Night Flight, Led Zeppelin

Linda, and her musical dilema, has got me thinking about Led Zeppelin, one of my "favorite bands of all time". So, I started listening to my modest collection of their vast repertoire, and while enjoying the mesmerizing Physical Graffiti album heard a song that played an important part in my life, which unbelievably occured more than 8 years ago.

I had been groomed my whole life to attend a certain junior college. There is nothing wrong with that, and in fact I had a fairly exciting and adventurous childhood. The problem was that while I had been enjoying this pre-planned trip, I completely failed to notice that this road map for my life (completely adequate for the near term) simply stopped. Of course, I failed to notice this until the very last moment, at my junior college graduation, when some polite gentleman asked the innocent question, "what are you going to do now?"

This question really bothered me, and made the seperation from the many friends of two years time that much more difficult. On the way home for the summer, sitting idly in the airport during a six hour layover, this song stuck a positive note to my otherwise depressed mind.

What this song said to me (and I realize its nothing earth shattering, in fact it is something discussed in many other songs) is that life is short, so you'd better make the most of it. While you are sitting depressed, stuck in a rut, someone else is out blazing new trails. And while trail blazing may not encourage longevity of life, at least it lets a person really live, instead of simply going through the motions of life.

So, you see, while the road map of my life was still a blank page in front of me (a scary thing, I assure you) it was not quite so scary after considering these thoughts. The map wasn't completely white after that, it was cloudy, but some different paths presented themselves faintly, and my mind began to be excited about the possibilities that lay before me.

From that moment I have been on a mission to live life. I fail often, but I try always. Sometimes we just need a message from our brother to encourage us to drop everything but our hopes and go somewhere, or be somebody, we'd only dreamed about. Focus on the journey, my friends, and you won't be disappointed when you reach your destination.

Later.


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Night Flight, Led Zeppelin

I received a message from my brother across the water
He sat laughin' as he wrote the end's in sight
So I said goodbye to all my friends
And packed my hopes inside a matchbox
'Cause I know it's time to fly

Come on, meet me in the morning,
Meet me in the middle of the night
The morning light is comin',
Don't it make you wanna go and feel alright

I just jumped a train that never stops,
So now somehow I'll know I never finished payin' for my ride
Just n' someone pushed a gun into my hand
Tell me I'm the type of man to fight the fight that I'll require

Come on, meet me in the morning,
Meet me in the middle of the night
The morning light is comin',
Don't it make you wanna go and feel alright

Oh, mama, well I think it's time I'm leavin'
Nothin' here to make me stay
Whoa, mama, well it must be time I'm goin'
They're knockin' down them doors
They're tryin' to take me away

Please Mr. Brakeman, won't you ring your bell.
And ring loud and clear
Please Mr. Fireman, won't you ring your bell
Tell the people they got to fly away from here

I once saw a picture of a lady with a baby
Southern lady, had a very, very special smile
We are in the middle of a change in destination
When the train stops, all together we will smile

Oh yeah, meet me in the morning.
Won't you meet me in the middle of the night
Everybody know the mornin' time is comin'
Don't it make you wanna feel alright.

Get to fly, yeah. Fly now, babe