Rock 'N' Roll, and Reflections

By Benjamin Wrubel

Rock n Roll, and Reflections is Benjamin Wrubels attempt to make sense of the world as he knows it, has lived it, and would like to unravel it He has taken 101 of his all time favorite, classic songs and has made commentaries to their words, meanings, and feelings. He makes note of the importance, relevance, and significance of each. He equates what is being said, to what should be felt, to the actions from which could then follow. He uses a lifetime of experience, emotions, and wisdom to guide us. This book is a collection of thoughts, suppositions, and aspirations. It is his intent to convey and impart the celebration and joy that he has found

When it comes to Rock and Roll, there are a number of overarching principles. Benjamin Wrubel believes these to be: Its all about Love; What is past is Past; Hold on to the Present; Clear a path to the Future; and, Keep your dreams Alive. In each of these regards there exist certain undeniable truths

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491799598

Benjamin Wrubel

Benjamin Wrubel is the author of the previously published “Word Speaking,” a collection of his poems. Besides being a writer, he is an accomplished painter, photographer, and inventor. His careers span arts and entertainment, medicine and education. His journey, he believes, “is a day to day thing,” which he never knows “where it will take me.” He is grateful for this “opportunity to share my life with others,” and hopes that “something positive will come from it…”

Book preview

Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Reflections

Benjamin Wrubel

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ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, AND REFLECTIONS

Copyright

© 2016 Benjamin Wrubel.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Edited by Moshe Siegel.

iUniverse

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9958-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9959-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016909283

iUniverse rev. date: 06/23/2016

Contents

INTRODUCTION

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE,

SOMEBODY TO LOVE,

HAPPY TOGETHER,

HAND TO HOLD ON TO,

PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART,

I’LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG,

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND,

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER,

CAN’T BUY ME LOVE,

SOMEBODY TO LOVE,

THE NIGHT: NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN,

ONE,

DESPERADO,

EASY TO BE HARD,

EVERYBODY HURTS,

BOTH SIDES NOW,

SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD,

WE CAN WORK IT OUT,

WHAT’S PAST IS PAST

IN MY LIFE,

AMERICAN PIE,

THE BOXER,

TAXI,

AGAINST THE WIND,

RUBY TUESDAY,

SONG SUNG BLUE,

TIME IN A BOTTLE,

YESTERDAY,

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART,

BEHIND BLUE EYES,

LYIN’ EYES,

HEY JUDE,

I STARTED A JOKE,

IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND,

IT DON’T COME EASY,

THE SOUND OF SILENCE,

THOSE WERE THE DAYS,

HOLD ONTO THE PRESENT

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW,

(SITTIN’ ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY,

HAVEN’T GOT TIME FOR THE PAIN,

CAT’S IN THE CRADLE,

NO ONE IS TO BLAME,

NOBODY TOLD ME,

DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?,

CIRCLE,

TURN! TURN! TURN!,

COME AND GET IT,

GET IT WHILE YOU CAN,

HELP!,

HOW CAN I BE SURE,

DIFFERENT DRUM,

JACK AND DIANE,

DUST IN THE WIND,

EVERYBODY’S TALKIN’,

INSTANT KARMA,

WITHOUT YOU,

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU,

WORDS,

LET IT BE,

LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH,

TAKE IT EASY,

THE STRANGER,

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE,

CLEAR A PATH TO THE FUTURE

WHILE YOU SEE A CHANCE,

DID YOU EVER HAVE TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND?,

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS,

LEAN ON ME,

HONESTY,

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’,

REFUGEE,

YOU CAN’T GET WHAT YOU WANT (TIL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT),

STAND BY ME,

VIENNA,

I STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR,

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN,

TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME,

DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME,

IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY SET THEM FREE,

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN,

YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT,

RUNNING ON EMPTY,

AND WHEN I DIE,

KEEP YOUR DREAMS ALIVE

AQUARIUS/LET THE SUN SHINE IN,

IMAGINE,

BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND,

DREAM WEAVER,

COLOUR MY WORLD,

HOUSE AT POOH CORNER,

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?,

FIRE AND RAIN,

DRIFT AWAY,

LONELY PEOPLE,

THE PRETENDER,

PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE,

FREE BIRD,

FLY LIKE AN EAGLE,

PEACE TRAIN,

UNITED WE STAND,

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE,

GET TOGETHER,

MIRACLES,

THE LOGICAL SONG,

CONCLUSION

For my parents,

Arthur and Ruth Wrubel

Introduction

By Benjamin Wrubel

Wherever we go, whatever we do, we are surrounded by music. We hear it in the noises coming from the forests, through the trees. We are mindful of the wind as it howls its angst across deserts. We can’t help but be aware of city streets as they come alive with the rhythms of the modern world. Some of these sounds are as old as the mountains, others as new as the latest technology. Whatever the case may be, music fills our lives. Some of these attractions are pleasant to our ears while others are distractions filled with disharmony. Each of us, including the communities from which we come, has found what is pleasing and worth pursuing for ourselves. Often the sounds mimic what we find in nature, or are expressions of the emotions we feel within. With our ability to create music, there can always be sounds to accompany us on our journeys. Some of these sounds we choose to bring with us from town to town, while others we decide to pass on from generation to generation. There is that kind of music that has been invented for special occasions, for those moments that are already filled with significance. There is a kind of music that was created for no occasion at all, except maybe for that moment of creation, itself. Then there is the music that’s meant to carry us between those moments where there might not have been any music at all. This is the music that takes those silent pauses in our lives and invokes a sense of meaning or purpose into an otherwise empty space.

Music can take us to that place where dreams are fulfilled and fantasies never fall short of our expectations. Sometimes it even does such without words; classical music, famous for taking our minds where our bodies cannot go, is a perfect example. It makes us soar above the clouds and want to reach down to give a hand to mere mortals. When we want that larger-than-life feeling, where the entire world is a stage, then we pull out one of the Great Masters. On the other hand, Blues can touch the breadth and depth of our souls. It makes us look inside ourselves and reaches parts of our being that we never knew exist. Or we can choose Jazz, which speaks to us like no other form of music: instruments become people, notes become words, and every song will tell its own story. So, whether our life is full of drama, or if it’s closer to comedy, we can find the right form of music to accompany it. Yet, even though there are many kinds we can choose, sometimes we just want…something more, even when we don’t know what it is.

That’s where Rock ‘n’ Roll comes in. Rock ‘n’ Roll gets its roots from many of the other forms of music that came before it. It combines them in such a way that the results are something completely different, and special. Special and different because it has taken the best of those other forms and reassembled them in such a way as to make something new and unique to be brought to the masses. The other variations of music excel, endure, and are appreciated by many; however, it’s Rock ‘n’ Roll that has, by far, reached more people than all the other varieties of music combined. When we add it all up, we have to realize that this is no easy feat. It is only possible to have such a huge following when there is something of substance being offered. That substance (no play on words intended) is a connection to everyone, every day and in every way, that’s what keeps Rock ‘n’ Roll going.

The heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll (with apologies to Huey Lewis & The News) is in its music. The soul of Rock ‘n’ Roll, however, is in its words. And, its words are what keeps it going so long and so strong no matter what is happening around the world. It has been over fifty years since The Day the Music Died, February 3, 1959, but the form lives on. Old songs are covered by new artists. New artists come up with their own takes on old topics. Yet, either which way, it’s the meaning that carries the medium through. This meaning can carry a song written in one era to have significance in another time. If this wasn’t true, it would be a dying form, but, alive and well it is. And, in its essence, it keeps those who listen and take heed whole.

Rock ‘n’ Roll is the music that took generations from the sock-hop through a senseless war, through social strife, through economic upheaval, to personal enlightenment—and now beyond. The words from these songs helped scores of individuals cope with the world on an individual basis, with a global perspective, and ultimately with how they themselves fit into that worldview. These lyrics have become so enmeshed with the fabric and texture of our lives that if we were to remove these words the cloth that we call society would unravel. There must be a reason that this form of communication still exists to this day. Harmony, peace, and, most especially, love is that reason. With the world being such an uncertain place, we want something to hold on to. The words are what we can keep as our anchor through changing and recurring tides and storms. Remembering the meanings of those songs is what will carry us day by day.

Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Reflections is my personal take on the words from the music that is the background to my life. Its overriding message of love, peace, and harmony is one that has had an overwhelming influence on me. From the first time I heard the songs from The Era of Love, to each and every new song with that same spirit, I respond. To this day, when I hear any one of those songs, I am touched, inspired, and moved in so many ways. It is this feeling that I would like to share with others. From the thousands of songs, and hundreds of artists, over the handfuls of decades since Rock ‘n’ Roll was originated there is a mountain of work to consider. I have selected the one hundred and one songs that have been most influential in my life. I still listen to and enjoy many others, though these selections have the most meaning and relevance for me.

When it comes to Rock ‘n’ Roll, there are a number of overarching principles. I believe these to be: It’s all about Love; What is past is Past; Hold on to the Present; Clear a path to the Future; and, Keep your dreams Alive. In each of these regards there exists certain undeniable truths. These certainties exist whether we know it or not, or accept it or not. With that being the case, just being made aware of some of these notions is a step in the right direction. And, as a wise person once said, life is a journey, not a destination. So, if we’re not sure of what path we could be taking, knowing what options there are might lead us on the road we should be headed. Therefore, we should stay awake, aware, and open to our surroundings, situations we encounter and others we meet along the way. We should take this knowledge wherever we go, whatever we do, and remember the meanings, not just the words. As we do, those melodies and harmonies will be ever more pleasurable and meaningful. Our lives will be filled with the sounds, the memories, and the wisdom needed to move forward. This is the gift that Rock ‘n’ Roll gives us. So, as you live your life; sit back, put on a tune, and enjoy the ride…

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