Topic: Another Life
James Maddock – Another Life
Hi everyone and welcome back to Psych ‘n’ Roll Radio. We’ve been off line for over a month mainly to revamp the website and make it more user friendly. Songs, videos and other attractions will be available at a keystroke and you won’t have to leave the site. It’ll all be here. Psych ‘n’ Roll Radio will now have another life.
It’s been a rough winter in my neck of the woods — the northeast, specifically Long Island– and many of us have wished for another life: time in warm weather, a chance to be outside and breathe the fresh air, mornings without seeing a blizzard outside the window. “Another Life” is our theme and it’s about dreams for the future, desire for new and different things other than the routine you and I have lived with for whatever many years.
I chose James Maddock’s song first because I attended another one of his concerts (with Willy Nile) and he led off his set with this song. It’s wonderfully upbeat, optimistic, and deals with the subject of change in a beautifully, lyrical way.
We all dream of another life. We all have one part of us a prisoner and one part free. Some of us are blessed to be doing what we’ve always wanted. For me, I wanted to work in psychology, help people through the psychotherapy process and do it in creative and enjoyable ways for myself and my clients. Over forty years, I’ve accomplished this goal. But there was always a part of me knocking on the prison door wanting to get out. The writer-artist , the creative part of me wanted expression. With a profession and a family it wasn’t always easy to let that spirit out, not until recently. It was then that novel writing and this wonderful blog came into fruition.
Maddock’s lyrics are easy to identify with: “But there’s a side of me. One part a prisoner and one part free. There’s only so much a man can be. We all want another life.”
Let’s not call it a bucket list ( don’t like the “gotta get this in before the grim reaper comes,” and besides it’s a cliche’). Let’s just call it our desire punch list– a more active expression of fighting and living than rolling over. Share with us your punch list that helps you leave the prisoner side of you and enables the free. If you feel stuck about organizing a prison breakout then ask Dr. Ike your questions and get some first hand and first rate coaching on the subject. If you’ve succeeded in a breakout from your private Alcatraz tell us your story. As always send us whatever songs you have relevant to this topic.
Here are three recordings that my free associating mind conjured: “Don’t Fear The Reaper” — Blue Oyster Cult, “I’m Alive”– Jackson Browne, “Prisoner” — Lucky Dube.
“Don’t Fear the Reaper”– Blue Oyster Cult
“I’m Alive”– Jackson Browne
“Prisoner”– Lucky Dube
Dear Dr. Ike: I crunch numbers all day for 30yrs. It is tedious and boring. I see my life as having 3 chapters and I am about to enter the last of the three. I am pained to think I will die never having lived my dream of owning, running, starring in a Victorian lacy, potpourri filled tea room with shelves of wonderful leather bound books. I see myself in in long dresses with lots of lace buttoned up to my nose practically, brewing and serving tea in vintage fine bone china while reciting Browning and Rossetti over watercress sandwiches and candied violet-topped petite-fours. There are candles all around and sprigs of lavender and Eucalyptus wreaths on every door. I am wearing high buttoned white kid leather boots. Sigh. It can never be because A.) Most folks are not interested in Victoriana anymore and B.) I my nest egg is too small to quit my day job in pursuit of my dream. Any suggestions?
My suggestion is to keep writing. You have a wonderful talent for describing the detail of your dreams for another life. Perhaps, if you read what you’ve written often enough you will get the life you want. Here’s Belle and Sebastian, “Write About Love.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY6CFnSthtg
It’s raining today and Spring is having a trouble getting foothold here in Virginia. I was driving my car and heard this on satellite radio and would like you to play even if it’s a bit off topic (Although you do mention Sprintime and renewal in your blog). It’s Radiohead “High and Dry.”
Not really off topic, you know April showers bring May Flowers and that is the topic — renewal– a start of another life.
Radiohead, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7j7yu_sALM
The resurrection of PNRR at this time of year (Easter, Passover, spring in general) is quite auspicious. For me, escape occurs when I read. I leave this plane of existence altogether and travel to times and places of my choice–some real some not–and meet, hang out with, run away from, conspire with, fight with, laugh with…people good, bad, and evil, and do or watch or experience wonders or atrocities or things I can never have or do here. And then I close the book and…I’m back…Reading is a god send and fiction writers are demigods IMHO. So keep up the good, no…great work, Dr. Ike!
Thanks Spivey and welcome back to PNRR. It isn’t coincidental that we begin again at this time of year. The site feels like if not a resurrection at least a renewal. I am writing from Atlanta where everything is now blooming and the air is fresh and clean. We are celebrating Passover and Easter is at the beginning of next week. Listen to this Bob Dylan song for it’s reference to this time of the year. “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Je42pqp0L8
I love “Another Life” by James Maddock. I must have been in the same room with you to watch him. Great! Terrific! The song inspired me to think more seriously of leaving my 30 year job as a teacher (I’ll have my pension) and pursue work as a writer. I’ve already written and published two short stories and want to try my hand at a novel. Just like you. BTW how do you find the time to write novels, do your work as a shrink and oversee this blog. I’ve got to hand it to you. I’d like some more of James Maddock. Could you play something else off his recent album?
And welcome back. Loves this site.
Hi Cheryl. You can only pursue another life if you love the life you are pursuing. Sounds like you do and I’d love to see some of your writing keep in touch. Here’s a song by JM that fits your post “I’ve Been There Too.” (If this is not a hit song then nothing is).
Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4u1_dKnNHY
Dear Dr. Ike: My brother loaned your book to me. Wow! Final Shot really was exciting and informative. Look forward to the next one in your series. I am new to your interactive blog and think it is really a swell idea. As to this topic at hand, I am sure your readers/listeners will think it peculiar, but I always wanted to be a homemaker. I spent my younger days reading “Food and Wine” and “Gourmet Magazine,” clipping recipes and taking classes on how to plan and execute the best dinner parties. I collected unique serving pieces and quality table linens. I moved to a big city hoping to find Mr. Right. I did, but we started our family right away and needed more than my husband’s income to keep us afloat. Our first child went into Day Care at 7 months so I could start working. I have worked non-stop except for 3 more maternity leaves for 39 years. Last week I decided I would like to retire do all the neglected house projects, shop for fresh ingredients and throw the fabulous dinner parties that I have dreamed of all the while. My husband said I could not because we could not afford it. I was crushed.
I set about gathering facts about how much money we would save if we retired, sold our large house in an expensive state and moved to a smaller one where the cost of living is lower. My husband was so impressed with the work I did on it and was amazed at how much money we will save if we follow the plan, that without skipping a beat he told me I should retire and start working on our plan immediately and he will retire, too once we find a new house. I have to finnish a few projects at work before I make my announcement, but in the meantime there is a spring in my steps and a smile on my face as I visualize lighting the candles on my perfectly set table before I serve our eager guests in our fresh newly decorated cozy home.
Thank you Magritte for the compliment and informing me that your brother read my novel. I’m pleased. As to being a homemaker, everyone should do what they want to do. The Dramatics – Do What You Wanna Do – Track 1 at http://psychnrollradio.com/album/new-age/
I want to thank Mark Montanaro and His company M Squared Agency for his work and advice for the site.