Two songs

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 Today's post is a little different, as I have been listening to a lot of music lately, mostly from my era.  I dont listen to today's music at all.  I can't name one Taylor Swft song, for example.  There are two songs that appear most frequently on my YouTube algorithm.  They are The Sounds of Silence by Paul Simon and the other is One Tin Soldier by The Original Caste.  I have seen these two songs appear most frequently.  Others include The City of New Orleans by Steve Goodman performed by Arlo Guthrie and a few others by Paul Simon and some Dylan songs.  I get song mixes I listen to ocassionally, but I probably listen to the first two songs I mentioned performed by various artists and are reaction songs appearing most frequently.

Are these two songs so important that I would mention them?  According to a few authorities on music the first two songs I mentioned just might be the two most meaningful and well-written songs that emerged from the many of that time that seem to resonate most with younger music fans of today.  One might wonder why.  Paul Simon was a 21 year old college student in 1961 who lived at home with his parents and often wrote lyrics in the bathroom at night.  He'd turn out the lights and turn the water on and left it run to drown out the city noises so he could write.  I remember first hearing this song when it was first released in 1965. 

Hence the beginning that says, " Hello darkness my old friend."  The rest isn't about silence but about "people writung songs that voices never share."  At the time, he wasn't thinking about the song being popular, but was sharing his youthful angst about living in the city.  Simon has written many songs throughout the years with a lot of them being hits performed both by he and Art Garfunle.  Simon had the lyrics and Garfunkle's voice has been pitch perfect.  I could list many songs of theirs I like, but I'm happy to see the younger generations still appreciating their music.

The other song by Original Caste is obviously a Vietnam War protest song written by a Canadian, who while being a US citizen, received his draft notice and fled to Canada.  It was originally performed by Original Caste a Canadian group, but was featured in the movie Billy Jack performed by a group called Coven.  Both versions are very similar, but the version by the original group seems to be the favorite version.  The song reached number one on the Canadian charts, but did no better than 26 here in the US.  

But it seems to me that the meaning of the One Tin Soldier gets lost in translation.  The kingdom on the mountain has a buried treasure that the valley people want.  So they go to war and the valley people get their prize.  It is a buried stone that says, "Peace on Earth"  when they turned it over.  So, why does the One Tin Soldier ride away?  THAT is the meaning of the song.  He's the love that was lost.  The mountain is covered in blood.  The One Tin Soldier has no need to stay.  The love was lost.  He's no longer needed.  All love is gone.  

And THAT is the meaning.  It's a simple folk story told beautifully in music and words.  The One Tin Soldier is love.  And it seems that while it tells of the useless value of war, there is no love in war.  It's a messy bloody business that is war and there is no love in war.  The prize is Peace, but at what cost?  All love is lost.  The One Tin Soldier can't stay where he is no longer wanted.  I wish more people understood why the Tin Soldier rides away.  The song speaks to the worthlessness of war.  

The Vietnam War produced the best in music from the sixties.  So many songs were anti-war protest songs.  Credence Clearwater Revival might represent this best in protest songs which was much of their music.  War is always unjust.

I didn't have to go to Vietnam and I'm not sure what I would have done were I to have been drafted.  I simply don't know.  But fate kept me out of Vietnam.  It was not a choice I had to make.  And today I am very thankful I didn't have to make that choice or have it be made for me.  Otherwise, I'm not sure what would have happened.  I can't write that story because I simply do not know.  I'm here today smoking my Nording Number 2 pipe with some Haunted Bookshop.  My coffee this morning is 365 Hometown Blend City Roast.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you; and I don't say this lightly.

Dave

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