Favorite Songs - #3 of my "Top 5" . . .

My #1 favorite song is Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What A Wonderful World - Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole.

My #2 favorite song . . . Walk Away - Joe Walsh and the James Gang.

My #3 favorite song . . . Closer to Home - Grand Funk Railroad.

Well . . . if nothing else . . . I like a variety of musical styles!

Yeah, I know, I know . . . this is a Viet Nam war protest song . . . but I was a teenager back then in that day and time. So perhaps this song reminds me of what a teenager was seeing in those days. Two of my friends who lived on the same street that I did back then had older brothers come home from the war in coffins draped with the American flag. It was troubling . . . and most of us didn't know what to think.

But the real reason this will always be one of my top 5 songs is this . . . it was one of the only songs my brother, Mark, and I could play together without fighting.

Mark played bass . . . and wanted to do rock-n-roll. He was a rebel at heart, always questioning the "establishment" and those who wanted him to do what they "wanted" him to do.

I was into acoustic 12-string guitar, worshipping the ground John Denver and Gordon Lightfoot walked on, singing folk songs and peace songs.

Mark wanted to raise his fist, throw rocks and scream, "Down with the man!"

I had the long hair, with the peace sign on my shirt . . . playing my 12-string to get people to come together to talk and share.

So, we were pretty much fighting with each other most of the time.

However . . . I could play the lead intro on electric guitar of this one song . . . and the same is pretty true today as well. I could sing the lead . . . and Mark could do sing good harmony and play the bass part note-for-note liked Mel played it on the GFR recordings.

I will always remember that. The song . . . . and the two Mang brothers not fighting about something.

My brother died several years ago, after living by choice for almost 15 years as a street person in San Antonio, reporting to no one, and doing life his own way. It was a short life.

At age 50, I feel like I am getting a second chance. Like getting the chance to begin again the process of becoming better at this singer / guitarist thing . . . which si something that I have never ever been able to let go of in my life.

Perhaps we are both in some way "Closer to Home."

I'm better than I deserve! ><>