Scott Rollins: 0:01

Hello, my name is Scott Rollins. Welcome to the Rockin' Into Retirement podcast. If you grew up during the greatest generation of classic rock and you've listened to your favorite music on vinyl, cassette, cds and digital, then this is a place for you to relive some of your favorite songs. Each episode will tell the story behind a classic rock song and the band that created it. More importantly, we'll use wisdom from each song to explain various topics to help optimize our lives. The topics will be especially applicable to those already retired or nearing retirement age who want to keep rocking for a long time. So listen in if you want to relive your favorite music while optimizing your life, health and wellness using the best information from human evolution, ancient wisdom and modern science. Since this is the inaugural episode of the Rocking Into Retirement podcast, before we get into this episode's song, let's talk a little bit more about the reason for this podcast and what we want to accomplish.

Scott Rollins: 0:54

While those of us who are nearing retirement age have seen many changes to the ways we listen to music, we've also seen many changes to the overall health of our society through those years. Unfortunately, we've grown up during a time when most of our society through those years. Unfortunately, we've grown up during a time when most of our health and wellness has suffered, with many of our generation suffering from numerous chronic diseases, many of which we can reverse by making lifestyle changes. While the prime audience for this podcast is those who grew up during the greatest generation of rock music, this podcast and the areas discussed apply to anyone who wants to have a thriving retirement and a long lifespan and, more importantly, a long health span. As JFK once said, the time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. In other words, take actions now, when you can, and not wait until it's too late. While we can make positive changes at any time to our health and wellness, it's best to make those positive changes as soon as possible, so the issues discussed here will benefit younger people also. As opposed to most advice about retirement, this podcast is not focused on financial planning or savings, but instead a more important thing to plan your health.

Scott Rollins: 2:00

We'll use the insight of the music of our generation to help better our health and wellness. We'll use the insight of the music of our generation to help better our health and wellness. Jimi Hendrix once said If there's something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music. That is my goal to help use music to make these positive health and well-being changes. As far as the length of most of our episodes, most will be around 10 minutes or so, but it all depends on the song and the message we're trying to get out. We shouldn't have any episodes longer than the Iron Butterfly song, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. . Many of you of my generation will get that reference, while the younger generation's not so much.

Scott Rollins: 2:35

That song was originally only supposed to be a short love song, but a fortunate accident occurred while the band was jamming during the soundcheck and the over-17-minute song was recorded and became a classic. It was also supposed to be called In the Garden of Eden, but the lyrics were originally misunderstood and the rest is history. So now that you know what this podcast is all about, you might be asking yourself why should you listen to it and what can this podcast do to help you? First off, as I write this, I'm just a few months away from retirement and currently preparing for my life beyond my professional career. I'm also a big fan of classic rock and the bands that created that genre of music. I'll share more about me as the episodes continue. So let's talk about today's song and the song that essentially sets the stage for all other episodes. So if you haven't guessed it, the song is Listen to the Music by the Doobie Brothers.

Scott Rollins: 3:31

The Doobie Brothers, formed in 1970, are still going strong over 50 years later. In their heyday they had really two distinct sounds Classic rock from 1970 until 1975 when they were led by Tom Johnston, and then more of an easy listening yacht rock type sound when they were led by Michael McDonald from 1976 to 1982. At that point Tom Johnston was dealing some health issues. Michael McDonald left in 1982 to pursue a solo career, so the band broke up at that time. Tom Johnston returned in 1987, so the band broke up at that time. Tom Johnston returned in 1987, and the band resumed at that time and have been together ever since. My wife and I have been to see them a few times in recent years and it's nice to see that they still have both leaders, johnston and McDonald, participating in concerts. It gives the fans a taste of both genres. It's also nice to see them getting along real well instead of some classic rock bands that no longer do.

Scott Rollins: 4:23

We were reintroduced to the song really during COVID, when this was one of the songs we listened to the most. In fact, they came out with a virtual rendition of the song, with each bandmate recording their parts separately and socially distanced from the others. That was one of the first songs that we saw that did that, and then many others kind of followed suit. So Listen to the Music was one of their first hits and it's from their early classic rock sound and from their second album, toulouse Street, in 1972. This was a real pivotal time in the US. It was shortly after the Kent State tragedy, which helped bring about more anti-Vietnam protests, and it was just a really tough time in the country.

Scott Rollins: 5:01

The song was written by Tom Johnston. He said the song essentially wrote itself and it was really the only song that he knew would be a hit. He's mentioned in interviews that the thought was that if all the world leaders could get together outside in the country on a hill and just listen to music, they could find more similarities and differences and solve world peace. He knew it was kind of idealistic and utopian vision but thought giving it a try even though he knew it would never work. Hi, this is Scott. I just want to take a quick break from the podcast to encourage you to go back and listen to the song through your favorite medium. If you don't own it, please buy it or listen to it on your favorite streaming service. We only use parts of the song to listen to and comment for the purpose of this podcast. By buying or streaming, you get to give the artists their due. And now back to the podcast.

Scott Rollins: 5:48

Let's check out the first section of the lyrics. Don't you feel it growing day by day? People getting ready for the news. Some are happy, some are sad. Oh, we got to let the music play. Don't you feel it growing day by day? People getting ready for the news. Some are happy, some are sad. This is just as applicable now as it was in 1972. There's so much polarization and the news, especially the focus on bad news, is really part of that issue.

Scott Rollins: 6:28

Next up are these lyrics. What the people need is a way to make them smile. It ain't so hard to do if you know how Gotta get a message. Get it on through. Oh, now mama. Don't you ask me why. What the people need is a way to make them smile. It ain't so hard to do if you know how Gotta get a message. Get it all through. Oh, now mama's got me happy. Why, oh, oh, oh Again. This is just as important, or even more so than it was then. Unfortunately, many of the messages getting out today, especially through social media, are contributing more and more to levels of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, not mentioning the polarization of many of the messages getting out.

Scott Rollins: 7:17

The intent of this podcast is to spread positive messages, and those can help increase happiness and health. The next bit of lyrics talks about meeting in the country and dancing the blues away and then about hope and that there ain't nothing we can't do or say. This next section I'll play is sung by Patrick Simmons and he's the only member of the band to be present for their whole history. Speaking about this song and the whole philosophy of the Doobie Brothers, he once mentioned in an interview that there are plenty of songwriters around with doom and gloom, but the Doobie Brothers are there to make people feel good. That section goes like this like a lazy, flowing river surrounding castles in the sky, and the crowd is growing bigger listening for the happy sounds and I got to let them fly. This certainly talks about positivity and making people happy. The line surrounding castles in the sky is an interesting addition, and in my opinion it still essentially says we know this utopian belief won't work, but we're going to try anyway.

Scott Rollins: 8:39

Castles in the sky is a term that's been around for a long time, going back actually to medieval times. It refers to dreams, hopes or plans that are unrealistic and can't be met. In this case, it seems to be used as a way of dreaming big and encouragingly that we make things better. This use also appears similar to the term used by Tal Ben-Shahar, who's a positive psychology expert, when he mentioned the optimism. Ideal is not a distant shore to be reached, but a distant star that guides us and can never be reached. Even though the Dubis knew we'd never reach that utopian ideal in world peace, they've used that guiding star of positivity, hope and making people feel good throughout their career.

Scott Rollins: 9:19

In the book Walden, henry David Thoreau talked about castles in the skies also in this quote where he says if you built castles in the air, your work need not be lost. That is where they should be Now put the foundations under them. That could mean you should live in the present instead of hoping to be that perfect person in the future. There's also a saying that says to tell how tall a building will be see how deep the foundation is. We're going to work on building those foundations, or those fundamentals, as we continue in future episodes. Another analogy related to this perfection or utopian aspect is from legendary NFL coach, vince Lombardi, when he said Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.

Scott Rollins: 10:02

So my views on this overall message is to be positive. Have hope about your future and make those small, incremental changes to change yourself and by doing so, try to help change the world. And that is really the intent of the things we'll talk about in our future episodes incremental changes that can help to improve our health over time. So our next song and episode we'll talk about the song from another group that actually had two distinct and different stages of the band, with different lead singers, with a song that's going to talk about when we should start making those changes. Thanks for listening. I really appreciate it. If you enjoyed this podcast or this specific episode or found any help from it, please share it with a friend or two. Again, please also go ahead and listen to the complete song to give credit to the artists. Hopefully, each time you hear it, you'll remember some aspect of this episode that will help improve your life.