“There’s one thing about a good song — it’s always good.”
– Willie Nelson (b. 1933), American icon, songwriter, and recording artist, in the Weekend Confidential interview in Friday’s Wall Street Journal
With apologies for missing Friday’s Daily Difference (I was delivering a eulogy for the father of a good buddy back in the ol’ hometown, and I simply missed the “publish” button), this “replacement post” comes from the source category labeled “there are no coincidences.”
Willie was the featured interview in the Journal this weekend, and then later on Friday night, while waiting up for a couple of The Three to get home, I channel-surfed upon a repeat of the Austin City Limits TV show that also featured Mr. Nelson, 88-years-old, sweetly strumming his 70+ year-old guitar for a delighted crowd in The Moody Theater.
Two overt Willie references in a 24-hour period? I’m clearly meant to be contemplating my inner Willie-ness, right?
First, to Willie’s point about good songs. They are always good. Long-time subscribers know that lyrics frequently kick off DD posts and that the artists come from a wide range of genres. In the WSJ Weekend Confidential interview, Nelson is referring to his Stardust album as well as teasing his soon-to-be-released album covering Frank Sinatra classics. Watching Willie perform live in the building where The Mother of The Three and I used to have season tickets was an exercise not just in nostalgia, but also in quality and engagement. All the good songs he played were not only still good, most of the choruses were sung by the audience instead of the band. As the cameras panned the singing concert-goers, one couldn’t help but notice the age of those in “the choir” ranged from barely ten-years-old to folks who were into their 8th or 9th decade, just like Willie. Those songs mattered to people who otherwise might not seem to have much in common.
Second, even when we might not seem to have much in common, it’s worth finding out what we do have in common.
There’s plenty to argue about today, and the times would have us believe that passionately disagreeing is much better than intentionally finding things upon which we can agree. Therein lies the key to comfort — and commerce.
Comfort, and sustainable commerce stem from connection. Connection stems from intent. And intent is a decision.
Willie connects me to the best days of my youth, to some of the best musical moments of my life. He also connects me to the realization that whether we agree or not, there’s something worth singing about – together. That’s a realization worth realizing more often, and for longer periods of time.
“Little things I should have said and done — I just never took the time. You were always on my mind…”
A DD challenge: Who are three people that are on your mind? Some folks who are, like a good song, always and still good, but with whom we haven’t taken the time to stay connected? What kind of difference will it make if we intentionally re-connect? What’s keeping us from picking up the phone?
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