music history Archives - Tony Funderburk: Recent Episodes
Tony Funderburk
Oh brother, I was so naive. Yeah, I used to believe that Americans were all on the same side. Old people never did bad things. Pretty girls were all saving themselves for marriage. Crazy, I know. But I believed those things. And I assumed most anybody would know I was talking about God when I wrote “higher power” in a song. Boy, was I wrong. And like I said, naive.
Fast forward a couple of decades and I wasn’t so naive anymore.It was a good AND bad thing.
Good because I grew up, matured, and discovered much more actual truth.
Bad because my world wasn’t rosy anymore.
And it would never be that rosy again.
But that’s as it should be. I’m sure you have some sort of similar story you could share. Right? Where your hopes, dreams, and aspirations were crushed by reality?
What do you do when that happens? Well, I can tell you what you don’t do. You don’t give up hoping for better things. Because they’re coming. At least for a few.
The higher power that will save the world is coming.That’s not a headline from a movie trailer. Because the Higher Power is the Creator of heaven and earth and the rest of the universe. And, at the risk of offending many, I’ll mention His name. Jesus.
Going back to when I was so naive, I wrote a song about worry and not worrying. The lyrics are below. And I want you to see if you find yourself in either part, the worry, or not worrying.
If you worry, do you understand why? And if you don’t worry, do you understand why not? Either way you choose to position yourself, there’s only one reason you’re even able to ponder the question. Because you were created with your very own brain. Any questions? Here are the lyrics to help you consider…
The PowerIf I sat down, and I took the time
To correct the lines and absorb them all,
I would sit in place for so long
That the hourglass would surely rust and fall.
But there is no need for me to worry.
I don’t need to see. And I don’t need to feel.
I might expect a change here and there,
But surely you must see,
Or at least you can feel
The power is higher and all we have to do is close our eyes.
If I stood still, and I counted days
And made up ways to collect them all.
I would never move
‘Cause there are no ways
I can save them all and take the time.
But there is no need for me to worry…
‘Cause the power is higher and all we have to do is close our eyes. © 1977-2017 TF
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I’ll tell you, right up front, it’s a metaphor for Heaven. And I didn’t come up with the metaphor because I had to. Because if someone told me I had to, I probably would’ve skipped the whole darn thing. Yeah, I guess I’m just one of those hardheaded writers who doesn’t want to be told how or what to write. So, I said all that to explain why I called the song Angel Café.
And I know you can see, right away, how it’s a metaphor for heaven. Right?After all, I’m sure you realize you can’t hang out at the Angel Café here on earth. So, a place with that name must be a place you’ll only be able to visit after you die.
Uh oh. I just did a quick search, online, and it turns out there IS an Angel Café right here on Earth. But I can tell you, with 99.99% certainty, that it’s not THE Angel Café. And I can say that confidently because first it appears to be in Turkey. And there ain’t no angels in Turkey. Second, it. was created by human beings from Turkey. And human beings are not, and never will be, angels.
Anyway…
THE Angel Café it’s just a pigment of my imagination. And because I thought it was a colorful and creative way to describe putting something off till it’s too late I wrote a song about it. I’ve shared the song here on my website (and on my podcast) before. But with the things that have happened in the past couple of months, and other things I’ve observed in my extended family, I thought it might bear repeating.
Is there something you should tell somebody that you keep putting off?Is there something you’d like to share with someone? Or maybe there’s something you wish they would tell you? Regardless, here’s the point. In case you never heard this before, you ain’t getting any younger. No one is.
One of these days, when you least expect it, in most cases, it’ll be too late to say what’s on your mind or get those questions answered. Once you breathe your last breath, all opportunities are lost. And that might be forever. Because you might be separated from that certain person forever.
So I encourage you, today (in fact, right now, if you can), to make and take an opportunity to say or ask what needs to be said or asked. Tomorrow will get here and turn into today. But you have absolutely NO guarantee you’ll still be here then. If the last two months have taught me anything, and they have, it’s that drastic changes can happen in the blink of an eye. I like the song says, don’t put off who you should get to today. Because you might not be able to meet up in the…
Angel CaféYou’ve already been to the mountain,
And you’ve taken your slice of the pie.
You’ve had your cool dips in the ocean;
Tied the knot with a prominent guy.
You work for and live in the good life,
And you’re blessed with the ol’ Midas’ touch.
But you’re not the girl I remember.
And I miss her so much.
You might recall all the tea and conversation.
We stayed up all night just to start it all again.
But now it’s all such a different situation.
You clocked me out just when you were clocking in.
Well time flies away.
Don’t put off who you should get to today.
Time flies away.
Don’t you wait till we meet in the angel café.
Don’t you wait till we meet in the angel café.
I watched as your world got so busy.
I felt all the edges get rough.
And I know you just want a secure life.
But, I ask, is it ever enough?
Is it worth just what it may cost you?
Are you willing to pay off the fine?
Just be wary of what you neglect here.
That’s my own bottom line. © 1992
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Ipecac. No, I’m not talking about the story of the headless horseman. I’m talking about syrup. And this ain’t from Aunt Jemima or even Cousin T’s.
Ipecac syrup is some kinda tough stuff.In fact, ipecac is what they use in medical situations (poisonings, etc.) to induce vomiting. So, obviously it’s not something your body needs or wants.
And yet, would you believe people have used it (and somebody probably is even as you read this) to look good? Well, sort of.
One famous example is Karen Carpenter, who died at the prime age of 32. She died of a cardiac arrest at her parent’s house on this day, February 4, back in 1983. And the coroner’s report listed the cause of death as “imbalances associated with anorexia nervosa.” Yeah, Karen used ipecac syrup to vomit so she could lose weight and look slim and good, according to her misguided standards.
What a sad story. And a sad loss. Because she was SO talented. In fact, she had one of the purest voices in pop music. Ever. Plus, she could even play drums so well that she was voted best rock drummer of 1975. Go figure.
Karen, and her brother Richard, better known as The Carpenters, won Grammy awards for best song and best performance by a pop duo, for We’ve Only Just Begun, in 1971. They won the Grammy for best album of the year again in 1972. And they won the American Music Awards best pop duo in 1975. They were also nominated for lots of other awards. Back when awards weren’t some weird freak show.
Yeah, looks can deceive.Because soon after their first awards and successes in 1970 Karen’s self image problems started. And they never really went away until she finally did in 1983.
It’s a little bit ironic that someone who appeared to have a heart to help and please others would die from ipecac syrup which destroys the heart muscles.
If you’ve never heard Karen sing, do yourself a favor today. Watch her sing “Superstar.” You can see it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJmmaIGiGBg
Check out what the world lost because of a low self-image problem. And I hope it inspires you to trust in God’s view of you instead of your own. Because once life on Earth is done the next phase is forever.
UnderstandingIt isn’t always easy.
It isn’t always hard.
The choice is yours to play
The winning or losing card.
It isn’t always visible.
It isn’t always hidden.
There is a light so beautiful,
You’ll think that it’s forbidden.
Oh, I believe in understanding,
In understanding each other.
Sooner or later you’ll find the key,
The key to the heart of your brother.
It isn’t always peaceful.
It isn’t always loud.
Sometimes you find yourself alone.
Sometimes you’re in a crowd.
It isn’t always happy.
It isn’t always sad,
And with a little understanding…
It isn’t always bad.
© 1978
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Twenty-six years ago I remember hearing somebody say how corrupt our government has become. And they said it felt like people who want to stand up for truth, justice, and the American way (to quote from the old Superman TV show) just face impossible odds. Of course, it can feel like that. These days it can feel like that way more than back then. But I mentioned, then, and I’ll say it again. There’s an easy cure. But it appears to be WAY too difficult for most people on the planet.
The easy cure is to put your faith in the one who created you.Now just because it’s an easy cure doesn’t mean there won’t be any problems for anyone who does that. In fact, as you probably well know, people who dare call themselves Christians are seeing persecution all around the world.
If you know someone who’s facing a steep uphill battle right now, be sure to encourage them with more than just saying the words, “I’ll pray for you.” Tell them you’ll be glad to do whatever you can to help them. And follow up the words with action. Because you might be their answer from God. You might be how He helps them face…
Impossible OddsYou say you’re feeling empty and it doesn’t go away.
And you live for your tomorrow and suffer in today.
You need to blow your trumpet to tear down all the walls
And keep your heart wide open to hear God when He calls.
You say you don’t believe me and you couldn’t be that sure.
Why do you want to shiver when there’s such an easy cure?
Just wrap your faith around you and keep your hope alive.
And soon you’ll see your answer on golden wings arrive.
You can’t begin the day; it’s impossible.
You don’t know what to say; it’s impossible.
And so you seem to pray to impossible gods.
But let God take a turn; it’s possible.
To make that image burn; it’s possible
You still could overturn impossible odds.
So you drink from human water and you taste the bitterness.
And you listen to their words, but you’re hearing even less.
The solution can’t be found here with the wave of any hand.
You can rise out of your ashes if you live the High command.
Chorus…inst…repeat chorus and end
© 1999 Tony Funderburk
Now, maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, let’s change that. Get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the FunderFlash Journal. And bask in daily, delightful flashes of light from the power of God’s love.
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The anchors, the weather and sports reporters, the investigative reporters, and the editorialists all talked a blue streak night after night. So, it was ironic when Theo felt something like the stroke of a paintbrush across his heart. Because it wasn’t the same feeling as a physical paintbrush stroke.
It was more like a blue streak of cool light.And it happened as he listened to a late night, local talkshow host talk about something in the Bible. But the host didn’t sound like a preacher. He sounded more like a reporter who related current events to verses in the Bible. And every time he pointed out another truth, it tore away another layer of darkness from Theo’s eyes. The truth sort of pierced right into him like a needle in the hand of skilled nurse. No pain.
So, night after night, Theo would tune in. And night after night he’d hear more truth that he hadn’t heard from churches and other religious organizations. Plus, the talk show host included hilarious entertainment by taking calls from people, all around the country, who disagreed with him.
Theo noticed a pattern form. Many people from all around the country clearly despised the talk show host. And most of them could only express their contempt for him with insults and complaints. They refused to believe the words he read, directly from the Bible, were actually words in the Bible. Because, like me, they also hadn’t heard those messages in church. Or from any Christians they knew.
So, Theo tuned in to the show, for months. He couldn’t find any points of contention or disagreement with the talk show host.
And he enjoyed how the host ended his shows with “Do right. And risk the consequences.”
Then, one day, after watching a particularly entertaining episode of the show, Theo’s brain lit up with some lyrics. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. Theo’s an excellent songwriter. So, he wrote down the words, editing as he wrote (because that’s the best way). And he twiddled around with some chords and progressions as he ironed out the verses and chorus.
I’ll bet you can see why his first line was…“There’s a blue streak like a paintbrush stroke through my heart.”
Right? You picked up on that whole connection I’ll betcha. And I bet you get this next line, too.
“It’s a cool light and it tears the darkness apart.”
How about it? The lyrics make a lotta sense, since you read a little bit of the backstory. Can I get an Amen? So, any guesses on the next line? Try these next two lines:
“I’m so near it; though it pierces me I don’t fear it.
Like a needle; the Word sews into my spirit.”
I don’t know about you, but that gave me goosebumps. OK, maybe little goslingbumps. But I really enjoy observing a maestro’s mind at work.
Well, I’ve been writing up a blue streak about this story. So, I’m not gonna share the whole rest of the laborious and intense songwriting process with you. But you can rest assured, Theo included the line, “Do right and risk the consequences.”
You know what you should Do Right now?Go get your own digital download of the Do Right Songbook Journal. And when you get your own copy, you’ll get all the lyrics to ALL the songs. Not just this Do Right song I wrote about.
Plus, there are tons of pages where you can journal, take notes in church, or just doodle if you prefer. AND you can download ALL the songs (at no extra charge) from a secret (not secret) link in the book.
Just go to the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop and get yours today.
https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/rhyme-and-reason-bookshop
Let me know if you have any problems getting the book. I’ll make sure you get it! Till next time…
Stay tuned…
P.S. If you already have your copy of this classic music, refer the link to someone else. Thanks!
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“It has a very hypnotic groove, a samba, which has a tremendous hypnotic power, rather like good dance music. It doesn’t speed up or slow down. It keeps this constant groove. Plus, the actual samba rhythm is a great one … Read the rest
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It was fifteen years ago, next month, that some friends of mine attempted to put together and display the largest protest sign ever. The event took place in Golden, Colorado (near Denver) to send a message to the Democratic National … Read the rest
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Imagination can be an awesome and powerful force. But it can be used for good OR evil. So, it can also be a hypocritical and destructive force. You can imagine yourself flying, on your own power, over the clouds and … Read the rest
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What do these words have in common: abstruse, Delphic, incomprehensible, indecipherable, inexplicable, oracular, paradoxical, recondite, and unfathomable. According to the dictionary, they’re all synonyms of enigmatic. Sounds like I’m about to give a language lesson. But I’m not. This is … Read the rest
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Tucson, Arizona. Central New Mexico. Music. Moonlight. Dan Fogelberg. Storytelling. All parts of “the road” from a long time ago. And, early this morning, I thought about an incredible, singular experience I had during a full moon drive. Strangely enough, … Read the rest
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I worked in a disco. Yep. It’s true. I was a bartender. And I also worked as what they called a “floorwalker.” That was one of the guys who (you guess it) walked around the floor to make sure they … Read the rest
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Huey shared the news back in the 80’s. Jennifer Rush wrote about it back in 1984. And Céline Dion repeated Jennifer’s message in 1994. That message was about the power of love. And people evidently were open to the idea. … Read the rest
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This week, back in 1979, I lived and worked in Houston, Texas. My brother and I had established ourselves as one of the more popular music duos. And we had fans we could depend on to come see us as … Read the rest
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A long, catchy melody line is a thing of beauty. And, for the most part, it’s a thing of the past. Pop music, in almost every genre, tends to seek out a vowel and repeat it over and over these … Read the rest
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Maybe you already know that Kenny Loggins has a brother named Danny. And if you do, then you probably already know that Kenny wrote “Danny’s Song” for his brother as a gift for the birth of his brother’s son. And … Read the rest
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It would be a bit of a stretch to say I can see very well. At least, without my glasses, it would be a stretch. And even though I’m more vision-challenged now than when I was younger, my eyesight was … Read the rest
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According to search engine “suggestions,” a very popular search term is “Kanye West net worth.” And sadly, for the hip-hop rapper, it’s way less than it was. Poor dude is only worth about $400 million now. But don’t worry. Because … Read the rest
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Let’s see. There was one bassist. Three cellists. Three violinists. And one pianist. Yeah, that about covers it. An eight-piece ensemble that started out, in second class, as a three-piece ensemble and a five-piece ensemble. Second class were their accommodations. … Read the rest
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95 years ago, today, October 6, a quirky little guy said, “”Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothing yet.” And the crowd went wild. You probably already know I’m talking about Al Jolson. And you probably already … Read the rest
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Hey, you know what would be a lotta fun? Let’s talk about the evolution of music. Are you with me? But let’s don’t do it in my boring musician way. Let’s start with a discussion about it I found on … Read the rest
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Bob Dylan said it. So, it must be true right? He talked about how you gotta serve somebody. In fact, in one of his songs, he sang “you’re gonna have to serve somebody” quite a few times. So, he must … Read the rest
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🎶 People get ready. There’s a train a-coming. You don’t need no baggage. You just get on board. All you need is faith to hear the diesels humming. Don’t need no ticket. You just thank the Lord. 🎶 Yeah, those are lyrics to the old Curtis … Read the rest
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John Lennon, that slightly famous Beatles guy, once said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. And I actually think he might’ve been taken a little out of context by reporters and fans at the time. Because I’ve checked into … Read the rest
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Ode to Joy is a musical and spiritual alloy. Even if Ludwig didn’t mean it that way. And of course, I’m talking about Beethoven’s Symphony #9. Or at least a section of it. If you wanna give your brain a … Read the rest
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He said he had a dream where he heard Mexican trumpets. And I guess that’s how they became such a recognizable part of his hit song, “Ring of Fire.” In fact, it went to number 1 on March 25, 1963. … Read the rest
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Older and wiser. They should go together like sourdough bread and grass fed butter. But they don’t always. Especially in town of Ignoraville, on Mount Wealthscape, in the land of Rebelaphant. Sadly, most of the residents of Rebelephant aren’t older … Read the rest
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Yacht rock. Of course, I had no idea I was listening to music from that genre. And that’s mainly because it wasn’t called yacht rock at the time. Plus, to be completely transparent on this matter (as is the odd … Read the rest
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I remember a young lady telling me about The Joshua Tree when I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico back in 1987. I was booked there for two weeks, and she and couple of other friends asked me if I’d heard … Read the rest
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I just read an article on Don Gibson, a songwriter from the 50’s and 60’s. And it said he sat down one hot, summer day, in 1958, and wrote two songs. “Oh Lonesome Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” … Read the rest
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In 1981 I joined a popular trio, in Atlanta, Georgia. They added me as their drummer, and all four of us sang. So, we had some nice 4 part harmonies. And I remember how their fans enjoyed our rendition of … Read the rest
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