It appears that our nation has collectively lost its mind.
Every time I go on Twitter or facebook, someone is protesting something. Disagreement has turned into disorder. Discussion no longer appears to exist.
Posts have gone from social updates of family and friends to the promotion of everyone’s individual social justice platform.
Whatever happened to the belief to “Never discuss religion and politics in public” practiced by our parents and grandparents?
I must confess. I am probably as guilty as everyone else.
So, I decided to go from surfing social media to listening to FM classic rock. It takes me back; back to a time when people had to actually talk to one another to communicate — a time, for me, when America was actually great. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
Sam and Dave’s classic “Soul Man” came on the radio this afternoon when I was driving and I started to reflect on the very first time I heard the song.
It didn’t come from the R&B duo. It was through the vocals of two actor/comedians, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, via their soul-filled fraternal alter egos, Jake and Elwood Blues.
What started out as a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live quickly became a media franchise which included two movies and 14 albums — and countless cover-bands followed, like the one from my high school Alma Mater, the legendary Lindy Blues Brothers.
While listening to Sam and Dave, I started to reflect on the first film. It’s heart and soul. It’s iconic cast.
For many of us suburban, white kids, spoon-fed Top-40 by Casey Kasem and Dick Clark, it was the first time we saw musical performances by Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker — and we liked what we saw.
More so, we liked the way we felt.
In religion and theology, a revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities.
In a way, this was more than a movie. It was a revelation.
Through supernatural communication, the Blue Brothers Movie revealed a form of knowledge of America that we never had before – and that supernatural conduit was Soul.
In turn, it gave all of us a sense of the true spirit of America. Oh yeah, we also laughed our butts off!
We need that again!
We need to regain our soul and learn how to laugh again!
We need another Blue Brothers Movie.
James Henry is the author of Corporation YOU: A Business Plan for the Soul, ‘Twas, and the new book series Hail Mary. To contact James or book an interview, please contact Mark of Goldman/McCormick PR at (516) 639-0988 or Mark@goldmanmccormick.com.
P.S.
If the above never happens, then we should, at least, consider another supernatural dimension. May I recommend The 5th Dimension.
Corporation YOU 