Welcome To Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!
Since we've got the song in your head.....go ahead....click the link....you know you want to......
Schoolhouse Rock "No More Kings"
Welcome to Tuesday, and the political version of The Notes....Tuesday's Musical Notes Votes!!!
On September 20, 1975, the "No More Kings" Schoolhouse Rock animated short made its television premiere. It would be the first of the 10 America Rock/Schoolhouse Rock videos to be aired Saturday mornings on the ABC television network in the commercial breaks of cartoons like Hong Kong Phooey and Grape Ape. These videos would celebrate the history of our nation as well as introduce students to the subject of Civics. (Is that subject even taught in school any more?) Schoolhouse Rock was a breath of fresh air as it celebrated our country at a tumultuous time in our nation's history when Watergate and Viet Nam dominated the news cycle.
The previous year, an album would be released by a little known piano player. It would be Randy Newman's fifth album release and would reach as high as #36 on the Billboard 200 album chartr. While it only remained in that position for 2 weeks, Good Old Boys, would become known as the album that introduced Newman to the world. It would showcase guest appearances by Glen Frey and Don Hendley of The Eagles on the Huey P. Long (Governor of Louisiana) song "Every Man A King" and would set up Randy Newman for his later success with the quirky tune "Short People". Primarily written to be a chronicle of life in the South, Good Old Boys would eventually be named as #393 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Times list. It achieved this without having ANY of its released singles hitting the charts.
One song from Good Old Boys however, would be reintroduced to a new generation via a movie soundtrack. In recent years, this medium has become a very comfortable format for Randy Newman as he has written the score for 6 Disney/Pixar films, (he has earned at least one Academy Award nomination per film), as well as writing music for many other motion pictures. In 1994, "Mr. President (Have Pity On The Working Man) would renew interest in Randy Newman's music as it was featured in the soundtrack to the hit movie Forrest Gump. It would be a song directly addressed to the President (Richard Nixon at the time), asking him to help those suffering from poverty in the US. From 1974 and 1994, here's
"Mr. President":
Mr. President (Have Pity On The Working Man) Randy Newman
Edmund Burk is often referenced as the man who said "Those who do not know history are destined to repeat it." One such book of incredible history is the Bible. The Bible is cherished by millions around the world. Not only is it a book of history, but it includes incredible poetry as well as the good news of salvation through God's Son, Jesus. Historically, it tells the story of Israel as a nation. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles show the results of a nation that is led by good leaders and poor leaders. These books show times of great prosperity as well as times of extreme poverty. The success of the nation is directly tied to the leader's love for God and the reverence the king of the time shows to the Book of the Law (the Bible of the time) or his deference to the Law of Moses. One such ruler was the writer of many of the verses found in the book of Proverbs.
Solomon was a good ruler during the early period of his reign. He would later deviate from the high standards by which he had lived and Israel would suffer the consequences. He writes seemingly from both experiences in this passage:
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan." - Proverbs 29:2 Holman Christian Standard Bible
Edmund Burke is also credited for the phrase, "All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing". As we enter into the final weeks of what has been a seemingly long Presidential election cycle, can we, as good men, commit to doing the following things? First, let us be diligent in praying for both candidates as well as praying for our nation. Secondly, let's be about seeking out resources that will inform and challenge our opinions, not just about the Presidential election, but regarding the issues and candidates on our local levels as well. Finally, let us execute with a "firm reliance on divine providence" that most exquisite duty of voting and together we will choose our next......Mr. President.
Perhaps a man like this.....
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by loving you,
Randy
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