For those of you who have been around since the lighthearted days of mere koran burnings and denunciations of the financial system, you remember that music used to be a fairly significant part of this blog. Well, let’s return briefly to those roots, and a song that many will recognize if only from the many posts I have made on it over the years.
This year, obviously, as we are living through the collapse and suicide of the post-Christian west, and most acknowledge the United States of America to no longer exist, it is bittersweet indeed to look at this performance from ARSH 1982 and realize that the world as THEY knew it had less than forty years left. ARSH 1982 was the highly optimistic early days of Reagan’s “Morning in America”, which became the motto of his ’84 campaign which legit won 49 states. Mondale won his home state, Minnesota, by only a razor-thin 0.18% margin. In historical terms, this was a blink of an eye ago.
This is a very Lenten song, it seems to me. Its lyrics harken to the collect prayers of the Masses of Lent, begging God to hear the prayers of His afflicted and sinful people, to deliver them, and to supply what they are lacking in themselves.
But the HUGE allegory in this performance is MANDOLIN BOY. Don Williams, the bass player, the keyboardist, and even the percussionist are reserved. But then, there, ever-present in the background is MANDOLIN BOY, dressed in solid bright red, the color of the Passion, of martyrdom… and of PENTECOST. There is MANDOLIN BOY bouncing and smiling, rocking out his mandolin solos, reminding us all that God hears the prayers of His people, and that YES, God is “planning a good day for me.” Let’s call that the understatement of the day, shall we?
I hope this helps. #TeamMandolinBoy
Lord, I hope this day is good
I’m feelin’ empty and misunderstood
I should be thankful, Lord, I know I should
But Lord I hope this day is good
Lord, have You forgotten me
I’ve been prayin’ to You faithfully
I’m not sayin’ I’m a righteous man
But Lord I hope You understand
I don’t need fortune and I don’t need fame
Send down the thunder, Lord, send down the rain
But when You’re plannin’ just how it will be
Plan a good day for me
Lord, I hope this day is good
I’m feelin’ empty and misunderstood
I should be thankful, Lord, I know I should
But Lord I hope this day is good
You’ve been the King since the dawn of time
All that I’m askin’ is a little less crime
It might be hard for the devil to do
But it would be easy for You
Lord, I hope this day is good
I’m feelin’ empty and misunderstood
I should be thankful, Lord, I know I should
But Lord I hope this day is good