I got nothing. How many people have ever sat down, put their hands on a keyboard and come up with that? Countless? Usually I have an inspiration. Sometimes I just sit down and begin to write, and it comes.

So here we go…

It’s dreary outside. Been raining since yesterday. Gray. Supposed to quit soon if it hasn’t already. I think of the Carpenters song ‘Rainly Days and Mondays’,  which was written by the great Paul Williams, BTW. If you are not familiar with Paul, then “Google” him up. He has been overlooked and underrated.

Paul also wrote ‘I Won’t Last A Day Without You’, ‘An Old Fashioned Love Song’, ‘Rainbow Connection’, ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’, ‘You And Me Against The World’, ‘Let Me Be The One’ and ‘Evergreen’, among many MANY others.

I remember watching Paul on The Tonight Show, many times, back in the 70’s. I particularly remember him singing ‘Isn’t That What friends Are For’ on one, or more, of the shows with Johnny.

Here he is at the Bluebird Cafe, in Nashville, back in 2012…

Melodye wanted ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’ sang at our wedding. I nixed it as she did ‘War Eagle’  as the processional. I wish both of these had been used back on that sultry summer day in 1977.

The song(s) are great descriptors of our life together. I thought it wasn’t “cool” enough to use a Carpenters song. Really? How short sided we can be in our youth. In old age too, if we don’t watch it.

Live and learn. And, hopefully, change. If one is resistant to change then “one” will be a dull/embittered boy or girl, indeed.

We don’t have to change for ‘change sake’ but we must be open to “sharing horizons that are new to us” and embracing them, often for the better.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Rainy Days and Mondays

“Talkin’ to myself and feelin’ old
Sometimes I’d like to quit, nothin’ ever seems to fit
Hangin’ around, nothin’ to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

What I’ve got they used to call the blues
Nothin’ is really wrong, feelin’ like I don’t belong
Walkin’ around, some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

Funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you
Nice to know somebody loves me
Funny, but it seems that it’s the only thing to do
Run and find the one who loves me
(The one who loves me)

What I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out
(Talk it out)
We know what it’s all about
Hangin’ around
(Hangin’ around)
Nothin’ to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

Funny, but it seems that it’s the only thing to do
(Only thing to do)
Run and find the one who loves me

What I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out
(Talk it out)
We know what it’s all about
Hangin’ around
(Hangin’ around)
Nothin’ to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

Hangin’ around
(Hangin’ around)
Nothin’ to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”

And so, it’s come down to ‘rain’ songs, huh? OK!

Rain – The Beatles, Rain – Uriah Heep; Feels Like Rain – Buddy Guy; Drivin’ Rain – Gov’t Mule; Rainy Night In Georgia (covered, famously, by Brook Benton but written by Tony Joe White, who writes his best songs while driving to Arkansas, $1 to Tom Kimmel); I Love A Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbit; Who’ll Stop The Rain – CCR; Have You Ever Seen The Rain – CCR; Raindrops Keep falling On My Head – BJ Thomas (written by Bert Bacharach and Hal David); Purple Rain – Prince.

Got any more? Feedback always welcome at birdlecroy.com, my FB page, or @autull on Twitter.

Have you ever read a blog so bereft of quality? But it’s free folks. We’re doin’ this for tips. And speaking of tips, be generous to your waitresses. They work very hard to make sure you have a drink in front of you. Thank you! We’ll be here all week at the Lizard Lounge! Drive safely! We love you!

Summer Shower – Poem by Emily Dickinson

A drop fell on the apple tree,
Another on the roof;
A half a dozen kissed the eaves,
And made the gables laugh.

A few went out to help the brook,
That went to help the sea.
Myself conjectured, Were they pearls,
What necklaces could be!

The dust replaced in hoisted roads,
The birds jocoser sung;
The sunshine threw his hat away,
The orchards spangles hung.

The breezes brought dejected lutes,
And bathed them in the glee;
The East put out a single flag,
And signed the fete away.