By the light blue sky In the wee hours, those hours when most people are still asleep, sometimes my thoughts toss me phrases. And I think it’s my subconscious watching to see what I’ll do with them. If I’m awake enough, I take on the challenge. And it used to be with my physical sword. Well, my trusty Bic pen. But nowadays I rely … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: Tony’s Daily Devotional
Love and Music Picture this. A middle aged woman grabs her husband’s arm and says, “It must be the dopamine that makes me love this dope of mine.” Because dopamine plays such a huge part in the love and music connection. Right? So it would seem. But love and music don’t connect just because of a hormone. And that hormone didn’t just magically … The rest of the story…
Do you sing with understanding right now? “Golly gee, Tony. What does that even mean? And why do I need to sing with understanding? What’s that gonna prove?” Uh…it won’t prove anything to most people. But it might prove a lot to a few. It’s certainly always a goal of mine to sing with understanding. Because singing has always been like bread and … The rest of the story…
See ya later is truer for data than people Back when I was on the road, full time as a professional musician, I wrote a song called See Ya Later. You can click the link and find out a little more about it if you like. But I’m not talking about that right now. Because this is about the here today, gone tomorrow world … The rest of the story…
Humble and kind doesn’t equal doormat It’s trendy to be assertive and vulgar. And many so-called “leaders in their field” love to express their inner darkness with tattoos, disheveled hairstyles, and profanity. And I’m sure they think it’s “cool” or “sick” to make a lot of money but look more like a street person. So, they parade, back and forth, on a stage. In … The rest of the story…
Do You Look For Life’s Magic Little Moments Life can be hectic. Sometimes even frantic for hard working people. If that describes you, I know you might tend to forget, ignore, or totally miss those magic little moments all around you. But they ARE there. And I like to capture them in song whenever I can. The following lyrics represent a couple of scenes from Anytown, U.S.A. at … The rest of the story…
Music Box Vacuum Cleaner Dancer At the age of 35, a young German guy named Gustave Brachhausen established the Regina Music Box Company in America. And he set up shop in the cultural center of the universe, New Jersey. No…really. And you might ask, “But Tony, what does that have to do with vacuum cleaners?” Well, don’t rush me. I’m gonna tell you. … The rest of the story…
Can you believe we have a mask debate in America? I bet our ancestors and forefathers would not have imagined we’d ever have a mask debate right here in the land of the free and the home of brave. And why would they? After all, back when men didn’t allow themselves to be shamed into being less than manly, fear didn’t rule public policy. … The rest of the story…
A place in the sun with hints of wisdom Elgielene and I enjoy watching old black and white movies. Because so many of them are entertaining without vulgarity and profanity. And because a lot of them have either happy endings or good moral endings. Like the movie, A Place in the Sun, from 1951 starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. In real life, neither … The rest of the story…
Disappointment and expectations It’s weird how often disappointment and expectations are connected to each other. And I’m sure I don’t have to tell you (although I’m about to tell you) that it’s because people tend to base decisions on feelings. And not logic and reason. Now, I can see how tempting it is to go with feelings. Because we should feel. Especially when it … The rest of the story…
Who can sing the immortality song? The Bee Gees wrote a version of it. And they sang background vocals when Celine Dion recorded it back in 1997. Pearl Jam also wrote and recorded their own Immortality song. And plenty of other songwriters and songs have focused on it. But they all fall short of the full meaning and power and understanding. My Immortality … The rest of the story…
Do you ever wish you were one of those prophets and kings? Oh yeah, sit back and close your eyes. And imagine you’re one of the prophets and kings from days of old. Ah, the good life. People jump at your command. And governments and nations bend their ears to your every word. Power beyond your wildest dreams. Or… Maybe prophets and kings don’t … The rest of the story…
Who writes songs for attention? Short answer. Me. But before I go any further let me explain how I don’t mean songs JUST for attention. I’m talking about songs with an ulterior motive. And, in my case, that motive included breaking down a woman’s resistance. No, not the way you’re thinking. Get your mind out of there. I wrote songs for attention because … The rest of the story…
OK, let’s be positive and assume the worst That sounds like a good plan. Right? “Uh, no, Tony. It sounds negative. Not positive. And why would anybody automatically assume the worst?” Well, I’m glad you asked. Because I’m gonna toss this boomerang and see if it comes back to me. When you assume the worst in people, first, it’s safer. How many spy … The rest of the story…
Ah yes. If wishes were fishes… If you do a Google search for that phrase “if wishes were fishes”you’ll probably find a lot of different people adding a lot of different endings. Some of them make measly attempts at rhymes and fall short. Like “we’d all swim in riches.”Please don’t say I have to tell you why that’s a measly attempt at a rhyme. … The rest of the story…
Money is the root… So, if money is the root of all evil, why aren’t more people willing to give all theirs away? And I mean ALL of it. Because why would you want even a little possibility of evil in your pockets? Or bank accounts? Or city, state, or nation? After all, if you wanna get rid of a weed, you gotta get … The rest of the story…
Relax. It’s gonna be alright. I’m a big fan of the old black and white movies. Especially from the 1940’s and 50’s. And I remember a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie called “Strangers on a Train” where a guy tells one of the main stars, Robert Walker, to relax. And Walker’s character snaps back, “I don’t wanna relax!” I won’t give away what’s … The rest of the story…
What’s my reason for being? It’s another form of the age old question. “Why am I here?” And I think it’s more than mildly ironic how logic is so coveted in a world filled with feelers. Because if whatever is right in your own mind is right, then there might not be a reason for being. You might just be happy, little cosmic accident. … The rest of the story…
Are you bored to death? I can’t say I’ve never been bored to death. Of course, it’s a figure of speech. So naturally it’s never happened to me. Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. Because I wouldn’t be writing it. But…back to the point… While I have breath I won’t be bored to death. There’s still too darn much to do in life. … The rest of the story…
This is better than performance enhancing drugs When you wanna make your workout even better, skip the performance enhancing drugs. Because they can wreak havoc with your body. And why deal with all those negative side effects when you enjoy the positive side effects of amygdala hugs? That even sounds more funner. Right? And, to me, just saying “performance enhancing drugs” sounds dangerous. … The rest of the story…