiences I was having, Dire Straits has been one of my favorite performers. Most important is the connection to many special people I have known over my life who have shared the music with me.

My top 5 Dire Straits songs are as follows:

  1. Down to the Waterline– It reminds me when I was a young man and was on my own for the first time. Living in South Portland, going to SMVTI. Hearing the foghorn at night, having fun and getting to know all
All of your dreams should come true, you deserve it

of those special people I knew from that time working at campus security.

4.On Every Street– This is a newer song but captures a lot of the old style, and it describes how I feel about so many people that I have lost over the years. Some more than others. When you walk down the street, and you see a crowd of people, “and it’s your face I am looking for on every street…..”   Someday we may meet again.  The guitar at the end……..classic Mark Knoffler.

  1. Sultans of Swing– A song with so many memories and different points in my life attached to it that I remember a different thing almost every time I hear the opening beat, I can’t stop listening because I get a shiver in the dark and it’s raining in the park, but meantime………….and I feel alright when I hear the music ring.

2. Romeo and Juliet– The top two songs are from the same album, Making Movies. This song is particular to the memories of a young man, being Romeo and the first real love that breaks your heart. Like a rite of passage, there are good things that end and in the end, it is best for all involved, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less at the time and the scars that are left are just as real. As we age, people tend to trivialize the past and diminish the importance of many events and the value of people. Deep in our hearts, those things still live and the value will always be there. “All I do is miss you and the way we used to be……….” Everyone feels like that at some point. This song reminds of a time I was young, naive and idealistic. A simpler time.

  1. Tunnel of Love– In my memory when places, people, and love are combined from my past, magic happens and this song reminds me of that magic. There are people that you meet and they are only meant to be in your life for a season, and then they are gone. It is up to you to understand the lesson and take the value from that relationship.  Even when it is clearly your fault that things didn’t work out, this song though sums it up.  We learn our lessons, remember those who mattered and rock away, rock away.   The final guitar solo rips my soul.

Honorable mention: Water of love, Money for Nothing, Telegraph Road, Lady Writer, Expresso Love, Skate Away

There is my half of day one of Nostalgic Music Month for Mike Martins half Read on Here.

Sentimental Street  by Mike Martin

I have a spiritual advisor. His name is Jon Hilton and I have known

Night Ranger
1984, a year of transitional memories. A sentimental street for sure.

him since kindergarten. We speak on the phone often and will argue
with each other even when we agree. We have much in common and are
complete opposites.

With all the negativity in the world, Jon has proclaimed October,
Nostalgic Music Month. He will want to share the credit because Jon is
a team player and one of the many things I appreciate about his
friendship.

Before I gave my word that I send him sentimental music selections each day for the month of October as a way to promote hope and
optimism, as we reflex on the music of our past, I demanded (big
smile) that we use this platform to encourage people to visit our
hometown of Greenville, Maine. (if you a reading this, I am happy to
say that my demand was accepted)

We invite everyone and anyone to join in October, Nostalgic Music
Month. There are many ways to participate including the radio,
cassette, record, DVD and if you post on Social media please use the
hashtag. #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and please feel free to share
Jon’s blog with your friends and enemies.

Night Ranger’s second album, Midnight Madness was released the summer
of 1984. The summer after I graduated from high school. The summer
before a memorable fall that included a miracle pass from Doug Flutie.
I have a memory of seeing Night Ranger in concert, but I am
unconfident that I really did because the memories are foggy. So I am
asking my favorite musician ever Born, Rich Daigle and his favorite sound
man, J Alan Grant-Did Night Ranger open for 38 Special when we saw
them the summer before I joined the Navy?

Now sit back, relax and take a walk down this Sentimental Street-Night
Ranger #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip
to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of
year!

Sentimental Street

Sister Christian

Do you Still Dream About Me

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

Life Lessons

It’s All About The Music

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Music is a powerful force in life. It has the ability to take you outside of your current experience and transport you to another place, another time and help you to remember another you. Being fortunate enough to grow up when I did, there are literally hundreds of songs and artists that have touched my life.

I have known Mike Marting since we were 5 years old and in kindergarten in Greenville, Maine. We were talking the other day about songs and their connection to our memories and we decided to declare October 2017 as nostalgic music month.  What this means is that we will be choosing artists and songs each day and sharing them, along with the nostalgic connection to the past brought with them.  There are moments that happen to each of us that capture a mood, that we enjoy revisiting like an old friend.

This is our mission and we invite anyone who wants to make a suggestion or add their own nostalgic songs and experiences to send them to me or him through this page, Facebook, email or the post office if anyone remembers how to do that.  Enjoy the day and we will see you in October, Nostalgic Music Month sponsored by Jamos and Breton’s Store.

We will do our best to complete this task each day for ourselves more than anything to connect to those times that are gone but not forgotten of our well spent, and not so well spent younger days.

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Nostalgic Music Month Success

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Nostalgic Music Month a complete success

Nostalgic Music Month took place in October of 2017. Each day Mike Martin and I (Jon Hilton) chose nostalgic music and wrote about what they meant. Each attacked the subject differently and in the end, it was clear that music effects everyone in life. This is a reflection of that process.

What did I learn?  Music is a constant for people of many different backgrounds. I learned that creating something is important to the soul. We should all be looking for ways to create every day. I also learned that many memories of people and events can be brought back to mind by listening to a song. Even though those memories are gone, sometimes they seem real enough to reach out and touch. If only for a minute.

What was great? Remembering the music was great but better than that was to visit the person that I was throughout My life. At different points of my development, there were a lot of different versions of myself over time.  One thing I realized through this project is that the people that were a part of my life are still just as important today as they were then. Even though we are separated by time and circumstance the effects of those people are real. From childhood, high school, college, and adult life. All that affected me are still important.

What is missing? I think we could have actively involved more people if we had planned better. It was the nature of the project that we were not collaborating with each other about the daily productions. There were many artists that I didn’t include because there were only 31 days. I wrote about the ones that resonated with me on that day.  Elton John, Cat Stevens, The Beatles, The Police, Alice Cooper, ACDC, Meatloaf, Pearl Jam and Jimmy Buffett are just a few off the top of my head I wish could have been included. Most of all though, it was fun and that is the juice that made it happen.

What is this leading to? In the beginning, the project was done with no expectations and no set agenda. The results have made me appreciate the ability to create.  It is a powerful thing to create something that didn’t exist before you made it up in your mind.  It is good for your body, mind, and spirit. It has also led to ideas of creating things in other genres. Video, podcasts, and of course more writing. Even if nobody else read these pages, it’s alright. The purpose was for self-expression and growth and that occurred.

The complete list of Nostalgic Music Month with links to each. Feel free to visit each one that resonates with you.

Day 31- Halloween/Dr. Hook–

Day 30-Michael Jackson/VanHalen–

Day 29-Pink Floyd/Spin Doctors–

Day 28-Journey/Loverboy–

Day 27-Bob Segar/Iron Maiden–

Day 26- David Bowie/Miley Cyrus-

Day 25- Jackson Browne/Don McLean–

Day 24- Queen/Def Leppard–

Day 23- Rolling Stones/ Bruno Mars–

Day 22- Steve Miller Band/ U2–

Day 21- Moody Blues/ Kenny Loggins–

Day 20- Billy Joel/ Terry Jacks–

Day 19- John Mellencamp/ Jack Johnson–

Day 18- 1985/ Van Morrison–

Day 17- Water/ Thin Lizzy

Day 16- Monday/ Bon Jovi

Day 15- Creedence Clearwater Revival/Micheal Martin Murphy–

Day 14- Simon and Garfunkel/ Harry Chapin–

Day 13- Bob Marley/ Jim Croce–

Day 12- Peter Gabriel/ Ratt

Day 11- Phil Collins/ Depeche Mode

Day 10- Bruce Springsteen/ Alanis Morrisette–

Day 9- Bob Dylan/ Nirvana–

Day 8- James Taylor/ The Eagles–

Day 7- Kiss/ George Thorogood

Day 6-John Denver/Gordon Lightfoot–

Day 5- Guns’n’Roses/ Aerosmith–

Day 4- The Kinks/ The Congos

Day 3- Tom Petty–

Day 2- The Who/ Mamas and the Papas

Day 1- Dire Straits/ Night Ranger

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The Halloween Hook

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Nostalgic Music Month Day 31

HALLOWEEN by Jon Hilton

There is something about the 31st of October that is embedded in my soul. It probably has to do with the nights spent in my youth participating in organized begging for candy and taking in pillowcases full of candy.  It is the whole fall season that brings on a feeling of melancholy and joy all at once. It is a time to remember the happy times of Halloweens past, the joy of youthful adventure and the thrill of being scared, if only just a little bit. So for today, I am going to focus on the joy of this day in music.

  1. Sugar, Sugar by the Archies– Watching this video transports me back to being about 8 years old and all I wanted was candy for Halloween because of course, I loved getting the sugary treats.  In Greenville, trick or treating was a great experience. I know my Dad would pile us and our friends like Mike Martin into the car drive to a certain street, let us go and do our thing.  Thanks to the generous people in my town was a very lucrative experience in the candy department. We were never disappointed with the haul of sugary treats. It was a night of magic for a kid who loved candy and the memories of it still make me smile today.
  2. No More Mr. Nice Guy by Alice Cooper– As we got a little bit older, Mike Martin and I would cook up some mischief to participate on Halloween. We had been taught well by older kids on what to do. I had seen the messy carnage of November 1st with its smashed pumpkins in the road all over town. We were feeling like it was our turn. So after trick or treating one year we decided to smash as many pumpkins as we could find.  It was the most illegal thing I had ever done, but I liked to smash things. How high can you throw a pumpkin and totally destroy it? What if we threw it from the roof? What if we put it on a train track and let a train hit it?  All of these questions were answered that night.
  3. Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon– One of my passions as a kid was about monsters. There was something scary and interesting about the stories of Frankenstein, Dracula, werewolves, mummies, and creatures from black lagoons. I remember reading books about them and the makeup it took to make actors look like that.  It was all brought to a head on Halloween Night. Costumes are a great thing because they allow a person to become something else, if only for a short time. This type of escape is good for “kids” of all ages as they seek to be released from their everyday existence. This song is for the costumes we all wear, at Halloween and throughout the year.
  4. Leaves That are Green Simon and Garfunkel– One of the naturally amazing things that we get to enjoy in Maine is the changing of the leaves in the fall.  Changing leaves and Halloween go together as we all know. You pile them up and jump in them like Charlie Brown. You also use them to create the meat of a scarecrow.  There is a smell of the small that pictures of foliage can’t bring you. That smell and the feel of the crisp autumn air bring back memories of my life and all that is gone before. I have been blessed in my existence to have lived in so many wonderful fall days.
  5. Season of the Witch by Donovan– One of the iconic images from Halloween is that of the witch. Much like the Wizard of Oz, you have to be careful when dealing with witches, are they good? or are they bad? I have learned that sometimes the witches you meet on Halloween are not exactly what they appear to be. Some seem kind in the beginning, but in the end are not looking out for your best interest. Some which seem less nice in the beginning, show that they are truly good witches in the end. So my experience is that on Halloween, be wary of the witches that you meet promising candy and sunshine.  Judge all your witches by their actions, not their words. Actions show the true nature of a witch.

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Dr. Hook by Mike Martin

My last #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth post on my spiritual adviser’s blog. Jon Hilton is a wise man, a little naïve, but a wise man none the less.

When we were discussing this challenge, I selected the band that was on the radio first and I picked my day 31 choice second.

Thank you, Sean Bolen, for the introduction, you are off the “hook” because today I’m power challenged.

Dr. Hook is an American rock band, formed in Union City, New Jersey. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including:

Sylvia’s Mother 

Sylvia’s mother says Sylvia’s busy, too busy to come to the phone

Cover Of The Rolling Stone–

Is the thrill that’ll gitcha when you get your picture
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone

Sharing the Night Together

If I seem to come on too strong
I hope that you will understand

When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman 

When you’re in love with a beautiful woman, it’s hard

AND, one of the best October 31st songs ever recorded. Happy Halloween Folks!!!

Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show – At the freaker’s ball 1974
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! #visitGreenville
#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville
 

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Maiden Against The Wind

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Nostalgic Music Month Day 27

Bob Segar by Jon Hilton

In my musical history, there are several chapters that have been punctuated by the music of Bob Segar. From the time I was a hormonal high school kid to becoming a “responsible” adult, there are messages in these songs which are relatable to my life situations.  From trying to lose those awkward teenage blues to realizing we need to have beliefs that stick with us like a rock. Life is a constant pattern of change and development. The music of Bob Segar has helped a generation or two become more aware of these patterns and to be the best they can be.

  1. Night Moves– The biggest focus of a young man is young ladies. In my early life, winning the affection of girls was one of the most important goals of all activities. I liked sports because they were fun, but also a good way to meet girls. So from an early age, I was working on my “night moves”. This song allows you the chance to look back and idealize those times and the people that you knew. Everyone is young in your memory and none are touched with the harsh pains that reality and loss can bring. Some days it is enough to be able to remember the times before we had so much experience.  I awoke last night to the sound of thunder. How far off I sat and wondered. Started humming a song from 1962. Ain’t it funny how the night moves. When you just don’t seem to have as much to lose
    Strange how the night moves. With autumn closing in. 
  2. Still the Same– Aging is a process that nobody is really prepared for. For much of life we just ignore the fact that we will get older, it will be something that will happen later on. It isn’t relevant now. I am only 20. I am only 30. I am only 40.  It stops there. Nobody ever said I am only 50.  No, at that point you realize that you getting old is happening. Like it or not. But inside, people feel exactly the same. The essence that is you does remain the same. It has more experience and hopefully has figured a few things out about life. But inside we are still the same you. And you’re still the same. I caught up with you yesterday. Moving game to game. No one standing in your way. Turning on the charm. Long enough to get you by
    You’re still the same. You still aim high. 
  3. Mainstreet– There have been a few main streets that have been a part of my life. One for sure is in Damariscotta, Maine. We had nothing better to do than to cruise around town. Ride from one end to the other, to see what is happening? Then to continue on our way to that happening.  Were these wasted times or were they great memories I am not sure. But today if I go to that town, that is what I think of. Cruising around Damariscotta/Newcastle, looking for trouble. I guess we all had to find it somewhere. Through the long lonely nights she filled my sleep. Her body softly swaying to that smoky beat. Down on Mainstreet.
  4. Against the Wind– In any life of substance, there are going to be times that you take a wrong turn, or make a poor decision. That is what happens. These are the moments when we are running against the wind. We will either learn how to adjust our sails and use the wind to our advantage. Or we will allow that wind to blow us under.  There is nothing wrong with the experience of taking a wrong turn because, in the broad tapestry of life, you may gain a skill you need to reach your success. A broken heart today, can lead you to find the person who will allow you to become your best self.  There is no point in regret because the past can’t change and nobody is perfect. Understanding this is one of the first steps to happiness in life.  Well those drifter’s days are past me now. I’ve got so much more to think about. Deadlines and commitments. What to leave in, what to leave out. Against the wind. I’m still runnin’ against the wind I’m older now but still runnin’ against the wind.
  5. Like a Rock– If you take some time and listen to Bob Segar you will feel like you did back in the summertime of your youth. I don’t care who you are, there were moments when you felt like you were indestructible. Life can systematically dismantle this confidence if you let it. The fears and doubts that come into your mind, slowly chip away at your confidence because you know that you can be hurt and you can lose things and people. The fear of losing these things can become worse than the actual experience of loss.  We all still have that strength inside of us, that will allow you to try again, start over and build something totally new. This is courage and it is in you, standing there just like a rock.  I also have the urge to buy a Chevy truck when I hear this song for some reason. My hands were steady. My eyes were clear and bright. My walk had purpose
    My steps were quick and light. And I held firmly To what I felt was right,
    Like a rock. 

 Iron Maiden by  Mike Martin

 

Iron Maiden is an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter, Steve Harris. The band has produced thirty-eight albums, including sixteen studio albums, eleven live albums, four EPs, and seven compilations.

I swear that I have seen Iron Maiden in concert twice both times at the San Diego Sports Arena accompanied by Michael Lally, a longtime friend, and Jolly J shipmate. I got to see Mike the last time I was In Vegas. I met his wife and soul mate, Bonnie and got to watch his youngest child and only son. David, play baseball.

It is a great thing when you see someone that you haven’t seen in 26 years and it feels like you saw them yesterday. Of course, Mike looked a little older and seem a bit more mature, but the bond that share was unchanged and exactly as it was back in the 1980s.

The funny thing about memories is that they are often skewed-the human mind is complicated to understand. I researched Iron Maiden’s 1985-1987 tour dates, and they appeared twice in San Diego during this time frame, on March 23, 1985, their World Slavery Tour and on February 24, 1987, their Somewhere On Tour.

Well, I know for a fact that Mike and I saw the 1987 Iron Maiden show and I know for a fact that I wasn’t welcomed aboard the USS Jouett CG-29 until the early fall of 1985, so there is no way that I saw the 1985 Iron Maiden show in San Diego. I am just wondering where that memory comes from, maybe Mike’s accounts of the World Slavery Tour were so descriptive that I have mentally decided to share his memories, which works perfectly fine for me.

Pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several line-up changes, the band went on to release a series of platinum and gold albums, Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band has undergone a resurgence in popularity and released their sixteenth studio album, The Book of Souls, on 4 September 2015.

I don’t listen to Iron Maiden much anymore and don’t believe that I have even heard one song on their 2015 studio album. But, what I do know for sure is, if my old pal Michael Lally asked me to see Iron Maiden with him for a “third” time, I would be there with bells on!

Iron Maiden – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Full Length

The mariner kills the bird of good omen
His shipmates cry against what he’s done
But when the fog clears, they justify him
And make themselves a part of the crime.

Sailing on and on and north across the sea
Sailing on and on and north ’til all is calm.

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! #visitGreenville

Life Lessons

The Climb to Fame

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Nostalgic Music Month Day 26

David Bowie by Jon Hilton

It would be hard to have a nostalgic music month and not include the decades of creative power the late great David Bowie has provided to the soundtrack of our lives. He had a shock value in the 70’s, which was really before my time, but in the 1980’s he was a part of the MTV video era that introduced me to his music and made me pay attention to his music in more depth. Like with all of these artists it is difficult to choose just a few songs, so I did the best that I could.

  1. Fame– Who didn’t think at a young age that they would be famous someday. I know I always thought I would be a famous athlete. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t pan out. But this song makes you wonder if the price is worth the reward of fame for sure.  We should always be careful what we ask for because we just might get it.  In our society today, they love to build people up, just to tear them down and then if they can build them back up again.  It is a crazy game where celebrity is more important than substance.  Fame is probably not worth the cost. Fame makes a man take things over. Fame lets him loose, hard to swallow. Fame puts you there where things are hollow (fame). Fame, it’s not your brain, it’s just the flame. That burns your change to keep you insane.
  2. Let’s Dance– When you are young, dancing is a natural part of your expression. As I got older, dancing became a much harder thing to do. Letting yourself go, for all to see. It was difficult to do. This song takes me back to a time when I was young and danced with a passion because it was fun. As I have got even older, I realize that the only reason we don’t dance is that we are worried about what others think. Since what others think of you is irrelevant there is no reason you shouldn’t give your best dance at every opportunity. Let’s dance. Let’s dance. For fear, your grace should fall
    Let’s dance. For fear tonight is all. Let’s sway. You could look into my eyes
    Let’s sway. Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight.
  3. China Girl– This song always reminds me of how fickle a young man’s affections can be. This song came out around 1983. There were many different young ladies that I was “in love” with at that time.  I had no more idea of what love was then than I do now apparently. But the memories of all of those experiences make me smile when I think of a young man trying to figure out life, in a school full of a bunch of other young people trying to do the same.  All I can say for sure today is that I did the best I could.   I could escape this feeling, with my China girl
    I feel a wreck without my, little China girl. I hear her heart beating, loud as thunder. Saw they stars crashing. I’m a mess without my, little China girl.
  4. Changes– It is a consistent and inevitable force in life that all people seem to have a difficult time dealing with. Looking at your own life you can see the changes that have happened to you physically, emotionally, and in experience. But inside there is still that same person that you always have been. That essence of you never gets old but collects experience. Change is going to happen, enjoy the good things because they won’t last forever. Know that the bad things won’t last forever. Life is change. I watch the ripples change their size. But never leave the stream. Of warm, impermanence and So the days float through my eyes, But still the days seem the same.
  5. Golden Years– This song typifies what this whole Nostalgic Music Month was conceived for. We look back at the past and idealize certain parts of it. Forgetting the negative and building up the positive. To some, there was no better time. To me, I think I am realistic and I try to remember the true past. There was a lot of good but also nothing was easy all the time. There were lessons learned that came at a hard price. There were tough times of loss and sadness.  But for today and the purpose of this song, we are looking at the days of our youth as the golden years, where life was all before us and we could do anything. Even though there are fewer sunsets in front of us than there are behind. The value of our days are still golden. Don’t let me hear you say life’s taking you nowhere, angel. Come get up my baby. Look at that sky, life’s begun. Nights are warm and the days are young.Come get up my baby.

Miley Cyrus by Mike Martin October 26, 2017

Today my daughter, Kyera Ripley, turns sweet sixteen. Kyera is an amazing person, smart as they come, and already has a job.

Miley Ray Cyrus, an American singer, songwriter, and actress, also had a job as a teenager. She became a teen idol starring as the character Miley Stewart in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana in 2006, starring alongside her daddy Billy Ray Cyrus, who became famous with his – Achy Breaky Heart 

Mike Martin’s favorite show

Kyera is not a Miley Cyrus fan, but she and I must have watched a few hundred of episodes of Hannah Montana together. Don’t tell anyone, but I really liked the show. Though a little racy at times, the family show is filled with life lessons and provided great topics for conversations during Kyera’s Hannah Montana years.

I can’t imagine growing up in the public spotlight, the pressures and judgments must be unbearable. Miley has been overly securitized and condemned. With all that nonsense, she has remained confident and is still adored by many.

Billy Joel, a famous American singer-songwriter, and pianist seems to have much admiration for Miley Cyrus when they performed New York State of Mind together at Madison Square Garden

Billy Ray must be as proud as Miley as I am of Kyera. Being a young person in 2017 is a challenge. Because of Social Media and generations of overly critical adults, the young people of today are experiencing hate, jealousy, and loathing, on a scale that has never been seen before.

My advice to all you overly critical Asshats. Take a good long look in the mirror and fix your own house before trying to condemn a generation, that basic biology says, are a heck of a lot shrewder than yourself

My advice for Kyera on her 16th birthday. Don’t listen to the hate honey, trust in your instincts, and always remember it is not where you are going but how you get there.

Happy Birthday, Kyera-I love you!

Miley Cyrus – The Climb

The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I’m not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!

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! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

 

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Bohemian Rhapsody Photograph

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Nostalgic Music Month Day 24

Queen by Jon Hilton

The source of many a nightmare. Thanks Queen.

Today I choose the music of Queen and the late great Freddie Mercury.  Not only does their music stand the test of time, it also takes me back to the late 1970’s and 80’s. They are also responsible for some of my greatest nightmares as a kid because the album cover of the killer robot scared the crap out of me. But eventually, I was able to get over my fear and just enjoy the music and receive the message.  Queen created songs that were motivational and moving. If you don’t like Queen then you don’t like good things in life. You need to readjust your priorities or the killer robot is going to get you.

  1. Bohemian Rhapsody– Classic Queen that was made even more popular when it was used in the movie Wayne’s World. It became a classic sing

    Wayne’s World- Excellent!

    along song. For me, it is also used as a code word. I had the good fortune to work with a great group of people. One thing we always wanted to avoid was running into the owner of our business. Because life was easier if you didn’t. The code word for when the owner was around was “Bohemian Rhapsody”, that warning would allow people to make themselves busy or scarce whatever the best plan of action for them was.  A great song which brings back nothing but great memories of those great people. I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango? Thunderbolt and lightning Very, very frightening me. 

  2. Bicycle Race/Fat Bottomed Girls– These two songs always went together on the radio when I was a young kid. The thing is that when this came out I was pretty interested in riding my bicycle and I wanted to ride it where I liked. There was a time of innocence in most people’s lives that change over time. The second song is about that type of change. As you grow up and hormones take over, the preoccupation with the fairer sex is inevitable for most young men.  Not Freddy Mercury so much I guess, but for me. Fat Bottomed Girls made me laugh and still does. These songs go together for me as an ode to my personal development in life. You say Rolls; I say Royce. You say God; give me a choice! You say Lord; I say Christ! I don’t believe in Peter Pan, Frankenstein or Superman All I wanna do is bicycle./  Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin’ world go round.
  3. Under Pressure– There is no force less talked about but more prevalent in the lives of people than pressure. We all put pressure on ourselves to be successful, happy, or perfect. Or at least to create the image of perfection.
    Nope still scary. Why did they do this to me?

    Today more than ever Facebook lives are not real but they are an image someone creates that they want the world to see. The pressure is really in being who you are and saying to hell with the world and what they think. This song always takes me back to the times in high school where it felt like you would never fit in or never get to a point in life when you could just be yourself. Don’t wait to be who you are, it is the greatest gift you have. Why can’t we give love that one more chance. Why can’t we give love give love give love give love. Give love give love give love give love give love. ‘Cause love’s such an old fashioned word. And love dares you to care for The people on the (People on streets) edge of the night And loves (People on streets) dares you to change our way of Caring about ourselves.

  4. Another One Bites the Dust-Throughout my life there has always been competition. I enjoy competing and I enjoy winning. Especially when there are factors you can control, strategy, planning, and execution that can be better than others. Most people think that they are smarter, or more deserving than others. We are all the star of our own reality show. This song has always been in the background of every accomplishment or victory I have experienced in life. Winning isn’t everything, in fact, it is the cooperation that competition brings about that is most important.  Competion is isolated, but cooperation is a true team sport and in cooperating the best of all people will rise to the top.  A group becomes a
    One of my favorite championship teams. 2004 Boston Red Sox. We lived to see it!

    team and true victories are achieved.   Are you happy, are you satisfied?How long can you stand the heat? Out of the doorway the bullets rip
    To the sound of the beat.Look out!

  5. We Will Rock You/We are the Champions– Stomp, Stomp, Clap! Stomp, Stomp, Clap! Where would we be without this simple Queen contribution to the world? It is fun to do and brings people together. Combine that with the simple phrase, We will, we will, Rock You. You have a winner.  This is a perfect introduction into We are the Champions. The true measure of a champion is the journey they take to get the prize. In sports as in life, the obstacles overcome to achieve greatness are the very things that give them their real value.  We have all been down at some point in life and had the choice to quit or fight back. Fighting back and rising again is the great human story.  But it’s been no bed of roses. No pleasure cruise. I consider it a challenge before the whole human race. And I ain’t gonna lose!

Def Leppard by Mike Martin

I clearly remember the first time that I heard Def Leppard- an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield, England. I was riding around Greenville, Maine in my dad’s truck with my lifelong friend Danny Daigle-something we did often.

Def Leppard strongest commercial success came between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. I got my driver’s license in the summer of 1982. Their 1981 album, High ‘n’ Dry helped the band define their style, and the album’s standout track-Bringin’ On the Heartbreak  -became one of the first rock videos played on MTV in 1982-a TV program that still not available on regular cable n Greenville, Maine.

Someone, please correct me if MTV is now available, I understand that

This post sponsored by the good people at Spectrum Cable. Redefining what a cable company can be.

Moosehead Cable finally fell to the pressure and recently sold to the monopolized corporate cable company that now controls cable TV in most of Maine, so things may have recently changed.

When I heard the unique sound of the new wave of British heavy metal

movement lead by Def Leopard, I was hooked and couldn’t hear them enough. The band’s next studio album, Pyromania was released in January 1983, the lead singles from this album turned Def Leppard into a household name in the U.S., and changed the sound of the carnival rides at the summer agricultural fairs here in Maine forever.

To this day when I hear the songs from Pyromania, I’m instantly transformed into a teenager and remember fondly when I could ride the rides at the Skowhegan State Fair (a setting for the great barnyard story Charlotte’s Web) without getting sick to my stomach-oh how things have change

 

Carnival rides at a Maine State Agricultural Fair

Photograph 

Photograph I don’t want your
Photograph I don’t need your
Photograph all I’ve got is a photograph
But it’s not enough

DEF LEPPARD – “Rock of Ages”

Gunter gleiben glauchen globen
All right
I got somethin’ to say
Yeah, it’s better to burn out
Yeah, than fade away

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! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

 

 

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Gimme Shelter from Bruno Mars

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Nostalgic Music Month Day 23

Rolling Stones by Jon Hilton

The Rolling Stones have been rocking for decades and the fact that they are older than my parents and still doing it is a credit to them, their music and the effect it has on millions of people. I am one of those millions of people because at certain times of my life the soundtrack was punctuated by the music of The Stones.  The catalog of music is so large that there is something for everyone. Choosing the specific songs was a difficult task but I managed to break the list out to correspond with my life. The Rolling Stones have done alright. I mean, they’re no Bruno Mars but they have done alright.

  1. Gimme Shelter– There is going to be a time in all lives when they feel under siege. When we are indeed in need of shelter from the storm that is entering our lives. In times of stress, it is natural to pull back into yourself. These are the times that friends and loved ones can pull you through. When you listen to this song you can feel the turmoil of the years that it was written in. War, fire, and flood are all mentioned as threats we face. In the end, the cure is love. That is the real story of this song. When I hear this song, I think of a winter day, the snow is just starting to fall, but the storm is coming.  Oh, a storm is threat’ning, My very life today. If I don’t get some shelter. Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away.
  2. Sympathy for the Devil– I have always been fascinated with the lies of life that people tell. I was raised as a Christian but was constantly faced with the hypocrisy of the institution.  I learned that God is love as long as you fit into the very strict categories the church approves of. It didn’t take long for me to recognize the evil that exists in separating people into groups. Pleased to meet you, hope you guessed my name.  I have learned that all people without exception are capable of great good and great evil, depending on circumstance and issues of self-preservation.  We can only choose where we fall on that chart through the decisions we make and the actions we take. Just as every cop is a criminal, And all the sinners saints, As heads is tails, Just call me Lucifer. ‘Cause I’m in need of some restraint.
  3. You Can’t Always Get What You Want– Regret is an emotion that we would be better off living without. But it is still going to rise up from time to time. It is only a thought and a fantastical one at that. The love you lost, the job you should have taken, the financial decision you should have made are all just creations of your mind.  Regret is a waste of time because no matter where your life would have been if you did things differently, your life now is all you have. So focus on that and make it the best you can. Feel the regret, acknowledge it, let it go and move on. You never know what is going to be ultimately good for you in the long run. Often times the things we want, are not the best for our long-term health and success.  I saw her today at the reception. In her glass was a bleeding man
    She was practiced at the art of deception. Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands. You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes you just might find, You just might find, You get what you need.
  4. Paint It Black– Everyone at some point has felt this way because of the loss and suffering in their life. When love or something else is taken from you, your whole world can seem black.  All relationships will cause some degree of suffering, so you need to make sure that you are in a relationship with someone who is worth suffering for.  Until then you can go through life wanting to paint things black, black as night. I see a line of cars and they’re all painted black. With flowers and my love both never to come back. I see people turn their heads and quickly look away. Like a newborn baby, it just happens every day.
  5. Memory Motel– I have spent a lot of time at the Memory Motel in my life. The funny thing about memories is that we can color them any way we want. The value and emotions that we feel about them are supplied by our own thoughts. Two people can look at the same memory and have two distinct reactions to the same thing. Our minds are intricate tools, but they are only tools of thought. Memories are bittersweet. They allow you to visit events that happened long ago and see people that you haven’t seen in years. This song always brings back those memories of loves lost and things I could have done better, but in the end, it probably has worked out for the best. Hannah baby was a honey of a girl, Her eyes were hazel 
    And her teeth were slightly curved, She took my guitar and she began to play, She sang a song to me, Stuck right in my brain, You’re just a memory of a love That used to be. You’re just a memory of a love That used to mean so much to me.

Wild Horses, Angie, Satisfaction, Brown Sugar, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Beast of Burden, Start Me Up, Tumblin’ Dice, Let’s Spend the Night Together, She’s a Rainbow, Ruby Tuesday, Waiting on a Friend, Under My Thumb, Midnight Rambler, Get Off of My Cloud, Fool to Cry

Bruno Mars by Mike Martin

In 2012, Madelyn was 4 and thought Google was her grandfather.  Today, I am tired because I stayed up late watching the Patriots finally play a little defense. So, today I am going to pretend that I have all the time in the world to be lazy.

Peter Gene Hernandez professionally as Bruno Mars was born October 8, 1985. He is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and choreographer. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age and performed in his hometown throughout his childhood.
My favorite Bruno Mars son is The Lazy Song. It spent a total of 27 weeks

Lazy

on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at number 4. The single sold over 1 million digital copies in the United States and it sold 3,262,000 digital copies in the United States by September 2012.

The Lazy Song 

Today I don’t feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don’t feel like picking up my phone
So leave a message at the tone
‘Cause today I swear I’m not doing anything

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! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

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Fly Like an Eagle on Bloody Sunday

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Nostalgic Music Month Day 22

Steve Miller Band by Jon Hilton

The Steve Miller Band has provided the soundtrack for the lives of anyone our age. They put out some of the most iconic songs of the 70’s but then never really recaptured that magic.  As they tried to switch from cool rock band to whatever they thought the 1980’s were looking for they lost their identity and their mojo.  But this is a focus on the mojo they had in their prime. The music transcends time and generations and will help you through life whether you are a picker, grinner, lover or a sinner. I have known many a Joker, smoker or midnight toker and none of them wanted to hurt no one.  Let’s forget the Abracadabra era and focus on the music that transcends time.

  1. Fly Like an Eagle– This is one of the songs that even today, I have to listen to whenever it comes on the radio. I think I have always identified with the theme because freedom seems to be the most important thing to me. When you look at the world and all of its problems. It seems that there should be easier solutions for societies problems. Feed those who don’t have enough to eat. Give clothes to those who need it. It all gets so complicated somehow. And Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ into the future. I think that if, as a society, we ever focused on providing for the greater good of all people we could fly like an eagle to the sea. Great song and great thought. Feed the babies, Who don’t have enough to eat
    Shoe the children, With no shoes on their feet, House the people, Livin’ in the street. Oh, oh, there’s a solution.
  2. Take the Money and Run– On the other end of the spectrum is this little ditty. A story about theft and murder and apparently how to get away with it. I don’t think that Billy Joe and Bobby Sue would have been able to escape justice from Billy Mack. He knows exactly what the facts is. I don’t think that this crime spree would have worked out for them in the long run. I mean how much money could they get from that man in his castle? I think they would have to commit quite a few more crimes before they found real financial security. They would have been better served to go to college, build two successful careers and then they wouldn’t have to run so much.   It is a good song though and probably inspired many marathon runners over the years. Bobbie Sue, whoa, whoa, she slipped away. Billy Joe caught up to her the very next day. They got the money, hey. You know they got away. They headed down south and they’re still running today.
  3. Serenade– I think we all need to wake up. The world is running in an unconscious whirl of activity. There are so many things in front of us every day that are beautiful and breathtaking but we only see the time we are behind and the hurry that we have to chase.  Get it done, achieve the goal, but there is a time to appreciate the things that nature provides. We are only here for a short time and should appreciate the sunrises and sunsets we are fortunate enough to experience. This song always makes me stop for a moment and appreciate these moments and the value that they provide. Did you feel the wind, As it blew all around you? Did you feel the love That was in the air? Wake up, wake up, Wake up and look around you. We’re lost in space. And the time is our own.
  4. Jet Airliner– One of the best songs about traveling through life.  There are big jet airliners that carry us anywhere in the world that we want to go. The world is a much smaller place than it used to be.  Home is a thought that continually enters my mind.  I know it is not really a place physically but more of a spiritual destination. Where you are accepted, loved and where you belong. We have all felt like we are far away from that in life. Sometimes doing what we think we need to take us away from this.  That is the thought that “you’ve got to go through hell before you get to heaven.”  Keep clear of all the funky s–t going down in the city and you will hopefully return home in one piece and find happiness.  Goodbye to all my friends at home. Goodbye to people I’ve trusted. I’ve got to go out and make my way. I might get rich you know I might get busted
    But my heart keeps calling me backwards.As I get on the 707
    Ridin’ high I got tears in my eyes. You know you got to go through hell
    Before you get to heaven.
  5. Rock’n’Me – I learned some valuable lessons from this song. You need to work hard and make money to please my sweet baby. But if she was a real friend of mine, would the amount of money I made matter? It wouldn’t no matter how much she kept on rocking me.  I also learned that it is a lot of travel from Phoenix Arizona all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and L.A. I also learned that girls are warm in Northern California. Must be something about the weather.  All I know is that I want my baby to keep on rockin’ me and to not be suspicious about what I am up to.  In the end, I am not sure this song contributes anything other than a catchy phrase. But it is a great catchy phrase. Don’t get suspicious, now don’t be suspicious. Babe, you know you are a friend of mine. And you know that it’s true that all the things that I do, Are gonna come back to you in your sweet time.

 

U2 by Mike Martin

October 22, 2017- Nostalgic Music Month: U2

I all to say today, day 22,  for #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth is Sunday Bloody Sunday. I hope that understand!

 

Yeah

I can’t believe the news today
Oh, I can’t close my eyes
And make it go away
How long
How long must we sing this song
How long, how long
‘Cause tonight, we can be as one
Tonight

Broken bottles under children’s feet
Bodies strewn across the dead end street
But I won’t heed the battle call
It puts my back up
Puts my back up against the wall

Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday

And the battle’s just begun
There’s many lost, but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters
Torn apart

Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday

How long
How long must we sing this song
How long, how long
‘Cause tonight, we can be as one
Tonight, tonight

Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Sunday, Bloody Sunday

Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away
Oh, wipe your tears away
Oh, wipe your tears away
(Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
Oh, wipe your blood shot eyes
(Sunday, Bloody Sunday)

Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)
Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Sunday, Bloody Sunday)

And it’s true we are immune
When fact is fiction and TV reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die

The real battle just begun
To claim the victory Jesus won
On

Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sunday Bloody Sunday
U2 is an Irish rock band from Dublin, Ireland formed in 1976. The group consists of Bono (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), the Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion).

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! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville