I have a very long commute for my next project, so I am incessantly channel surfing to while away the hour-plus drive to the theatre. It's a nasty habit, but I bore easily. So this afternoon, on my way home, I happened upon some station that was playing an oldie but goodie that I fondly remembered from my youth: the O'Jay's 'Love Train'.
Flash back to the chaotic 70s- apart from the economic recession and the gas woes, we were still in the midst of the Vietnam War and the Cold War. There was the Yom Kippur War and the shift from modern secularism to Islamic fundamentalism in Iran, including the Hostage Crisis. We had the Indo/Pakistani War, and Idi Amin's brutal reign in Uganda.
The longest, most divisive conflict was the Vietnam War which, as it dragged on into the 70s, spawned a slew of anti-war tunes from Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On?' to Cat Steven's, pre-Islamic 'Peace Train'. All great songs, regardless of your politics or your stance on that particular war, or any other war for that matter.
Flash forward to 2008, and nothing much has changed. We are in what some people claim is a recession, our gas price woes have tripled, and there is even more chaos in this world then there was back then. Global conflicts abound, the problems in the Middle East have skyrocketed, Russia is poised to create another Cold War, and China is, well- China. Nothing much changed there.
As we continue to live in a world at war, a world that seems unable to embrace anything other than disharmony and discord, those songs about peace will continue to resonate as much today as they did back then. And although there are those who are so enmeshed in lives full of hate, or greed, or so full of desire for power that they've somehow lost their humanity, I still believe, at the core of most civilized beings, is an unquenchable thirst for peace; a desire to live in harmony with our neighbours.
Listening to 'Love Train' again, after all these years, was disarming in some ways. Most of the countries mentioned are the same ones we are having problems with today. But what I like most about the song is its simplistic, implied message: that love can conquer all.
So in the words of the O'Jay's "People all over the world, join in, start a love train, love train."
6 comments:
I think that Man's lust for power and fortune and his yearning for freedom has always and ever will cause him to be in conflict.
BTW, I can't stand adds on the radio either, which is something that there's no shortage of during drive-time. My seek button is already showing signs of wear.
love may conquer all. or some may say love stinks. i guess it depends on who ya ask!!!.....good post!! we now have a clue of what the playlist may be on incog's i-pod shuffle!!!
that was a great O Jays tune Incog!..peace ?..not likely with jeehadists gaining power!
That song is sure a blast from the past! I love it still, just the smiles it brings back from my wayward youth! Thanks!
DANNY: Sadly you are right...and man is always in conflict about something. The ads bore me, but it's also the song choices. I mostly listen to jazz.. but get sick of hearing the same thing over and over.
PATJ: :-) Oh peej.. but 'tis true. actually, don't own an Ipod, yet.. but I did just sign up with itunes and 'tis not on my playlist. :-)
WOMAN: It's fun.. and yes, higly unlikely.
KAREN: Isn't it?! I think we are contemporaries so we would have listened to the same music.
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