What inspiration, spending an epic birthday with the Rolling Stones, a favorite since early teens, at the New Orleans Jazz festival! It was poignant, 50 years later, to recognize the truths in their lyrics and their classy performance.
Here’s the inspiration I discovered.
LYRICS WE NEED NOW:
• “Time It’s On My Side”* – sung with NOLA Soul Queen, Irma Thomas, who first recorded it, was a reminder – be patient when things go wrong, they may come around. More importantly, you can.
• “We all need someone to lean on…baby you can lean on me.” From “Let It Bleed” is likely about drugs, but there’s truth. Know who you can lean on – “open wide “, be the one others can lean on.
• “You Can’t Always Get What You Want, but if you try some time, you just might find you get what you need” still rings true. The key is to Try, otherwise nothing will happen.
• “Gimme Shelter”*, a war protest song, had me in tears, sung with an amazing local blues singer, Chanel Haynes. “Just a shot away, just a shot away, …… just a kiss away, just a kiss away” tells how close we can be to consequences, how things can turn on a dime.
• “The Whole Wide World” a new song about looking back, seeing the hard times and realizing it’s made you stronger. “When the whole wide world’s against you. And you’re standing in the rain, And you want someone beside you, To pull you up again, When the whole wide world’s against you, And life’s got you on the run, And you think the party is over, But it’s only just, only just begun”
YOU AREN’T TOO OLD
Mick Jagger (81), Keith Richards (80) and Ron Woods (77) are still rocking, doing what they love. They’re a little slower, but looked slim, trim and fit – Mike dancing, voice strong, Ron killing it on guitar, Keith on point, their new music awesome. Keep at what you love – if you can do it, you’re not too old!
BE GRACIOUS
Equally impressive was their crowd engagement, their grace and praise toward guest singers and musicians, even welcoming the LA Governor, saying we want to include you, “even though you’re trying to pull us back to the Stone Ages”.
What’s inspiring you right now? If you’d like to explore it, reach out!
