1960s songs, friendship

Something’s on Your Mind-Karen Dalton

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You can’t make it without trying…

In “Something’s On Your Mind”, Karen Dalton reaches out to a friend who is at a cross-roads in her life. For years, the friend has lived a carefree lifestyle, partying; night was day and day was night, but something seems to be on her mind lately. She asks herself, “Why am I not getting anywhere or achieving my dreams? What has my life become?”

Dalton tries to lay it out for us–It is very probable that the narrator will never tell the friend the true picture of what she is seeing. That’s a hard conversation that can end relationships if the person isn’t ready to hear the truth.

Karon Dalton folk singer
Karen Dalton

Her assessment of the situation is straightforward: this “fast” lifestyle used to work for her friend, and it no longer does. That is why her heart and mind feel heavy all the time.

In order to achieve your dreams of becoming successful in any field, you must work hard before you reap the rewards and live the partying lifestyle. Perhaps in the artistic and music communities many might not see that their favorite musicians get to “party all the time” because they put in 10 years of hard work, plugging away every night for no money. They just want to skip the hard part and make it and start partying.

Something on your mind meaning
Karen Dalton

As the song ends, the narrator is observing the friend, contemplating how much longer she will be able to hold her life together. But would it even be worth saying anything?

Sometimes, people must come to this decision themselves. We also get the sense that perhaps they have had similar conversations before.

Karen Dalton’s unique vocals bring this song to life. The mix is really out there: There are a bunch of instruments that weave in and out and the percussion creates a unique pulsing vibe.

Dalton was never famous and did few recordings, but her voice was incredibly unique, and she delivers this song with such soul. She lived a hard life and died relatively young and in obscurity.

Something’s On Your Mind Lyrics

Yesterday, any way you made it was just fine.
So you turned your days into night-time.
Didn’t you know, you can’t make it without ever even trying?
And something’s on your mind, isn’t it?

Let these times show you that you’re breaking up the lines.
Leaving all your dreams too far behind.
Didn’t you see, you can’t make it without ever even trying?
And something’s on your mind.

Maybe another day you’ll want to feel another way, you can’t stop crying.
You haven’t got a thing to say, you feel you want to run away.
There’s no use trying, anyway,
I’ve seen the writing on the wall.
Who cannot maintain will always fall.
Well, you know, you can’t make it without ever even trying.

Something’s on your mind, isn’t it?
Tell the truth now, isn’t it?
Something’s on your mind, isn’t it?
Something’s on your mind.

Songwriters: Dino Valenti

1960s songs, new love

Love is All Around- The Troggs

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It’s written in the wind/
Oh everywhere I go…

There are some songs that seem to exist in our subconscious. Though we might not actively be a fan of a band, we know the song and the band, because the tune is so familiar. “Love is All Around” is an example of such a song. It is almost like a modern-day traditional song—where the song has no author and has just been passed down by oral tradition. But this was originally performed by one band, The Troggs and written by their lead singer, Reg Presley.

The song’s timelessness can be attributed to a few things. One is the theme of new love. This is common source of great material and gives great memories for listening to it. This is different than the feeling I get when I accidentally catch my workout song on the radio, or a sad song on the radio. I might love that they make me feel something, but I may not want to feel that something now. A random encounter with a song about new love is usually a good experience.

Also, the song has a simple structure in a major key that gives it that happy sound. More particular to this song is that swaying rhythm in the chorus from the strings section. It almost inspires you to dance if one were so inclined. The simple percussion is an interesting wrinkle.

love is all around meaning
The Troggs

The lyrics are very straightforward and that is fine; not everything has to be Dylanesque. The feeling of infatuation can bring about feelings of love that seem to permeate within you and spreads from without you. It can feel like there is love everywhere you look. It is a lovely time. Interestingly, this song was written during 1967–the year of the summer of love.

Love is All Around Lyrics

I feel it in my fingers,
I feel it in my toes.
The love that’s all around me,
And so the feeling grows.

It’s written on the wind,
It’s everywhere I go.
So if you really love me,
Come on and let it show.

You know I love you, I always will.
My mind’s made up by the way that I feel.
There’s no beginning, there’ll be no end.
‘Cause on my love you can depend.

I see your face before me,
As I lay on my bed.
I cannot get to thinking,
Of all the things you said.

You gave your promise to me and I gave mine to you,
I need someone beside me in everything I do.
Oh, yes I do.

You know I love you, I always will,
My mind’s made up by the way that I feel.
There’s no beginning, there’ll be no end,
‘Cause on my love you can depend.

I got to keep it moving…

Ooh, it’s written in the wind.
Oh everywhere I go, yeah, ooh yeah.
So if you really love me, love me.
Come on and let it show.
Come on and let it show.
Come on and let it.
Come on and let it.
Come on and let it show.
Come on and let it.
Come on and let it.
Come on and let it show.
Come on and let it show, baby.
Come on and let it show.

Songwriters: Reg Presley

1990s songs, secular hymn

One of Us- Joan Osborne

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What if God was one of us?
Just a stranger on the bus…

Most of the commentary on Joan Osborne’s “One of Us” focuses on its depiction of God. Is Osbourne saying God is Good? Bad? What exactly? The more important character in the song is the stranger on the bus. She asks us to consider, “What if that was God?”

Would you treat that person differently? I bet you would. What does that say about us?

Interestingly, most of our conceptions of God view Him as all-seeing–so he sees all our bad actions anyways—regardless of whether or not he is directly in front of us. For some reason, it seems much more powerful if the stranger on the bus that we were ignoring, or treating poorly, was literally God. We would feel like a bigger screw-up. Why is this, when God sees everything? The point being, if you would treat a stranger differently if you knew that person was god-in-disguise, perhaps you need to re-examine how you are living your life.

We naturally think of hypocritical, sanctimonious, outwardly religious people during this thought experiment, but I am not so sure that atheists would turn out much better. I would definitely treat people differently if I knew a random person could be god-in-disguise…an all-powerful being who could instantly turn me into a rock. I would be on my best behavior and treat everyone with dignity (just in case).

one of us meaning
Joan Osborne

Perhaps I should be living a better life. Seeing God in the everyday, and examining how we treat others is essential to the message of this song.

The sound is a bit of a throw-back to the sounds of the 60s and 70s, though it came out in the mid-nineties. The lightly distorted guitar sounds like something Lindsay Buckingham or Neil Young might bust out. Osborne’s voice is strong and clear, and she delivers the chorus exceptionally well. It is a great hook with a catchy title.

One of Us Lyrics

So one of these nights and about twelve o’clock,
This old world’s goin’ ta reel and rock.
Saints will tremble and cry for pain,
For the Lord’s gonna come in his heavenly airplane.

If God had a name what would it be?
And would you call it to his face?
If you were faced with Him in all His glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin’ to make his way home?

If God had a face what would it look like?
And would you want to see if, seeing meant
That you would have to believe in things like heaven
And in Jesus and the saints, and all the prophets?

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin’ to make his way home?

Just tryin’ to make his way home
Like back up to heaven all alone
Nobody callin’ on the phone
‘Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin’ to make his way home?

Just tryin’ to make his way home
Like a holy rolling stone
Back up to heaven all alone
Just tryin’ to make his way home
Nobody callin’ on the phone
‘Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

songwriter: Eric Bazilian