Tell Me Why You’re Crying My Son; Joolen
ART CREDIT; just another scrappy impulsive street artist; who had something to say. That sign has remained unchanged for years; my city leaves room that way; for people who need to say what they need to say.🍂
HERE IS A SONG that seems once more relevant to our time; for so many reasons; of course; regarding that crying bit. I heard him sing it live once; at a small intimate hall at UCLA; or perhaps; somewhere in Westwood; i don’t know. We got tickets from my friend’s older sister; who went to school there. She sat with her own friends; separate from us. We were only in junior high; and not quite as cool as all that yet; and mark; and note; i said; yet. And i had never been to the concert of such a famous person before! Oh; what a thrill that was! As i listened to their music every day; after school; or after orchestra practice; sometimes; while i studied too; and always loved to sing along.-Tell me why you’re crying; my son...🍂
WELL; different reasons then than now. My father struggled with mental illness; because he had survived a war; our country had survived a war. Many men of my homeland struggled; for the rest of their lives with that! There was a lot of alcoholism; mental illness; obesity; because of the famine; which was the worst in history; there was a lot of obesity.
Although my father; when he began to hike the foothills; cured any tendency towards that; and it likely uplifted his mental state too. And; as immigrants; we were often poor. Sometimes; in a state he would perhaps not remember; but suffer dearly for; my father would break all the furniture in our house! Which was nothing much; from the thrift store. But then; he would buy us more and more; same with all of his records too; maybe then; we loved them even more.🍂
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LOOSEN UP; my friend commanded! As we sat in our seats at that small music hall. And she wanted me to falsely sway about and snap my fingers; but i already was a real musician! And plus; i was only twelve or thirteen years old; where would i have learned that? And so; when i listened to music; and; in such a close range to the real guy; well then; i really listened! Even on my records; to Pablo; Itzhak; Isaac; Jean Pierre; Yehudi; and the gang. But for a brief moment; i tried to do what my friend said; and felt miserable and ridiculous; and wished she would just stop and leave me alone; but no; she wouldn’t do that. Why are you so uptight? my friend continued to harangue me; and then i realized; that wasn’t a real friend.
That’s no way to treat a friend.-Thank you; James Taylor; you were so right about that! So i just sat and absorbed the crowd; and all the people around me. I wasn’t out to be cool; i wasn’t out to be a pretend hippie; i was a just young musician; out to listen to the music. Peter Yarrow looked straight at me; we were close; we were that close; and he saw; he knew.
So i didn’t listen to my friend anymore; i love that guy! I love his beautiful voice; one of the best; the very best; and that deeply compassionate song; so many things to cry for now; in case you need a song too; well then; too many things; i am so sorry; too many things.🍂bernadette; Day is Done; Middle 1960s; Peter, Paul, and Mary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UrunpqtcIE🍂
PETER YARROW died of cancer in 2025; rest in peace; they were one of the most beautiful groups! And his voice especially; flowed like honey; his compassion and spirit were palpable; and at a time when the world sorely needed; and surely was uplifted; by those beautiful beautiful songs. We must keep track of those artists; and their works; for all time. I still get a lift from; a comfort from; their beautiful beautiful songs; and they are delicious to sing; you will enjoy that too.🍂bernadette; june 2026
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LAST UPDATED 6 November 2026.
