For What Its Worth

Decisions, decisions. We’re faced with them every day. What to eat for dinner.  Who to vote for. Red or white wine. Should I stay or should I go?

    

Many years ago, I was faced with a very difficult career decision. I had the choice of staying in a safe, comfortable writing job or taking a more challenging position where I’d either make a name for myself or be out on my ear very quickly.

          

That weekend, I couldn’t muster the confidence to make a final decision. Then, driving to work Monday morning, I happened to hear “Wasted On The Way”  by Crosby, Stills and Nash. The lyrics gave me the mental shove I needed.

                  Oh, when you were young

                  Did you question all the answers

                  Did you envy all the dancers

                  Who had all the nerve?

                  Look around you now                 

                  You must go for what you wanted

                  Look at all my friends who did

                  And got what they deserved. 

        

Unfortunately, the oldies don’t contain the answers to all of life’s mysteries. But if you listen closely, you might discover food for thought. There’s advice, social commentary, observations about life and living. Proverbs and truisms. Bright little gems you may have missed before.

So next time you’re looking for a little inspiration, common sense or unbiased guidance, don’t consult a shrink, Plato or tarot cards.

          

Just turn on the radio.

Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong.

                 

                  “For What It’s Worth”

                  Buffalo Springfield

  

You can’t please everyone

so you’ve got to please yourself.

“Garden Party”

 Rick Nelson

         










           No lover’s promise ever came with a maybe.

        

             “Stars”

                        Simply Red

           I took off my watch and found I had all the time in the world.

                  “Time for Living”

                  The Association

         Wake up and get your education

         So you can keep your family alive.

        Get away from negative situations.

        They will only bring you a lot of frustration.

                  “Only the Strong Survive”

                    Jerry Butler

       Why in the world are we here?

       Surely not to live in pain and fear.

                “Instant Karma”

                 John Lennon

       People say believe half of what you see,

       and none of what you hear.

         “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”

         Marvin Gaye

      A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.

          “The Boxer”

          Simon and Garfunkel

       God grant me the serenity to remember who I am.

        “Games People Play”

         Joe South

When I’m 33, I’ll quit. That’s the time when a man has to do something else. I can’t say what it will definitely be. I couldn’t bear to end up as an Elvis Presley and sing in Las Vegas with all those housewives and old ladies coming in with their handbags. It’s really sick.

              -Mick Jagger, 1972

     What a drag it is getting old.

     “Mother’s Little Helper”

      The Rolling Stones

     Don’t hang on. Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.

     It slips away. And all your money won’t another minute buy.

    “Dust In The Wind” 

     Kansas

Young and beautiful,

someday your looks will be gone.

“Love Will Keep Us Together”    

         The Captain and Tennille

Lighten up while you still can.

         “Take It Easy”

         The Eagles

 Well it seems to me that you have seen

too much in too few years.

         “19th Nervous Breakdown”

         The Rolling Stones

 Old Cody, Junior took me over

Said “You’re gonna find the world is smoulderin.”

If you get lost come on home to Green River.

         “Green River”

         Creedence Clearwater Revival     

You can spend all your time making money,

you can spend all your love making time.

         “Take It To The Limit”

         The Eagles

And you, of the tender years

Can’t know the fears

That your elders grew by.

         “Teach Your Children”

         Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

For you know that it’s a fool

who plays it cool

By making his world a little colder.

         “Hey Jude”

                  The Beatles

“There’s no time to lose,” I heard her say.

Catch your dreams before they slip away.

         “Ruby Tuesday”

         The Rolling Stones

They while away the hours

In their ivory towers

To be covered up with flowers

In the back of a black limosene.

          

       “Games People Play”

         Joe South

Don’t trust your soul

to no backwoods Southern lawyer.

         “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia”

         Vicki Lawrence

All work and no play

has just cost me a wife.

         “Take A Letter Maria”

         R.B. Greaves

You shouldn’t let other people get your kicks for you.

        "Like a Rolling Stone"

          Bob Dylan
 

 We are but a moment’s sunlight

fading in the grass.

         “Get Together”

         The Youngbloods

No matter what you do,

You’ll never get away from you.

         “Kicks”

          Paul Revere and the Raiders

Where life’s river flows

No one really knows

‘Til someone’s there to show the way

To lasting love.

         “Everlasting Love”

         Carl Carlton

Without love, where would you be now?

         “Long Train Running”

         The Doobie Brothers

When you believe in things

that you don’t understand

then you suffer.

Superstition ain’t the way.

         “Superstition”

         Stevie Wonder

Oz never did give nothing to the Tinman that he didn’t already have.

         “Tinman”

         America

Love has a nasty habit of

disappearing overnight.

         “I’m Looking Through You”

         The Beatles

Your ever-lastin summer, you can see it fadin’ fast,

So you grab a piece of something that you think is gonna last.

         “Reelin’ In The Years”

         Steely Dan

You, always contemplating happiness,

in case it should find you—

Can’t you see that it’s all around you?

         “Pied Piper” 

         Crispian St. Peter

 A friend will always be there

if you’re wrong, or if you’re right.

         “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight?”

         Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

But there never seems to be enough time

to do the things you want to do

once you find them.

         “Time In A Bottle”

         Jim Croce

Hey farmer, farmer,

put away the D.D.T now,

Give me spots on my apples

But leave me the birds and bees.

         “Big Yellow Taxi”

         Joni Mitchell

• The more I see, the less I know for sure. - John Lennon

When I was younger, so much younger than today

I never needed anybody’s help in anyway.

But now these days are gone, I’m not so self-assured.

Now I find I’ve changed my mind,

I’ve opened up the doors.

         “Help”

                  The Beatles

         Do you only care about the bleeding crowd,

         how about a needy friend?

                  “Easy To Be Hard”

                  Three Dog Night

        

        

         It’s a long, long road

         from which there is no return.

         While we’re on the way to there

         why not share?

                  “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

                  The Hollies

        

         Life is too short to have sorrow.

         We may be here today and gone tomorrow.

                  “Tell It Like It Is”

                  Aaron Neville

        

        

         You see, war is not the answer

         for only love can conquer hate.

                  “What’s Going On”

                  Marvin Gaye

        

         It’s so easy to hurt others

         when you can’t feel pain.

                  “Rich Girl”

                  Hall and Oates

 Q. What’s the smartest thing you ever heard anybody in rock & roll say?

  A. Be-bop-a-lula, she’s my baby. - Paul Simon

        

         If I’d never loved

         I never would have cried.

                  “I Am A Rock”

                  Simon and Garfunkle

        

        

          

         Life is very short and there’s no time

         for fussing and fighting, my friend.

                  “We Can Work It Out”

                  The Beatles

        

         No one can tell what the future knows.

                  “This Is It”

                  Kenny Loggins

         You may say that I’m a dreamer.

         But I’m not the only one.

                  “Imagine”

                  John Lennon

        

        

         Now I’m not the kind

         to live in the past.

         The years run too short,

         and the days too fast.

                  “Time Passages”

                  Al Stewart

         You gotta make your own kind of music,

         sing your own special song.

         Even if nobody else sings along.

                  “Make Your Own Kind Of Music”

                  Mama Cass

        Yeah, city folk drivin in a black limousine,

        A lotta sad people thinkin' that's mighty keen.

                  Thank God I’m A Country Boy

                  John Denver

        

        

        

         And in the end,

         The love you take

         Is equal to

         The love you make.

                  “The End”

                  The Beatles