[Chorus] Praise the Lord, for goodness sake We’re all gonna take a Bible break I said, Praise the Lord, for goodness sake We’re all gonna take a Bible break So when your fingers start to pop and you’re feet start to tap You’re listening to the righteous rap
[Verse 1] Listen friends, lend an ear Because faith comes by the words ya hear I’m not talking jump, I’m not talking jive But I’ve got a message to make you live If you’re red, yellow, black, or white Everybody is a star in Jesus’ sight He loves you so, He came into this world To give his love for every boy and girl He loves you, he loves you Don’t you know that Jesus loves you? I took a look in the Bible book Just to see what I could see I saw that Jesus loves everyone From the Eskimo to the Pygmy There’s a special message in this song that we want everyone to know And that’s Jesus loves everyone, because the Bible tells me so
[Chorus 2] It says that I’m a winner, not a loser I am the head, and I’m not the tail If the prison door is open my friend, whatcha doing in jail? I’m a winner, not a loser I’m the head, and not the tail If the prison door is open, whatcha doing in jail? Everybody! Winner, not a loser Head, and not the tail If the prison door is open, whatcha doing in jail? Because Jesus paid your bail! Everybody say J-E-S-U-S Everybody say J-E-S-U-S
[Interlude] Psalm 150 says let’s praise the king of kings On the cymbals, trumpets, and the organs, the instruments with strings
[Verse 2] Signs follow what you preach if it’s the Word of God you teach Signs follow what you preach if it’s the Word of God that you teach The Bible is the Holy Book, so let’s open it up and take a look We’ve got Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalm, Proverbs Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah Lamentations, Ezekiel And then we’ve got Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi New Testament Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First and Second Thessalonians First and Second Timothy, Titus, Philemon Hebrews, James, First and Second Peter, First and Second, Third John, Jude, to Revelation
[Verse 3] The Word’s gonna save this nation If we learn the Word from Genesis to Revelation God sent His Son to alleviate hurt To redeem us all from the curse From sickness Jesus gave us health And from poverty He gave you wealth From the curse of the law I’m redeemed And now I’m free to pursue my dream To be a success, to be the best To be the head and not the tail and nothing less you see The devil’s not what he used to be Cause when I speak the Word he’s got to flee He’s finally thrown in the fiery lake For eternity, the devil will bake And all my days I will proclaim everything that have is in Jesus’ name So throw your hands in the air And praise the Lord because you don’t have a care His yoke is easy and His burden is light If you’re a child of God just say “all right!!”
[Verse 4] I learned my lesson now I take Time out each day for a Bible break Because the Bible is the holy book Just open it up and take a look I learned my lesson cause I take Time out each day for a Bible break God sent His Son to alleviate hurt To redeem us all from the curse For sickness Jesus gave us health And from poverty He gave you wealth From the curse of the law I’m redeemed And now I’m free to pursue my dream To be a success, to be the best To be the head and not the tail and nothing less you see The devil’s not what he used to be Cause when I speak the Word he’s got to flee He’s finally thrown in the fiery lake For eternity, the devil will bake And all my days I will proclaim everything that have is in Jesus’ name So throw your hands in the air And praise the Lord because you don’t have a care His yoke is easy and His burden is light If you’re a child of God just say “all right!!”
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“Sometimes by Step” by Rich Mullins
Sometimes the night was beautiful Sometimes the sky was so far away Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close You could touch it but your heart would break Sometimes the morning came too soon Sometimes the day could be so hot There was so much work left to do But so much You’d already done
Oh God, You are my God And I will ever praise You Oh God, You are my God And I will ever praise You And I will seek You in the morning And I will learn to walk in Your ways And step by step You’ll lead me And I will follow You all of my days
Sometimes I think of Abraham How one star he saw had been lit for me He was a stranger in this land And I am that, no less than he And on this road to righteousness Sometimes the climb can be so steep I may falter in my steps But never beyond Your reach
Oh God, You are my God And I will ever praise You Oh God, You are my God And I will ever praise You I will seek You in the morning And I will learn to walk in Your ways And step by step You’ll lead me And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days And I will follow You all of my days And step by step You’ll lead me And I will follow You all of my days And I will follow You all of my days (Sometimes the night was beautiful) And I will follow You all of my days (Sometimes the night . . .) (Sometimes the night was beautiful) And I will follow You all of my days (. . . Was beautiful) (Sometimes the night was beautiful) And I will follow You all of my days (So beautiful) And I will follow You all of my days And I will follow You all of my days (Oh God, you are my God) And I will follow You all of my days (Oh God, you are my God) And I will follow You all of my days And I will follow You all of my days (Sometimes the night was beautiful) And I will follow You all of my days (Sometimes the night . . .) And I will follow You all of my days
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Mark 2: King James Version
2 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
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“Rooftops” by Jesus Culture
Here I am before You Falling in love and seeking Your truth Knowing that Your perfect grace Has brought me to this place Because of You I freely live My life to You, oh God, I give
So I stand before You, God I lift my voice cause You set me free
So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim That I am Yours, I am Yours
All the good You’ve done for me I lift up my hands for all to see You’re the only one Who brings me to my knees To share this love across the earth The beauty of Your holy worth
So I kneel before You, God I lift my hands cause You set me free
So I shout out Your name From the rooftops I proclaim That I am Yours, I am Yours All that I am, I place into Your loving hands And I am Yours, I am Yours Here I am, I stand With arms wide open To the One, the Son
The everlasting God The everlasting God Here I am, I stand With arms wide open To the One, the Son The everlasting God
The everlasting God Here I am yeah
Arms wide open Here I am Heart wide open Here I am God
Jesus here I am Here I am Here I am Arms wide open Jesus!
So I shout out Your name From the rooftops I proclaim That I am Yours, I am Yours All that I am, I place into Your loving hands And I am Yours, I am Yours
So I shout out Your name From the rooftops I proclaim That I am Yours, I am Yours All that I am, I place into Your loving hands And I am Yours, I am Yours
Here I am, I stand With arms wide open To the One, the Son The everlasting God The everlasting God
Here I am, I stand With arms wide open To the One, the Son The everlasting God The everlasting God
So I shout out Your name From the rooftops I proclaim That I am Yours, I am Yours All that I am, I place into Your loving hands And I am Yours, I am Yours
So I shout out Your name From the rooftops I proclaim That I am Yours, I am Yours All that I am, I place into Your loving hands And I am Yours, I am Yours
Songwriters: Lindsey Sweat / Ben Williams / Jonathan Berlin
I love You, Lord For Your mercy never fails me All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands From the moment that I wake up Until I lay my head Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
And all my life You have been faithful And all my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice You have led me through the fire In the darkest night You are close like no other I’ve known You as a Father I’ve known You as a Friend And I have lived in the goodness of God (yeah)
And all my life You have been faithful (oh) And all my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God (yeah)
‘Cause Your goodness is running after It’s running after me Your goodness is running after It’s running after me With my life laid down I’m surrendered now I give You everything ‘Cause Your goodness is running after It’s running after me (oh-oh)
‘Cause Your goodness is running after It’s running after me Your goodness is running after It’s running after me With my life laid down I’m surrendered now I give You everything ‘Cause Your goodness is running after It keeps running after me
And all my life You have been faithful And all my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God (I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna sing)
‘Cause all my life You have been faithful And all my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
take my life oh lord and let it be consecrated lord to the keep my moments and my days, and let them flow let them flow in ceaseless praise
chorus and oh take this life and oh it is not mine
take my hands and feet and let them move in peoples with thy great love
my intellect and heart are thine oh lord so take and use them to lead others to your royal throne
chrous
take my voice and let me sing praise for you my only king take my lips and let them be father tell them messasges from thee
take my love oh lord i pour at thy feet it’s treasure stored take myself and i will be forever and all for thee
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“What a Beautiful Name” by Hillsong
Verse 1 You were the Word at the beginning One with God the Lord Most High Your hidden glory in creation Now revealed in You our Christ
Chorus 1 What a beautiful Name it is What a beautiful Name it is The Name of Jesus Christ my King What a beautiful Name it is Nothing compares to this What a beautiful Name it is The Name of Jesus
Verse 2 You didn’t want heaven without us So Jesus You brought heaven down My sin was great Your love was greater What could separate us now
Chorus 2 What a wonderful Name it is What a wonderful Name it is The Name of Jesus Christ my King What a wonderful Name it is Nothing compares to this What a wonderful Name it is The Name of Jesus What a wonderful Name it is The Name of Jesus
Bridge Death could not hold You The veil tore before You You silence the boast of sin and grave The heavens are roaring The praise of Your glory For You are raised to life again
You have no rival You have no equal Now and forever God You reign Yours is the kingdom Yours is the glory Yours is the Name above all names
Chorus 3 What a powerful Name it is What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus Christ my King What a powerful Name it is Nothing can stand against What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus
Tags What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus What a powerful Name it is The Name of Jesus
Words and Music by Ben Fielding & Brooke Ligertwood
Savior I come, quiet my soul Remember redemption’s hill Where Your blood was spilled For my ransom
Everything I once held dear I count it all as loss
Lead me to the cross where Your love poured out Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down Rid me of myself, I belong to You Oh, lead me Lead me to the cross
You were as I, tempted and tried You are, the word became flesh Bore my sin and death Now You’re risen
Everything I once held dear I count it all as loss
Lead me to the cross where Your love poured out Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down Rid me of myself, I belong to You Oh, lead me Lead me to the cross
To Your heart To Your heart Lead me to Your heart Lead me to Your heart
Lead me to the cross where Your love poured out Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down Rid me of myself, I belong to You Oh, lead me Lead me
Lead me to the cross where Your love poured out Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down Rid me of myself, I belong to You Oh, lead me Lead me to the cross
You’re just getting started. No, you’re not done with us.
Just Getting Started (Improv) – Brandon Lake/Bethany Wohrle
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“Graves Into Gardens” by Elevation Worship, Brandon Lake
I searched the world But it couldn’t fill me Man’s empty praise And treasures that fade Are never enough Then You came along And put me back together And every desire Is now satisfied Here in Your love (hey) Oh, there’s nothing better than You There’s nothing better than You Lord, there’s nothing Nothing is better than You I’m not afraid To show You my weakness My failures and flaws Lord, You’ve seen ’em all And You still call me friend ‘Cause the God of the mountain Is the God of the valley There’s not a place Your mercy and grace Won’t find me again Oh, there’s nothing better than You There’s nothing better than You Lord, there’s nothing Nothing is better than You Oh, there’s nothing better than You There’s nothing better than You Lord, there’s nothing Nothing is better than You You turn mourning to dancing You give beauty for ashes You turn shame into glory You’re the only one who can You turn mourning to dancing You give beauty for ashes You turn shame into glory You’re the only one who can You turn graves into garden You turn bones into armies You turn seas into highways You’re the only one who can You’re the only one who can Oh, there’s nothing better than You There’s nothing better than You Lord, there’s nothing Nothing is better than You Oh, there’s nothing better than You There’s nothing better than You Lord, there’s nothing Nothing is better than You You turn graves into gardens You turn bones into armies You turn seas into highways You’re the only one who can You turn graves into gardens You turn bones into armies You turn seas into highways You’re the only one who can You’re the only one who can You’re the only one who can
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art Thou my best thought, by day or by night Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise Thou mine inheritance, now and always Thou and Thou only first in my heart High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art High King of heaven, my victory won May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s sun Heart of my own heart, whatever befall Still be my vision, O ruler of all Heart of my own heart, whatever befall Still be my vision, O ruler of all
Cover of Pedro The Lion and David Bazan Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: Caleb Andrew Grimm / Eleanor H. Hull / Joseph P Stamper
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“Friends, there is no such thing as “Christian” rock. This is a lie of the devil. We are not to transform ourselves to the world, for the Bible says that as God’s people we “are at enmity with the world.” There is no “Christian” whiskey, no “Christian” pornography, no “Christian” adultery, and no “Christian” rock.” — Texe Marrs
I feel like real content is the fastest way to get your layout, headlines, fonts, possibly images, red-lined and marked up with unnecessary comments about the content that are irrelevant to the mission critical task of making visual decisions. This article is nice, but misguided. Lorem ipsum requires one conversation with the client about its purpose, not a hundred conversations like, “Oh, we’ve moved this to the Dallas market,” or “Oops, he doesn’t work here anymore.,” or “I think we’re going to nix the British spelling of colour for this piece.” All of the comments may be for another party or stage of production and ultimately influence stakeholder decision to choose the wrong layout based on too much content editing in the mocks.
An otherwise five-minute meeting can easily become a pet-peeve soapbox about dated copy, and when you’re just trying to get a template approved, this is counter productive.
This year I realized that the Graphics Interchange Format is likely here to stay.
So how do you pronounce GIF when your friends send you an animated five seconds from Harold and Kumar?
If something is done in a jiffy, it’s done quickly, an advantage of the GIF.
The format creator is on record calling it a jiff.
If you go to the gym and see Jim but do a jig at your gig, then what?
Here’s why I now say Giff.
‘Graphic’ starts with a hard G.
Gin is a great gift. Do you get my gist? The only word in the English language that starts with G-I-F is gift, with a hard G. No jiffed with a J.
Last, if you take all logical spellings of the term, you get GIF, GIFF, JIF, and JIFF. Mathematically, if you pronounce G-I-F with a soft G or J sound, there’s literally no way to spell the hard G version and at least four ways to spell jiff.
So what do you think? How did you read the name when you started the article, and then when you finished.
In 1998, I officially and proudly joined a grand old party of solution-minded problem-solvers. I’ve loved watching my party evolve through 9/11 and participate in the tug of war process that ultimately creates balance and opportunities for many Americans. If you associate republicans with anti-mask, anti-vaccine sentiment, please keep me in your prayers. I am a child of God and a man of science. I believe in a common good and treating others like I would like to be treated. Right now, I am a man without a party. My vaccinated, mask-wearing ass is not welcome at events designed to thank voters like me. Where did we go wrong? Who decided on conflict above a decisive victory over a common enemy. Why are republicans choosing to die rather than consider that one republican president might have been wrong? If you feel like a conservative without a party right now, I’d love your feedback.
The best way to describe the Royal Blood sound is like a Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pimpkins meets Led Zeppelin or The White Stripes. The key is a single bass guitar split into two signals using a tuner or A/B into a higher octave or chord generator. We send the bass signal to a traditional rock bass setup, but the single-octave, double-octave, or octave-fifth chord are distorted and sent to an electric guitar amp. Without distortion, the setup approximates a 12-string bass.
Guitarists have used “octavers” for years. The pedal produces a lower octave note far simpler than a POG by halving the frequency, say from A440hz to A220hz, which is easily done. The POG artificially generates an octave higher using more complicated math, for example from A440hz to A880hz.
One key is to send the generator a smooth, round note, so there’s as little noise as possible in the octave generation process. Distortion and tubes are happy to restore some noise to the signal once the transition is complete. While killer bass tone is central to the formula, I’ll focus on the higher octave chain.
The Electro-Harmonix POG2 accomplishes this effortlessly. It tracks well, has a million options and tones, and costs nearly $400. A killer investment for Royal Blood, who tours with two on his board with different settings for the double-octave and the octave-fifth setting, which can also be accomplished with a Boss Octave OC-5 (with a new higher octave setting on the model #5) or Harmonist PS-6 ($135–155).
The ZOOM bass and guitar MultiStomp series contain pitch options that simulate these pedals as well as the tuner, splitter, EQ, distortion, and amp-simulation. BUT. These pedals have serious latency issues and do not track well. For around $99 they are indispensable for trying out sound concepts with dozens of stomp and amp simulators, but poor for tracking on account of a significant delay.
The best recommendations below have little or no latency or delay and track basically as well as their Electro-Harmonix and Boss counterparts.
VAN OCTPUS
VSN Guitar Octave Effect Pedal For Electric Guitar Precise Polyphonic Octave Effects Generator Octpus Guitar Pedals True Bypass Mini Size
Two higher octaves notes aka 1/2 octaves or 12/24 steps – Nails the classic Royal Blood tone.
Birthday cake is yummy. It has layers of cake and frosting and tastes delicious with punch. We cut it into pieces, pass each plate carefully, and wait until everyone has a slice. And when Mommy says go, we go.
Dancing is fun. The music is loud, and you can feel the bass in your tummy. Dancing with mommy is even more fun. But when Mommy says stop, we stop.
Hide and seek is challenging. Mommy counts for two whole minutes to one hundred while you hide. Is everyone ready? When Mommy says go, we go.
Hugs are the best. Hugs from Mommy are even better. It is nice to hug mommy. Mommy loves to hug you, probably more than you love to hug her. But when Mommy says stop, we stop.
Bicycles are fast. You can sail down your block on your very own two wheels. Freedom on your bike is a blast. Waiting, waiting, waiting. But when Mommy says go, we go.
Tickles are silly. You and mommy can be very silly. Mommy is a tickle monster. You are a tickle tiger. Tickling mommy is a great way to be funny. But when Mommy says stop, we stop.
The dog loves to go on walks with you and mommy. While you put the collar on the dog, mommy finds the leash in the coat closet. The dog is ready. You and Mommy are ready. And when Mommy says go, we go.
A race car bed is a warm and cozy place to lie down. Mommy is the best at snuggles. Mommy likes snuggling, and so do you. But it’s one hour past your bedtime, so when Mommy says stop, we stop.
TV time is when we get to watch cartoons and play video games. We can’t wait to try our new space adventure. We wait for Mommy to check our homework. And when Mommy says go, we go.
Wrestling until you are out of breath is a blast. I can jump off the couch and land on my feet. Mommy can jump off the floor and land on the couch. You and Mommy take turns as the champion. But when Mommy says stop, we stop.
When mommy and I drive a car, there are two essential skills to master. Each skill has it’s own pedal in the car. Each skill has it’s own color on the traffic light. In cars, green means go, but a stop sign is always red. One skill for driving is knowing when to go. An even more important rule of the road is to know when to stop.
So when Mommy says go, we go if we would like to. But when Mommy says stop, we stop because she has asked us to stop.
When Mommy says go, we go. And when Mommy says stop, we stop.
When our friends say go, we go. And when our friend says stop, we stop.
When a boy or girl we like says go, we go. And when that boy or girl says stop, we stop.
And if you would like to do something, ask if you can go. But if you do not like something, it is always okay to tell anyone to stop.
Now, sometimes you are a red, cake-hungry, hiding and seeking, bicycle-riding, dog-walking, green gamer.
And sometimes you are a dancing, hugging, tickling, racecar-driving, red wrestler.
Green means lots of things. Red can also be a confusing color. Go means you can decide if you would like to go. But eventually, you’ll always need to stop. Because stop always means stop.
Don’t run out of whiskey on Sunday. Don’t drink it all on Saturday night. Don’t finish your beer till Monday, friend everything will be all right
Cowboys they love their cervezas. But liquor is quicker by far. So if you start early round noontime. They don’t drive a horse or a car.
Ladies like fruit in their cocktails. Fellas like ladies just fine. Careful though if she says no sir. That’s where we all draw the line.
I’ll have a Lone star with lime wedge. She’ll have a whiskey that’s neat. I found out that neat just means whiskey. Oh, Lady, I’m pleased we could meet.
I’ve always had this obsession with wearing shoes that match my activities. It started with river rafting and Tevas and continued with football cleats for artificial and real grass, Jordans for basketball on wood and concrete, and of course, Asics for cross-training and jogging.
In college, I took a tennis PE class and loved Tennis. I still play with my dad sometimes and have since I can remember in my childhood. At the time, I was jobless, eating ramen and donating plasma so I could afford new guitars and amplifiers to feed my rock and roll habit. I waited tables at a local crab shack and probably met my wife around this same time.
I went to my folks’ house one day complaining about wanting to play tennis, but just having running shoes and turning my ankles in my PE class. I told mom I needed shoes for tennis, even though my mom and dad were always perfectly happy to wear any kind of shoes to do most activities. She seemed to understand.
They’ve always budgeted using cash envelopes and actually had a shoe budget. I didn’t know the details of their cash system, just that haircuts, clothes, and whatnot came out of this cashbox budget. Mom went and got her shoe envelope, which had more than one pay period’s worth of cash in it. She wanted me to have it to buy new shoes.
She gave me the whole envelope. All the cash in it. I didn’t really count it, but I knew it was a lot to her. And probably would do the trick. Turns out, a lot of money on shoes for my mom was $35. I was kind of disappointed that I still couldn’t afford shoes, but equally awed by the gesture, that Mom gave me dad’s and her entire shoe budget for the last couple of months.
Regardless, my tennis class was that afternoon, so I headed to the shop where I’d picked up my racquet at a pretty hefty savings, so I had high hopes. Maybe I could pick up something vintage, anything flat really, something good for a court that wouldn’t roll my ankles. I remember parking in the lot and looking at the money, wondering if I should even go in.
I walked in with a purpose: See if name brand shoes for $35 was even a thing, and proceed. I went straight for the Wilson Pro Staff, the Nikes, the Reeboks, and the Adidas. The Stan Smiths were even twice what I had for a pretty simple vintage shoe. I knew my dad always wore those, but they were leather and felt hot to me. I walked over to the tennis section, defeated, and realized that I’d be putting my ankles at risk, yet again today, wearing jogging shoes on the tennis court.
I don’t remember how I came across the Prince shoes. I think that was the brand. These were definitely tennis shoes because as far as I know, Prince just makes tennis stuff, they prefer to be known as the Tennis Brand formerly known as Prince, though. If I remember right, I shared my predicament with a salesperson and next thing I know, they were showing me these $125 Prince shoes, in all white on white. Not my favorite color combo, but dang, sweetness, and expensive sweetness at that.
They’d been sitting for a while, though, not selling as well as the Nikes and Reeboks, and eventually marked down to half price, which was about $62. That news was neither here nor there for me, as I literally just had the $35 my mom had given me. Not a penny more. But somehow that weekday morning (which was coincidentally a good time to shop at retail places) I had walked into a clearance sticker extravaganza.
75% off. $32. Right at $35 with taxes. Literally shocked. How had my mom managed to turn $35 into $125? I don’t know. I never asked. I put my runners in the box and walked out of the store with them on after I checked out. Those shoes were comfortable and supportive as you would expect from hundred plus name brand shoes and I wore them out.
So mom gave me her shoe budget. She and my dad went without new shoes for a few months, and looking back, I should have dealt with it, I probably shouldn’t have taken their money. I could have just worn the shoes I had. But then and there, it was important to me. And my mom gave me 100% and more of what she had, because she loved me. Believe it or not I’m pretty good at tennis. Assuming I have the right shoes.
Dad
So as an adult and parent, I’ve developed this rule. If you’re known for having a bad temper, that joke where you act mad about something isn’t really funny, if I can’t tell and you occasionally do actually get mad like that. My dad, however, was the master of this gag, and it never got old, because he rarely got mad, at least in front of me.
Third Eye Blind is a nineties band that is not important to my dad and only vaguely important to me. OLGA was the online guitar archive that would tell you how to play any song on the guitar. Distortion is a type of electric guitar pedal that makes the guitar louder and basically, fuzzy. Kurt Cobain famously used distortion to indicate a change in the song and an emotional increase, but he’s not in Third Eye Blind.
I liked this song called “how’s it gonna be” by Third Eye Blind. I still love that song, actually. And here’s why.
I was playing my guitar one night, on a Saturday, probably at about three in the morning. I’m pretty sure my dad was probably preaching the next morning, you know, about six hours from me playing my guitar at full volume in my room that shared an air duct with my parents’ master.
Dad bursts in the door. It’s three AM mind you and he says to me, “How many times have I told you? Make sure and practice your guitar!” Then he smiled and walked back to his room presumably to try to go back to sleep. The gag doesn’t get old if you’re typically slow to anger.
So one day, I’m learning “how’s it going to be” on OLGA, which typically had pretty formal charts and really laughing, because right before the bridge to “how’s it going to be” in parenthesis, there was a playing suggestion: “Hit the distortion, man!” Oh, that cracked me up, and I immediately hunted down my guitar playing pops to share the novel silliness with. It’s mostly an acoustic guitar song, which makes that “Hit the distortion, man!” line so funny.
So fast forward, I’m hanging out with my dad in our living room. Maybe a few weeks or months after that little joke. And “How’s It Going To Be” starts playing on the radio. I loved that song at the time, and said something like, “I know how to play this song on guitar” to my dad, who kind of smiled and began to listen.
First verse. Chorus. Second verse. Chorus. Then this feedback happens and…
“Hit the distortion, man!” my Dad yells. I fell out of my chair laughing. I had totally forgotten that bit, but I never would again because that one line spelled it out for me. My dad was remembering and processing the words I was saying. He was interested in things I was interested in that he normally didn’t care about, but he cared about me.
So now that song makes me think of him. And as we get older, sometimes, “I wonder how’s it going to be when it goes down? How’s it going to be when you’re not around? How’s it going to be when you don’t know me anymore? How’s it going to be, How’s it going to be?”
Rich Williams 