THE CYCLE OF LIFE - ENTIRE SERIES PARTS 1 THRU 8

[Mike Pell]

Here is some of a back and forth between RJ and I, regarding a series I did- The Cycle Of Life- and he suggested I put it out here.
He had asked me about my disappearing in a huff one time.
And yes, it is true- I did quit radio for a while over this and some other things.
Possibly a couple of more people will listen to the series, cause I still feel not enough did, lol!
Maybe next I’ll put up the other tipping point series, Money & The Financial Crisis, another somewhat neglected one in my attempts to present music in a different way.
Enjoy…I hope!
Your humble Professor, lol,
Mike

Dear RJ,
The Financial Crisis was about the most political I ever got on the radio.
It is good and I am proud of it.
Before that, and in combination with the Financial shows, I did get disgusted after I did my most ambitious project ever- The Cycle Of Life!
It was 8 parts, and went from pre-birth to after-death.
I thought it was as smart as anything had been on the radio, and I was disappointed at the lack of response and listeners to it.
So much so, I quit for about a month and a half!!
That's the story on that, plus I was going through a rough time with my brother.
I had to get away for a while.
Now I realize even more how much I appreciate the smart people who do listen to my Rockollections and get what it is I do.
Radio is horribly stupid nowadays, and I refuse to talk down to the listeners and I will continue to present things in a more scholarly fashion.
I respect my intelligent listeners- I just had to realize there aren't that many of them, they are a cult, lol!

Here are the 8 links, for The Cycle Of Life:

Part 1
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1668


Part 2
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1669


Part 3
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1673


Part 4
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1674


Part 5
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1678


Part 6
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1680


Part 7
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1681


Part 8
http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1684



Thanks,
Mike

[Mike Pell]

Dear RJ,
See, now you call it a great series, and I felt the same way.
So you can understand my disappointment that it was not greeted by and with more listeners/
It was the beginning of my thinking that doing what I thought was epic just wasn't worth it any more.
People didn't care about "thinking", it was too much of a chore.
But I've made peace with that, and I'll take the handful of people who like what I do over any larger audience.
I won't change!
"And When I Die" by Blood, Sweat and Tears and "Til I Die" by The Beach Boys" were good choices, and glad you dug them.
Clapton's "Tears In Heaven" is unimaginably sad to me.
I agree that it must be the most painful thing a parent can experience, losing a child, when in the normal course of life parents are supposed to go first.
I am sure he would have gladly switched places.
I haven't heard the new album by him, so that makes two of us.
I am real pleased to have introduced you to "Lost Another One" by Graham Nash- another song that fell through the cracks in today's radio shame.
I have repeatedly acknowledged George & John's passing over the years- and they too are available for listening at WLSO.
I would think I have played "Empty Garden" by Elton John.
I call Elton John the Official Mourner of Rock & Roll, lol!

I'm officially finished with the Cycle Of Life (hopefully just the show, not the real thing).

Whew, glad to hear that!
Wouldn't want to lose my best listener, lol!
Keep cycling my friend,
Mike

[Mike Pell]

Dear RJ,
The series had to get sad, as old age is sad, a winding down of a life.
Neil Young's "Old Man" is a classic, the lyrics are beautiful.
Hymn I wasn't familiar with until someone sent it to me and it fit in nicely.
And hey my opening with the Beatles was genius...no, lol?
John Prine's Hello In There has grown more and more meaningful to me over the years.
What a nice story you told about that old job and the old couple.
That does fit right in with the wife still loving and taking care of her husband in Steve Goodman's version of the Dutchman- there are others, see if you can Cashman & West doing it.
I can easily see how you would automatically think of them.
That call to them would be a generous gesture, and no doubt they would love hearing from you.

Thanks Mike, sometimes a song just speaks to you.


I know precisely what you mean.
It happened to me quite a few times during that Cycle Of Life series.
You are rapidly becoming my favorite listener, lol,
Mike

[Mike Pell]

Oh wait, now I understand what you mean.
I got ya!
Mike

[Mike Pell]

Dear RJ,
That Child's Song by Tom Rush blew me away when I first heard it- came along at just the right time in my life.
And Old by Paul Simon is from a sadly neglected CD- damn radio nowadays!
Sometimes I feel if I don't play them no one will.
Well it was Havens, don't think Van has ever done it but that would be very interesting.
Hey a great point, Johnny Cash would have done that Fred Neil song brilliantly- in his last days he recorded tons of songs, I'll have to check, maybe hi did do it.
You know, the most famous version of The Other Side Of This Life was done by Jefferson Airplane, good friends of Fred Neil.
They also dedicated two songs to him- The Ballad of You And Me And Pooneil from After Bathing at Baxters, and The House At Pooneil Corners from Crown Of Creation.
And one final note, while there are some of us who know quite a few other songs by him, the most famous song Fred wrote was Everybody's Talkin', the hit by Nilsson from the movie Midnight Cowboy!
Is the song "Too Old To R&R, Too Young To Die" a Jethro Tull song?
Yes it is.
Lost me here though, not sure what you mean, you covered all the songs.

Since I completely missed the other two, I figured I had better ask

Nice corresponding with you, lol,
Mike

[Mike Pell]

Dear RJ,
Oh alright, Growing Up, yeah that's a great song by Bruce.
I knew I played a couple from him and got confused.
You don't usually have to tell me the song, I know because the shows are most times recent, and I don't normally put up 8 parts at one time, lol!
Big names, small names, whatever strikes my fancy and fits the topic.
So you have that Springsteen album, but you also have me to bring songs to your attention, lol!
That Harry Chapin song strikes a lot of people, and you should act on that with your father.
And happy to introduce you to Martha Trachtenberg, I think that one is a real beauty.
Isn't this a fun, smart way to listen to music?
Songs that are related in some manner, and when played in a certain order give them all a greater meaning!
Thanks for the listen and those great comments I can look forward to,
Mike

[RJhog (Admin)]

Part 8:

What a great series Mike. Please feel free to post the Financial Crisis series on Classic Rock Bottom. That's the next one I want to tackle.

"And When I Die" by Blood, Sweat and Tears was cool. Same with "Til I Die" by The Beach Boys".

Clapton's "Tears In Heaven" is extremely sad, and I can say that loosing a child must be the most difficult thing on earth to endure. I pray that I never have to face that. But on a brighter note, Mr. Clapton has a new album out. I just bought it yesterday but have not listened to it as of yet.

My favorite song you played today was new to me, and that's "Lost Another One" by Graham Nash. That is one tremendous song. And the fact that it's about the death of George Harrison made me think of another song that would have fit there nicely, "Empty Garden" by Elton John. Of course, that made me think of "Candle In The Wind" by Elton John, which amazingly, has been a hit in 3 different decades.

I'm officially finished with the Cycle Of Life (hopefully just the show, not the real thing).

[RJhog (Admin)]

Part 7:

I agree with Matt, the series is getting a little sad, but that's natural based on the subject matter. I absolutely love Neil Young's "Old Man". That is a beautiful tune. "Hymn" by the ladies was nice as well.

The final 4 songs were equally nice, but the one that spoke to me the most was Steve Goodman's "The Dutchman". Wow, that is so heavy to me. I have a friend who is an older lady whose husband has Alzheimer's Disease. I met her through the pharmacy that I worked at a few years back. She does everything for him. She would bring him into the pharmacy and sit him down and do her shopping while waiting on prescriptions. He never moved. But everytime I walked by him, I spoke and shook his hand. He always spoke back and returned the handshake. But he never knew who I was. I've lost touch as I have been gone from that job for a little over 4 years. This song has made me think of those two wonderful folks and I will call her this week.

Thanks Mike, sometimes a song just speaks to you.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Part 6:

This was a "sounds like" show for me. I'll explain later.

I loved the first 3 songs. "Child song" by Tom Rush (never heard), "Old" by Paul Simon (never heard) and one I have heard, "Touch Of Grey" by The Grateful Dead (possibly a couple of mis-spellings there). The Paul Simon song was freaky good. I loved the little history lesson abouth the age of the earth and God.

Now, for my first comment. I could have sworn that "Younger Men Get Older" was Van Morrison, not Richie Havens. Also, the Fred Neal song (The Other Side Of This Life) sounds like it would be a great Johnny Cash song.

And finally, sort of in this same category, is the song "Too Old To R&R, Too Yound To Die" a Jethro Tull song? Since I completely missed the other two, I figured I had better ask.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Part 5:

Hey Mike, first off I want to clear up the Springsteen song that I said I like from the previous show. It was "Growing Up", which you said was from his first album. When I listen, I jot down artists names that you play that I like, but I guess I should change that to song names, 'cause I can't expect you to remember everything you played yesterday, much less 6 months ago. So I'll change that up starting today.

You have some big names on this show (Springsteen, Chapin, Cat Stevens and The Beatles). Again, I really like the Springsteen song "Walk Like A Man". And I actually have that CD but haven't spent any time with it.

"Cats In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin may be the saddest song I've ever heard. It reminds me that I don't see my father nearly enough, and we live in the same city. That's ridiculous on my part and I have to change that before it's too late.

And I agree that "I Choose You" by Martha Trachtenberg is a very nice song, and you are correct, I've never heard it. But I have now, so thanks for that.

[Mike Pell]

Dear RJ,
Wow, wonderful eh?
And a playlist all killer!
I thank you sir.
Glad you got past the Wedding Song by Paul Stookey- sorry but I wasn't at your wedding, lol!
And VERY glad you are happy now!
Probably a bunch of people were annoyed at me for playing that one, lol!
Carly Simon is not only a great singer but one of my favorite songwriters.
Now the Springsteen song, I am getting confused, do you mean Walk Like A Man?
I gotta listen to this series again, lol!
Thanks so much for the nice words,
Mike