I love all kinds of music, good music, yet I don’t have a favorite group.
Or even type. I tend to listen to songs that make the mood, or set one, rather
than be devoted to a single artist. I love The Band and their American style of
music, and one cut with Eric Clapton, Further On Down the Road, wow. I also like
the bluesy side of The Allman Brothers, listen to a live cut of Stormy Monday as
Duane pours out his heart on the guitar. I was at the concert the night
Springsteen played Born to Run, before the album came out, no rock and roll
experience can compare to that energy. It wore us out. Unforgettable by Nat
King Cole and daughter Natalie, is there a more perfect song? Any old Beatles
music, pre-Sgt. Pepper, can you remember the first time you heard Sgt. Pepper?
Or side 2 of Abbey Road? So individual songs will set the mood, but somehow I
always come back to the Beach Boys, for the way they make me feel. Fun music we
can sing along to, music about cars, motorcycles, girls in bikinis at the beach,
and summer nights with that special someone. It is about convertibles, falling
in love, hanging with friends and bench racing. Dreams of a Jersey boy, who
went to the shore, not the beach, and of dreams that were one day realized.
I have seen the Beach Boys numerous times, partied with Mike Love once, and
was at The Capitol Theater in Passaic when they taped a live album. Fun times
for the dozen or so times I saw them in concert, singing along and wishing the
summer of fun that night would never end. But Brian Wilson’s genius was
attended by mental illness, Carl died too soon of brain cancer, and Dennis at
age 39 drowned. To me Dennis was always the Beach Boys, blond hair that he
shook when he played the drums, he was the surfer in the family and the
inspiration for his brother’s surf songs. He was the car guy, his 1963 split
window Corvette on the album cover of Shut Down, part 2. He was the California
guy the California girls chased after, and he led a fast lane life. He had
Charles Manson as a friend, who turned on him when one of Charlie’s songs was
credited to Dennis. His Sunset Blvd. home became so over run with hippies he
had to move out. And soon the drugs and alcohol of being a rock star caught up
with him. He loved his boat, but lost it due to not keeping up the payments.
His other love of his life was taken when they were forced to sell Brother
Records, his other sanctuary. And before he was asked to leave the band due to
drug problems, he took over as the leader on stage. Singing “You are so
beautiful, to me,” which I heard a few times, without instruments. Sometimes in
tears of agony, as his life was falling apart. And one night drunk on stage, he
asked “do you want to see what I’ve done?” And dragged his pregnant wife out on
stage. So many highs and lows, and finally age 39, it was over. Diving off a
friend’s boat while drinking, he came up and hit his head on the bow, he was
found dead later. In a fetal position, most who drown are found in frightful
positions, his seemed peaceful. And he was gone. The music over, the harmonies
just not the same.
As much as the Beach Boys were about fun music, they were about harmonies.
Beautiful harmonies, which take just the right voices to create the sound, and
now Dennis was gone. Brian had previously left the band, and so were his
falsettos. All the fun they once sang about died with Dennis, no more burnouts,
he had become one. No more catching a wave, the wave had caught him. No more
beach fun and bikinis, ironically he died in 2 feet of water by the ocean he
loved so much. But for me it will always be the harmonies, and thankfully I
found my perfect harmony in Jesus Christ years ago. Two part harmonies need
just that, and without God in your life, no matter how good the voice, or how
great the song, there will be no harmony. We will never be in tune when we are
out of tune with God. And Dennis joined the long list of musical talent that
left us too soon due to a lifestyle opposed to God. How ironically his voice is
heard on “God Only Knows” if only Dennis had known God.
But rock stars, sports stars, and celebrities opposing God is nothing new.
And although many live a life we wish to emulate, death comes to them, and hell
follows. King Herod in the times of the first church was such a star, a man
flattered by crowds, and worshipped. When he spoke the people cried out he had
the voice of a god, his tragic warped perception of himself that he was a god.
Vain and twisted, he acted the part, and the people worshipped him as such.
Sound familiar today? How many would try to keep up with the Kardashians, but
don’t or won’t see the ruinous lives they lead? And how any who get close to
them inherit the curse? But as anyone who claims to be God, or to be
worshipped, God has patience with, until they finally die by their own wicked
ways. Herod was stricken with a disease, and died within 3 days. One day on
top, three days later six feet under. No one escapes death but for those who
turn to Christ, and recognize his deity. God is patient, but warns no one is
promised tomorrow. Herod thought he could do it himself, that he was a self
made man, and above God, but soon God placed him under his feet. Maybe as an
example for us to follow, or not follow. We cannot live apart from Jesus, we
need to be in harmony with the spirit, to be guided, for we don’t know what
tomorrow brings. And that was the tragedy of Dennis, blessed with talents and
abilities, yet no peace with Christ. His songs live on, as does his memory, but
he is gone.
By the world’s standards he had it all, and lost it. 39 years came and
went very quickly, not very much when compared to the endless eternity of
heaven. We can be a star one day and a bum the next, God will allow things to
come into your life so you will see how you need a savior, and you cannot save
yourself. No matter how good our voice is without being in harmony with the
spirit we will never be in tune. No perfect pitch, that will be in heaven, as
for now we struggle to stay in tune with God. Sadly many try to do it
themselves. And it is sad to think we can act or react in love and harmony
without Christ. Jesus is the song we sing, the tune that will take us to
heaven. If only those who died without him, rich or poor, famous or unknown
would have listened. But the real question is, are you? Do you hear what the
spirit is saying, or are you trying to make it on your own? Why work for
salvation and maybe never earn enough when you can have it for free, as a gift?
The Wilson brothers, The Beach Boys, and the fans of Dennis found out what
their song said, that God only knows how he feels about us. And we are left to
survey the tragedy. To play the songs, maybe take a last beach ride, or catch a
wave. One last walk in the sand....but we can know God, and how he feels about
us. And our lives can reflect it for others to see. The death of Herod is
recorded in the same Bible as Jesus’ death. Both claimed to be kings, only one
was. Only one was the way, yet both are given as examples of how to live. You
choose, for true love demands a choice. When the music’s over, what song will
you be singing? God only knows, do you know him? I wish Dennis had...how I
miss those harmonies...
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com