As I started writing this column, I had the unoriginal idea to make it about gratitude. I’m thankful for so much, from the unconditional love of my family to a job I love to residents who make this job worthwhile. But I wondered what the music world has said about thanking you?
We have Led Zeppelin, thankful in a sappy way:
If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me
And Dido. Although the chorus is thankful, the verse doesn’t seem all that grateful:
My tea’s gone cold, I’m wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
And I can’t see at all
And even if I could, it’d all be gray
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it’s not so bad
It’s not so bad
There’s Alanis, who pretty much thanks everything in her diary:
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
And Ariana Grande, who didn’t sing a Pulitzer-winner here:
Thank you, next (next)
Thank you, next (next)
Thank you, next
I’m so grateful for my ex
For my money, I’ll take Sly and the Family Stone. I was lucky enough to hear Larry Graham sing Sly’s words with Prince at the old Civic Arena in 1997:
Flamin’ eyes of people fear, burnin’ into you
Many men are missin’ much, hatin’ what they do
Youth and truth are makin’ love
Dig it for a starter
Dyin’ young is hard to take
Sellin’ out is harder
Thank you falettinme be mice elf agin
I want to thank you falettinme be mice elf agin
Thank you falettinme be mice elf agin
Thank you falettinme be mice elf agin
It’s so good that it echoed decades later in Hamilton, with George Washington warning a young Alexander: “Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder.” I don’t think anything is better than people who want you to truly be yourself.
As you’re thumbing through this issue, I hope you’re as grateful as I am, for the staff, sales reps and freelancers who spend hours every week creating Mt. Lebanon Magazine. My thanks also go to our advertisers, some of whom have been with us since the beginning. Their ad dollars give you lots of ideas for products and services, and those same ads cover the majority of the cost every issue.
I hope this Thanksgiving, you get to dance to the music. Thank you again, Sly!