02/10/06
What happened to the Baby Boomers? We were the generation that was going to change the world. We knew all it was going to take was “peace, love and rock & roll” to make the world a better place. There hasn’t been “peace” in the world for long before that Vietnam thing, or since. Apparently “love” doesn’t last because nowadays at least 50% of all marriages end in divorce (in my case it’s 100%). And our beloved “rock & roll” has been replaced by rap and hip hop crap. Where did we go wrong?
The Boomers had names for their dances. We did the “Jerk”, the “Twist”, the “Stroll”, the “Hustle”, and the “Boogaloo” to name but a few. Our dances were a far cry from those our parents did. Our parent’s style of dancing was extremely strict and uptight, while we allowed ourselves to free our emotions through melodic movement. Watching the gyrations of today’s youngsters as they writhe in what appears to be agony to their music, the only words I can come up with to name what they are doing is the “Angry Spazz Attack”.
The music the Boomers listened to still plays as well today as it did back when we were kids. It had a quality that has allowed it to stand the test of time, much like some of those who played and sang it. This was brought home to me while watching a, much too brief, performance by The Rolling Stones during halftime of Super Bowl XL. They only played three songs. One of them was off their recently released album, one was from about 20 years ago, but the one that really made me stop and think was described by Mick Jagger in this way, “Here’s one we could have played at Super Bowl I”. It was his way of reminding everyone that The Stones have been around longer than the Super Bowl. Will any of today’s musical artists be able to someday make a statement like that? Will Eminem or Kenye West or Nelly perform during the halftime show of Super Bowl LXXX? I seriously doubt it. I have a feeling The Stones may still be around then. At least Keith Richards will, anyway.
The Boomers were the first generation to defy the law and experiment with illegal, mind altering drugs. We supposedly did so to open our minds to all possibilities and to learn from the experience so that we may use this knowledge for the betterment of man. Personally, I think most Boomers did drugs in an effort to get laid. I, of course, cannot speak from experience, but there are those I know who only smoked or swallowed various psychedelic pharmaceuticals to impress, and thus score with, some chick. The Boomers were the generation that was going to legalize all the “fun” drugs. What happened with that? If we are going to get the good stuff legalized we need to stop electing all these uptight, anal-retentive, politically correct politicians who don’t inhale. Instead we need to get guys like Snoop Dogg, Ozzy Ozbourne, and Arnold Schwarzenegger voted into office. Those are the kind of guys who have excellent experience with all sorts of fun drugs like smoking pot, snorting fire ants up your nose, and steroids, and who not only know where to get them, but know what to do with them when they do. That has to be what our founding fathers meant by, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Sadly, the only drugs most Boomers are interested in these days are intended to lower their blood pressure, help them shed unwanted pounds, and whatever it is that Viagra stuff does for you.
The Baby Boomers will soon be handing our country over to the next generation so they can continue to screw it up as badly as our parents think we did. It kind of got away from us while we were paying too much attention to whether our bell-bottom jeans looked okay with our earth shoes. Ah well, I’m just gonna go load up my bong, turn the blacklight on over my Hendrix poster, put Inna Gadda da Vida on my record player and not worry about it, man. Peace!!