Linda Ronstadt’s (and The Stone Poneys) “Different Drum” has always resonated with me. Love is great. So is just hot passion. But true love? These lyrics have applied more times than I can remember. Either he’s not clever enough. Or worse, he’s not clever but pretty. Or he’s passionate but the connection fails beyond there. Or he’s too clingy, too fast:
You can’t see the forest for the trees.
It’s just that I’m not in the market
For a boy who wants to love only me.
Yes, and I ain’t sayin’ you ain’t pretty.
All I’m sayin’s I’m not ready for any person,
Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me.”
It was last summer when social media was celebrating Ronstadt’s birthday that I found out this song was written by Michael Nesmith, one of The Monkees. Apparently a lot of people knew that. I didn’t. It’s a pretty 70s’ pop song. As I try to find beauty and connection in this current national apocalypse, songs like this just provide a moment of comfort. And the last line, “We’ll both live a lot longer if you live without me,” is definitely how I feel about Trump! Happy Sunday.
Debra Strege 