“I want to be John”
“No I want to be him this time
let's just play man”
imagine a world without strawberry fields a white horse
riding against the four horseman of the Apocalypse, listening
to a Beautiful Day, Mary taking their buildings of commerce
with one song down walking route 66 to nowhere.
Kids hanging out in garages beating their drums
plucking electric cords singing words that will shake the
foundation of societies madness until the end of time; It is
the early 60’s and Rock & Roll has hit the chart board with
bands forming from around the world looking to take part in
what is to become the theme behind an ideology of a counter
culture that still fuels the protestors of today. It’s 50 years
later and the minds and spirits of those who look to a world where
there are no boundaries and men and women can walk freely
across any orchard field onto any mountain top without fear
without having to show a printed number in order to enter
Heaven’s Gate. We live in a world that is falling into chaos
made out of a darkness blacken by the scent of greed, steel oil
revenues of war, and evil doings that have allowed an industrial
elite to build without opposition to where no one is safe. Simple
because there are not enough people willing to take a Stand
against the oppressors of civilization. This is why my friend
that the music of Rock & Roll can never die why those Who
stood on the stage of life looking to change the world forever
with their words of love and peace taking us on journeys to
places that could only be found between Kesey’s and Leary’s
dreams or riding on a Magical Mystery Tour. Rock & Roll
survives because there is something in the music that brings us
closer to one another closer to the truth with words sung by
men and woman about all that must be done if we are to survive
the plague that lies waiting behind nature’s nest - inside mans
chemicals of mass destruction. Rock & Roll has stood the test of
time and the crowds grow larger each time a band like Mathews
hits the stage to share something new with us or a old man like
Dylan shows up out of nowhere for no reason but to sing a song
under a dark moon’s light reviving what was once consider preposterous.
Now the theme song to dogs running free inside a box screen a
bit of Mama Thornton’s southern homemade Blues. The world upside
down everyone looking to live inside Cohen’s Secret Life, watching
Pearl Jam on Capitol Hill or Pink, Floyd taking us to other side of
the moon to dance a jig with Jethro’s flute take a walk across wonderland.
Flying with Grace each of us taking a bit of one another’s heart as we
look back at all of those who lost their life’s on the battle fields for
freedom the wars of our brothers and sisters in both sin an absolution.
Rock & Roll is about the people who come to dance to the notes of
a new truth the with songs of protest celebrating artist who played
its notes both high and low, and that is why Rock & Roll has with
stood the storms of suppression Weathered the shootings at Kent
State, the assignation of more leaders than any other political movement
in History. With lyrics calling out to the soul to take a Stand against
an ill establishment of elite people who have made their fortunes sucking
the essences out of our world destroying everything sacred under God’s
eye replacing it with trinkets of capitalism for the purpose of justifying
their hi-tech surveillance satellites and street corner cameras. Looking
to protect their interest - to safeguard their banks of interest. Looking
to assure their status as the leaders of a world that lies dying without
hope or love. So my friend for me anyway Rock & Roll is about more
than just getting high sitting around a campfire telling stories of where
you were when. It has taken to places like Alicia’s Restaurant the California
Hotel even Woodstock, made the words of defiance written by the poets
of the Beat Generation apart of our culture as new searcher’s of the
Age of Aquarius keep popping up on psychedelic posters promoting the
next Victoria Battle of the Bands. And yes neighborhoods have changed
since the flower children of the post world war era could be found
sitting at every major off ramp at every major city around the world
with their backpacks and rolled up sleeping bags headed to Big Sur
Haight-Ashbury or the next Folk festival following the demonstrations
being held across our country not by the hundreds but by the hundreds
of thousands. Playing their guitars, smoking their pipes of peace beating
the drums of decent singing songs that brought a white rabbit alive even
made a Magic Bus all the while turning politician’s heads with protest
that stretched across America like locus spreading across an open corn
field with Stardust falling out of a Purple spring Rain sky, while Rolling
Stone’s pounded societies dying machine with red lip stick and songs of
rebelliousness that keep us up dancing throughout the night. Rock & Roll
gave us Tommy, Morrison and Jimmy, Janice and all the other martyrs
who’s names will remain immortal till we either we find ourselves or our
world goes mad with the pesticides of Silent Spring. Like any other force
of reckoning it has lost too many people of its gathering; Bobby, Abby,
John, Rubin, so many names listed on its wall of fame their spirits lie
waiting for us as a nation to realize what the words of what one Man’s
Dream could mean, if we would just reached up to the sky and Let it Rain.
Feel the rays of the Sun run naked through our veins let Nature flow through
Us. Life’s forest ever shade of green there is no color or religion here only a
realization of what peace before death could mean. And even though the
struggle goes on even now people Weather the storms of suppression on
the same streets of America that the Hippies did protesting against the
destruction of civilization, and so Rock & Roll like a Journey into the Night
brings us the story of V, the words of Ulysses taking us beyond our imagination
giving us something to believe in the songs of Madonna letting us dance
artist giving us something to hold onto during our times of celebration as well
as our times of despair. Like a stormy sea Rock & Roll just keeps rolling
on and on like an ode to love blowing in the wind or a wild flower blooming
on a salt sand hillside overlooking earth’s oceans it will be a part of our soul
forever. Thinking back to the first time I saw Hendrix play the Star Spangle
Banner with his teeth at Rainier Park, or going to the Gorge along the cliffs
of the Columbia River to the listen to the music of the Lilac Festival. Dressing
up to listen to Shirley Chisholm speak at Mills College the time in Paris when
the rioting went on for weeks after they announced Morrison had been found
dead. Watching Traffic record High heel Boys, being in Seattle for the WTO
protest. Thinking back to times we would sit around and listen to the Incredible
String Band or the time I got to work back stage at the Round House, all the
people you meet between the different places the Tarot Cards take you to when
you’re searching for that place Don Juan Matus tells you, you will find when
you have found the universe waiting for you. Yes my friend I believe Rock &
Roll; is here to stay until the truth is reveled and men like dogs can run free
Or till our freedom is no longer a right but what we once had and let slip away.
© 2013 Joseph Mayo Wristen
Joseph Mayo Wristen
Ode to Rock and Roll
