Monday Morning Musings

Posted on September 30, 2019 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville where many C&W greats got their start

 

“Three chords and the truth”

WARNING: RANT ALERT

Call me a late bloomer or just call me old but with time on my hands lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. This is singularly a dangerous occupation for a senior citizen like me. I’m convinced that society doesn’t really want us thinking too much. It wants us to react to the blizzard of information thrown our way. It especially wants us to spend money on things we don’t really need.

It’s official. I have stopped watching television news. I just can’t stomach it any more. The little bits of news I consume are from my CBC News app. I pick and choose what I want to read rather than having it rammed down my throat.

I watched the opening salvo of the Federal Election coverage but I refuse to watch federal leaders tell me for weeks on end, how they are going to make Canada a better country. Sorry, I ain’t buying it. I saw one day of attack ads and that was enough to make me turn the channel and watch a Muppets rerun.

So now that I have finally rid myself of these irritants, what am I doing to fill those wasted hours?

I have rediscovered PBS. Instead of watching someone promising me the sun and the moon and a tax cut, I am learning about some of the great cities in the world like Prague, Berlin and Rome. I am watching all sorts of documentaries. I am not being force fed advertisements. I feel liberated.

Late one evening last week, I flicked on PBS just before turning in for the night. There was a special focusing on the history of Country and Western music. I got quite caught up in it and ended up staying up way beyond my normal bedtime. I won’t tell you what this is. I want you laughing with me and not at me!

I have continued to watch for the past several days and it has been quite the education. I am finally starting to realize the appeal of C&W music. The music is simple (three chords) and the lyrics are honest (the truth). In a world inundated with false news, there is something pure about Country music. You don’t have to struggle to understand what a performer is actually saying.

The other morning, rather than listen to Jay and Dan at 6:00 a.m., I turned on PBS and watched a fantastic concert from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, a place I visited with my son four years ago. The history lesson continued with a who’s who of the greats in C&W performing many of the classic hits. It is a bit of a slight to suggest that country musicians only know three chords. “Three chords and the truth” is a Country mantra, not mine. The stage was filled with world class musicians brilliantly displaying their craft. I was mesmerized.

I’ll take three chords and the truth over fake news any day.

“My god, Len you sound like a broken record.”

“What’s a record, grandpa?”

Have a great week.

P.S. I am hoping some of you can make it to my book launch this Friday, October 4th. at 6:30 p.m. at The Arts House (former Visitor Information Centre next door to Boston Pizza).

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