Get Together

Do you remember what you were doing in 1971? Perhaps you were protesting the Vietnam war. Or fighting in it. Maybe you weren't even born yet.

For me, I was 18 and in my senior year at New Berlin High School (a suburb of Milwaukee). I was aware of all the anti-war protests going on. They were happening right downtown!

The following was an introduction to a protest song by Jimi Hendrix back in 1970:

"I'd like to dedicate this to the draggin' scene that's goin' on. All the soldiers fighting in Chicago and Milwaukee and New York. Oh yes, and all the soldiers fighting in Vietnam. I'd like to do this little thing called Machine Gun." - Jimi Hendrix

Music was a big part of my life back then. I was in a small rock band (we played one gig). Although I played guitar I never really paid too much attention to the lyrics.

In 1971 there was a song that encouraged everyone to just love one another. It was called Get Together by The Youngbloods. The chorus goes like this:

"Come on people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together, try to love one another right now."

I never made the connection - the connection to Jesus.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

The song goes on to say this in the second verse:

"Some may come and some may go. He will surely pass. When the one that left us here, Returns for us at last. We are but a moment's sunlight, Fading in the grass."

I never made the Jesus connection back in 1971, even though I had sung the song many times. Only now do I see it.

The common need this generation of today has with the generation of my youth is this: LOVE. Perhaps we need to repeat the song lyrics over and over again until we get the concept stuck in our heads.

"Come on people now, smile on your brother. Everybody get together, try to love one another right now."

Get Together - The Youngbloods

Machine Gun - Jimi Hendrix