Painting by Joan Mitchell (1925-1992) | Joan Mitchell: Paintings, 1979–1985 at David Zwirner
This afternoon, I was reflecting on how everywhere you go, it’s the same sun; not only everywhere but throughout our recorded history — John Lennon, Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) or the poet Rumi (1207-1273) — all of us experiences the same sunlight!
What brought this up? I recently finished watching the series 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything (2021) and it featured a lot of influential musicians; coincidentally, 1971 is the year I was born, cool, LOL!
My moment of everywhere the same sun came to me while watching Yoko Ono (b. 1933) & John Lennon (1940-1980) in their country estate outside of London while John was recording Imagine (1971) — incredible live demo footage!
We live in radically different contexts over time as beings but the sunlight on our faces is constant — wild revelation for me to become vividly aware of in the moment!
Excerpt from Yoko Ono’s Grapefruit: A Book of Instructions and Drawings - 1970
John & Yoko’s ‘Bed-ins for Peace’ - 1969
A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.
- Yoko Ono (Excerpt from Grapefruit: A Book of Instructions and Drawings - 1970)
Think that snow is falling
Think that snow is falling everywhere all the time
When you talk with a person, think that snow is falling between you and on that person
Stop conversing when you think the person is covered by snow
- Yoko Ono (Excerpt from Grapefruit: A Book of Instructions and Drawings - 1970)
Marvin Gaye in Concert
Incredible songwriting during a period of conflict, I recently added several Marvin Gaye songs to my playlists — wonderful soulful voice with melodic instrumentation. We’re lucky that his original master recordings are very high-quality.
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, yeah
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
Oh, what's going on (What's going on)
What's going on (What's going on)
What's going on (What's going on)
What's going on (What's going on)
Right on, baby
Right on, baby
Right on
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply 'cause our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Come on talk to me
So you can see
What's going on (What's going on)
Yeah, what's going on (What's going on)
Tell me what's going on (What's going on)
I'll tell you, what's going on (What's going on)
Right on, baby, right on
Right on, baby
Right on, baby, right on
- Marvin Gaye (1939-1984) (What’s Going On - 1971) (Songwriters Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson & Alfred Cleveland)