Another birthday & Mary vs. Johnny

This painting of U.S. Marines, some in the ship's rigging firing their muskets and some on the ship's rail preparing board another vessel, hangs in the Marine Corps Museum at Quantico, Virginia. I do not know the artist or even what war it represents, presumably the Revolutionary War or, possibly, the War of 1812, but I like the piece and it seemed appropriate to include as an illustration with my birthday wish for a member of the Corps.

Semper Fidelis, birthday boy

March is an especially active birthday month in my life, for me, personally, and for a number of family members and friends. (Makes you wonder -- me, anyway -- what it is that causes people to be so "busy" in June.)

In any case, following a birthday thought about my grandfather on Sunday, here is a March 1 birthday salute for a U.S. Marine who currently is spending a bit of time at Camp Pendleton in California before moving on to Pensacola, Florida. Happy Birthday, Jeremy, and Semper Fi.

Two variations on love, baby

Some days ago, I wrote a pretty long piece to fill this space today, but I changed my mind about publishing it on the spur of the moment and, at least, for the moment. I probably will run it in a few days, but I began thinking about the two songs I have here, and they distracted me and got me wondering. I have posted them before, both of them, but not together.

The meaning of Mary Chapin Carpenter's music in "Passionate Kisses" is anticipatory and in expectation of love. Actually, the lyrics are almost demanding not only love, but a good life and sweet times.

The words -- the sentiment -- struck me, because the post I pulled from this space tonight mentions how many people today and how often people today walk around with some twisted sense of entitlement. Mary seems to be echoing that in her words.

She wants a "full house and a rock and roll band." She requires "pens that won't run out of ink and cool quiet and time to think."

"Is it too much to ask .... Is it too much to demand .... Shouldn't I have this .... all of this?" Mary asks in her song. Mostly, she wants "passionate kisses."

"Give me what I deserve, 'cause it's my right," Mary concludes.

In a sense, yes, I suppose she should have such things. It is not unreasonable to ask for and to hope for those things mentioned in her lyrics. But, at no cost to herself? With no work? With no effort? Does she expect love to walk through the door and to pick her up and to carry her off to a castle in the clouds?

In contrast, Johnny Cash almost seems to be chastising his companion for falling out of love in his rendition of "One." This is because she apparently is a Mary Chapin Carpenter-type, and she obviously does not understand that love is a two-way street and not a magic carpet ride twenty-four hours a day. Johnny sings:

"One love
One life
When it's one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don't care for it ...."

Whatever, it was interesting (to me, anyway) to contemplate these varying thoughts about love. This was on my mind, so we can blend rock and country from a couple of neat songs and reflect on love for a while.

Later, baby ....