Facing
the “Monarch, Fear's Dominion” with Song
Much of the literature I used to
teach featured the hero 's dealing with real or imagined fears. Poe,
from whom I stole my title, was a master at creating horrifying
misadventures. Read “The Mask of the Red Death” which has real parallels
with today's invasion of the virus catchers. And the bard's famous
“Tragedy of Macbeth” presents perhaps the quintessential horror show of
all time. Macbeth conquered his fear by “wading” into it until he had
“almost forgot the taste of fear”.
Gene Pinkney – 5/27/20 - For The Daily News
So, knowing what a
devastating havoc cowering in fear can create, I'd like to offer up a
few cures for the disease of fear which I have extracted from songs I
used to hear when I was growing up back in the “old” days: Walt Disney
gave us “Whenever I feel afraid/ I lift my head erect/ And whistle a
happy tune/ So no one will suspect I'm afraid.” That was either Jimminy
Cricket or Johnny Apple Seed.” (I 'm
not on line and my cell phone is primitive so I'm operating pretty much
from memory, so please forgive an occasional miss-quote, or is that
mister?)
I also think of Rosemary
Cloony, (George's aunt's) remedy for fear: “When I'm worried/ And I
can't sleep/ I count my blessings/ Instead of sheep/ And I go to sleep/
Counting my blessings”
Or how about, “Get Your hat
and get your coat/ Leave your worries on the door-step/ Just direct your
feet/ To the Sunny Side of the Street.”Thanks Satchmo!”
And then there's “Powder your
face with sunshine/ Put on a great big smile/ Wake up the world with
laughter/ Folks will be laughing with you / In a little while/ Powder
your face with sunshine? Gloom never was in style/ The futures brighter/
When things are lighter/ so Smile, smile. Smile,” (You must remember the
great Al Jolson!) all his stuff is so up beat!
And, if you feel like
traveling, “Get your hat and get your coat/ Leave your worries on the
door-step/ Just direct your feet/ To the sunny side of the street.” “If
I never had a dime/ I'd be rich a Rockefeller/ Rainbows at my feet/ On
the sunny side of the street.” Jimmy Durante's version is my favorite.
There's also, from way back
there, “When you're smiling/ When you're smiling/ The whole world smiles
with you/ When you laughing / when you're laughing/ The sun comes
shining through/ “Cause when you're frowning'/ You bring on the rain/ So
keep on smiling/ Be happy again/ Keep on smiling. “Cause when you're
smiling / The Whole world smiles with you.” (except; perhaps at
WalMart--”Who was that masked man? I wanted to thank him.” As long as
we're keeping our distance, we may as well smile. These days only one
out of ten smiles back. The fear is getting almost tangible in some
places. And that means that demon spirit of fear is winning the battle.
There's a beautiful scripture
in the KJV Bible that offer's real Hope (confident expectation of good.)
“Perfect Love casts out fear.” Many a loving mother has made the
attacker run defending the child she loves. And since “God is love.”
Calling on Him when your back is against the wall brings amazing “help
in time of need.” See, “We have not been given a spirit of fear, But of
Power, Love and a sound mind.” Paul and Silas, in prison and faced with
almost certain death, simply started singing about and praising Jesus,
and the prison doors blew off and all the prisoners and even the guards
were saved.
So, the advice above is not
just wistful nostalgia. Happy songs are a real escape from today's
terror attack. We can help by praying for, not attacking the people in
charge who are trying to lead us out of the trouble. “The Accuser,”
Satan revels in seeing us magnify the problem by talking fear. Talk
Faith, and Hope and Love. Then the clouds will depart and, sings Little
Orphan Annie, The Son will come out—tomorrow.”
Thomas Hardy described
perfectly those who live in doubt and “unhope,” in his poem “Wessex
Heights” “They sit about at places/ And say harsh heavy things/ Men with
a wintery sneer/ And women with tart disparagings.” None of us want to
join that crowd—they sound too much like a lot of the bitchy scribes
whose columns I usually skip. You know the ones I mean: they usually
feature a picture of a guy with a suspicious glower pasted on his face,
which seems to tacitly say, “I've been watching you, and I know every
dastardly sin you've ever perpetrated.” That's usually followed by a
parade of clich’ed talking points, floating in a swamp of name calling,
unsupported accusations, red herrings, and insinuations. Just the sort
of tripe too many politicians love to wallow in. They do seem to agree
upon one thing—if we can't debate the message, lets at least completely
assassinate that guy's character. I think the voting public is pretty
fed up with politicizing, (That's a Bill Clinton euphemism for twisting
the truth) That's probably why they elected a business man to lead the
country over a career politician, and I think our governor is doing very
well also. Doug Bergum's another guy that hasn't perfected the art of of
“the fiend that lies like truth,” equivocating. He speaks earnestly and
from the heart.
But, as I was going to say
“when truth broke in with all it's matter-of-factness” about
politicians: We can do ourselves a world of good if we “put on a happy
face” and with Mother Maybell Carter “Look on the sunny side of life.”
Some of that “old time” and bluegrass music isn't always “high and
lonesome” They did a lot of joyful clogging too --- Still love ya, Bill
Monroe.
edited html update 08-13-2021
