Friday, February 6, 2015

Mandala #10 / "That Lucky Old Sun" / Building Bridges, Not Walls





















THAT LUCKY OLD SUN

Lyrics: Haven Gillespie, Beasley Smith
Music: Haven Gillespie, Beasley Smith

Played by Jerry Garcia regularly with the JGB from 1986 to 1995. Also covered occasionally by Robert Hunter in 1997.
Up in the morning, out on the job
Work like the devil for my pay
But that lucky old sun has nothing to do
But roll, roll around heaven all day

Fuss with my woman, toil with my kids
Sweat till I'm wrinkled and grey
While that lucky old sun got nothing to do
But roll, roll around heaven all day

Lord above, can't you hear me pining?
Tears all in my eyes
Send down that cloud with a silver lining
Lift me up to Paradise

Show me that river, take me across
Wash all my troubles away
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothing to do
But roll, roll around heaven all day

Show me that river, take me across
Wash all my troubles away
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothing to do
But roll around heaven
Let me roll around heaven
I just want to roll around heaven
All day
"Shadows in the Night", with Bob Dylan and his Band, gets my five stars. Started listening to it this morning in my car. It works for me on many levels. These are the songs that were being sung when my parents were young. These are the songs that I never thought would speak to me at all.  For me, there is something about Bob Dylan's voice that has held my attention since I first heard it when I was 13 years old. I walked into our family living room on August 28, 1963, and heard this:



"... and the sun will respect every face on the deck ..."

"... Today, Medgar Evers was buried from the bullet he caught
They lowered him down as a king
But when the shadowy sun sets on the one
That fired the gun
He'll see by his grave
On the stone that remains
Carved next to his name
His epitaph plain:
Only a pawn in their game."

Hearing "Shadows in the Night" makes me think about my parents and the way the world was when they were young. Bob Dylan builds bridges, not walls. He has done that as long as I have been listening.

3 comments:

Sabine said...

Sunshine, lifeline. Beautiful lit up mandala.

The Solitary Walker said...

Haven't listened to it properly yet — only heard bits on the radio. My son has bought the CD, so I'll have it in my hands soon. Must admit I was a little stunned when I heard Bob was covering Frank — though, on reflection, I can't understand why I was so surprised. Doesn't he mention somewhere in 'Chronicles' that he respects Sinatra? I love your point about how Dylan builds bridges, not walls (yes, yes), and how he reconnects in this album with the past (as he's done in quite a few recent albums).

am said...

Sabine -- So glad that you see and, I hope, feel the sunlight in my mandala!

Solitary Walker --Remember the back of the album cover for "John Wesley Harding"?:

http://www.willamette.edu/~rloftus/ChangingTimes/Eighth%20Album.htm

"...There were three kings and a jolly three too. The first one had a broken nose, the second, a broken arm and the third was broke. "Faith is the key!" said the first king. "No, froth is the key!" said the second. "You're both wrong," said the third, "the key is Frank!..."

So many connections and bridges!