Gen-X Rant and Roll Redux (thanks, Karen!)

In seeking material to take into my classroom to play (on guitar) for my students, I thought through what I would say to my kids if I were to play for them The Smiths' "Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want." (Note: in the interests of keeping potentially depressed students and staff in balance, I nixed this particular song). I figured I'd say something like "Okay, you ever wonder why all your teachers who grew up in the 1980's are so messed up? It's because of songs like this one."

Was there ever a more appropriate song for our generation, which has had, on the most part, nearly everything handed to it on a silver platter, yet feels a certain disconnect - from absent parents, from the removal of God from society, from being told that all the standards of gramma and grandpa's life (despite their very real shortcomings) were worthless?

And, if there's no value in life, no wonder so many our age took this song as an anthem. Remember how a haunting instrumental version of it played over the scene of Cameron's reckoning in our own cultural zeitgeist, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"? Gives me chills to this very day:

Good times for a change
See, the luck I've had
Can make a good man
Turn bad

So please please please
Let me, let me, let me
Let me get what I want
This time


Haven't had a dream in a long time
See, the life I've had
Can make a good man bad


So for once in my life
Let me get what I want
Lord knows, it would be the first time
Lord knows, it would be the first time


I believe it is now the burden of those of us who Jesus pulled out of that nihilistic funk that was the '80s and '90s to take His message of love, of significance, to the masses. As has been the responsibility of Christians for 2000 years now. I am humbled to be surrounded by so many strong brothers and sisters in this blog community, allowing themselves to be used of God wherever they are in the world and wherever they are in their lives. God bless you all.