It was 1972, and I was 12 years old as I walked the two city blocks to Tempo Records in Granada Hills, CA, clutching my birthday money in my hand, feeling very nervous and excited about my mission. I had set out to buy my very first vinyl record, by David Bowie.
I shyly approached the clerk to ask where I might find the record, as I was clueless about record stores. Imagine that! I was as clueless about how to find a record in a record store as someone today might be daunted by how to find and play an mp3 on their computer, tablet or cell phone. I told the guy at the counter, “I like the song, Changes, by David Bowie.” He pointed me to a section with small 45s aka “singles,” but alas I did not have a 45 record player. I could only play full sized record albums. He kindly came around the counter and showed me a row of alphabetically organized record albums, and found the album, Hunky Dory, under “B” for Bowie, flipped it over and showed me how the song “Changes” was one of the songs on the record. He explained that it was a better deal than the 45, since it had LOTS on songs it, for less money.
This was a moment akin to the first time I saw color TV at the age of 5. A whole new world had opened up to me, and I immediately hungered to flip through every record in the store to see what treasures I could find. But, first things first. I told him I would buy it, and gave him my $5 bill which covered the exact cost, so I thought. I was blissfully ignorant of the fact that there would be sales tax. However, the album was on sale for $3.50 that day. I didn’t know what a sale was, but I was beginning the believe that record stores were among the most magical places on earth.
My parents had already exposed me to a wide variety of music, but this was a new frontier where I could dig up treasures anytime my Gemini ears cried out for change. David Bowie’s “Changes” was honest and hauntingly beautiful, and spoke to me with its lyrics, and his unusual voice. He sang as if he was reading poetry. “Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strange),” became my motto.
Through the years I have fallen madly in love with a wide variety of music, from country to rap (yup), heavy metal to Vivaldi, new wave to New Age, Frank Sinatra to Bruno Mars. Nothing has escaped my ears, and every genre has opened my heart to something new and beautiful. Every song is like meeting someone new. I either immediately like them, or dislike them, but I love them all because of what they teach me, by sharing their various perspectives, about the world and myself.
And, as I do with people, I also develop crushes on particular songs when they speak to my heart. My latest crush is called “If God Let Go,” and its lyrics speak to that part of me that often wonders how anyone could not believe in God.
If this song were a person, it and I would be lounging in the backyard, gazing at the stars in the sky, the moon shining bright, while sipping of a fine port wine by candlelight, talking in soft voices, pondering what would happen…if God let go.
If God Let Go
What would happen to stars in the sky?
What would happen to moon shining bright?
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
What would happen to light in your eyes?
What would happen to the love in your heart?
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
Would it all come apart?
Would it always be dark?
What would happen to the world we know?
What would happen to the big yellow sun?
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
Of everything
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
Of everything
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
If God Let Go
Of you and me
“If God Let Go” appears on the album “My Name Is Sparkle” by Thee Holy Brothers available on your favorite digital platform.
My Name Is Sparkle is out now digitally! Here’s the landing page with the various platform options.
https://theeholybrothers.lnk.to/sparkle
“If God Let Go” by Marvin Etzioni
Copyright © by Songs of Regional Records
Administered by Peertunes, Ltd.
Used by Permission
All Rights Reserved.
