signs

This song came out in 1970. I suppose it was relevant then. 40+ years later and it's still relevant. I was thinking about it over the weekend while we were in the Ozarks. Besides being there solely to visit relatives, the changing leaves were a fantastic perk. But more than that, there's something to be said for an easy way of life. You forget how noisy your environment is until you remove yourself from it. You forget how much activity there is around you until you're alone. And I don't mean alone in your room or alone in your car. I mean ALONE, by yourself, no other human beings around you. No TV, no radio, no white noise. You forget, or maybe you've never seen it, how blue the sky really is. It's something to behold. This trip though, I was struck by the freedom of the 'backwoods'. Imagine, growing your own produce department where you get ripe and fresh vegetables right outside your door. Imagine fresh eggs for breakfast whenever you want. Imagine walking off your patio and taking aim at tin cans with no worries of who is going to turn you in. You can pretty much do whatever you want. How great is that!?!?

There are TOO many signs in the world today. Too many rules. Too many bossy people!
It sure was nice to get away!!!



And the sign said "Long-haired freaky people need not apply"
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said "You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do"
So I took off my hat, I said "Imagine that. Huh! Me workin' for you!"
Whoa-oh-oh

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

And the sign said anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house, "Hey! What gives you
the right?" "To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in"
"If God was here he'd tell you to your face, Man, you're some kinda sinner"

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Now, hey you, mister, can't you read?
You've got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't even watch, no you can't eat
You ain't supposed to be here
The sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside
Ugh!

And the sign said, "Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray"
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all, I didn't have a
penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?