Don’t Ever Take My Music Away!

Last Sunday I had the privilege to say a few words at the 17th annual Cape May County Elementary and Junior High Honors Choir held at The Performing Arts Center in Court House. My first order of business was to introduce the choir director, the awesomely talented June Camizzi. June to me is a dedicated and remarkable young woman who puts her heart and soul into everything she does.
It has been a true gift to have her working with us here at The Lighthouse Church as a deaconess in the area of worship these last years. I love to say that June is busting out all over wherever she goes and she leaves a positive song and refreshing breeze in the soul when she leaves!
June also gave me my second order of business of the day, which was to say a few words about the importance of music in the lives and education of young people. She also strongly reminded me that I only had five to seven minutes to wax eloquently about a subject I could literally spend hours upon. For I do believe in music just as much as I believe in love.
I was blown away by the talent that was gathered upon that stage. I also commend the variety of tunes they chose to entertain us with. As a matter of fact, as a young lady named Elizabeth sang a solo from the great Broadway classic, The Sound of Music, I was inspired to write some lyrics of my own to the tune of My Favorite Things and I opened up singing them during brief but passionate remarks to everyone assembled at the PAC.
You may sing along with me if you choose to. My words went something like this:
“Broadway and Gospel and all those great Jingles…
Playing my records- those 45 singles…
The Beach Boys in Summer- Buddy Holly in Spring…
These are a few of my favorite things…
The ballads at midnight that ‘make a me cry ahhh…’
The wonderful classics like Handel’s Messiah…
Sinatra at Christmas- whatever he sings…
These are a few of my favorite things…”
If I had my way, life would be a musical. Just think if we could break out in song whenever we wanted to and all those around us would croon along with us as background singers. Hey Elvis did it, why can’t we? Next time I’m in Acme, I just may try it. Something tells me that life would take on a whole lot more meaning and joy if we could just add a daily soundtrack to the goings on all around us.
As a matter of fact, I shared with the choir that one of my only regrets about my school days was that I didn’t try out for the lead of Tony in the local production of West Side Story. Sadly, those days are passed as I guess now all I could play would be Tony’s grandfather. I allowed the whole “What if I don’t make it” thought to prevent me from going for it. I challenged the kids to rethink my negative to become their positive and focus on the “What if I do make it! At least I know I tried!”
I couldn’t make it without music. I personally have music on from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed at night. And if you want to know why so many of us love to have music on when we are doing our work, one only needs to go back to the Bible to read that our Creator himself had the angels singing all the while he was designing and putting this earth and all of us together. God put it right in our wiring and DNA. I love going to the dentist just to hear Dr. Thomas serenade me. Like it or not, we were all destined to add some music to our day. Do you have the radio on as we speak?
I cringe when I hear educational leaders talk about removing music from school curriculum. I have to be honest with you. I can’t remember squat about what happened in Geometry class, a subject everyone assured me that I would need for the rest of my life. All I recall of Geometry is how it used to make my headache. But I will never forget how my music teacher had tears in her eyes back in 1970 when she was sharing her love and passion over a new Simon and Garfunkle song called Bridge Over Troubled Waters. I know every word to that tune and it has comforted me on many a lonely night through the years.
Take away music and you cease feeding the soul. God has given us the sounds of melodies to help us put up and survive all of the disharmony around us. On the day after 9/11 back in 2001, I went to New York City to offer my assistance as a member of the clergy. I remember how the city that never sleeps felt like it had been sucker punched in the gut and literally lay there trying to catch its breath again.
Tears were flowing everywhere. Hope was so hard to find. It was like we were wandering around in the dark. What saved the day? It was a talented young lady who brought her cello out to the streets and began to play the notes of life in the midst of death. Everyone stopped in their tracks. Everyone came together to sing along with her precious gift given to all of us. Only music can reach into the darkest of places. Only music can speak to us when mere words only fall on deaf ears. And then I think about some budget minded official thinking about removing music, God forbid.
It was only appropriate that the Honors Choir finished up with the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” For only a song like that could transform the black and white drabness of a Kansas farm where the only highlight of the day is helping Uncle Henry and Auntie Em count chicks and turn it into a mystical, magical, and colorful wonderland called Oz.
Music keeps us believing that far, far away, behind the moon, and beyond the clouds there is a pot of gold for those who never stop choosing to sing. So I wish that every song you sing today be your favorite tune. I wish you music to cry with, to dance with, to fly with and to make romance with.
“And when I heard about passion that was singing to me about a love of a fashion that I never heard anywhere else; that’s when I said, ‘got to get some of that for myself…’ You are beautiful, beautiful music.” Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful music. And thank you kids for not being afraid to learn it and then share it.